In Responses To Orlando, Americans Approve Of Obama And Turn On Trump

President Barack Obama, right, speaks to members of the media in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Monday, June 13, 2016, after getting briefed on the investigation of a shooting at a nightclub in Orl... President Barack Obama, right, speaks to members of the media in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Monday, June 13, 2016, after getting briefed on the investigation of a shooting at a nightclub in Orlando by FBI Director James Comey, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, and other officials. With Obama is Vice President Joe Biden, left. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) MORE LESS
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Most Americans disapprove of Donald Trump’s response to the mass shooting at an Orlando gay club over the weekend, according to a CBS News poll published Wednesday.

The poll found 51 percent of Americans said they disapprove of the way Trump has proposed handling the massacre, while only 25 percent said they approved.

The real estate tycoon has ramped up calls to ban Muslim immigrants from the United States even though the shooter, Omar Mateen, was born in New York. Trump has also proposed escalating bombing campaigns against the Islamic State terror group and increasing surveillance of Muslim-Americans to root out potential terrorist threats.

The poll found 62 percent of respondents said they disagreed with the proposal to ban Muslim immigration.

President Barack Obama received net positive ratings for his response to the Orlando attack, with 44 percent approval compared to 34 percent disapproval. Reaction to Hillary Clinton’s response was mixed, with 36 percent expressing approval and 34 percent disapproval.

Obama and Clinton have framed the shooting as both a hate crime against LGBT people and an act of terrorism. In their public addresses, they’ve called to strengthen gun control, promote solidarity with Muslims and continue to fight ISIL abroad.

The poll found 57 percent of those surveyed agreed that the Orlando shooting was both a hate crime and a terrorist attack.

The same percentage of respondents said they thought gun laws should be stricter. Nine in 10 of those surveyed said they supported background checks on all gun buyers.

The national poll was conducted among 1,001 adults reached by cellphone and landline from June 13-14. The margin of error was plus or minus four percentage points.

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Notable Replies

  1. What explainns the difference between Obama’s 44% approval and Hillary Clinton’s 36% approval on this issue, when they have almost word-for-word the same position. Here’s one guess: Bernie’s dead enders who he encourages to hate Hillary. Would welcome other theories.

  2. Well, it may simply be the Presidential factor.

    There may be Republicans who cannot tolerate a Democrat, but are still loyal to the “President”, who are giving him a more fair shake.

  3. Yep, you may be right. I think that may constitute some part of that 8 point difference, but I suspect it’s not much of it-- knowing a fair number of Republicans who absolutely loath and despise Obama, and wouldn’t give him credit for anything.

  4. Republicans loyal to this President? Name one.

  5. Nope. Sounds about right.

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