President Donald Trump on Sunday invented a Fox News poll that he said showed 40 percent support among African Americans.
New Fox Poll shows a “40% Approval Rating by African Americans for President Trump, a record for Republicans.” Thank you, a great honor!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 4, 2018
TPM found no evidence of poll results saying that. A Fox News poll released Oct. 17 showed 29 percent approval of the President among all non-white registered voters, and 47 percent overall approval among registered voters.
As the Washington Post’s Aaron Blake pointed out, the President may have been referring to a daily tracking poll performed by Rasmussen that, according to an Oct. 29 report from the company, showed 40 percent approval for Trump among black voters.
A Fox News spokesperson confirmed as much in an email to TPM Sunday: “He is referencing a Rasmussen poll,” the spokesperson wrote, linking to the tracking poll. White House spokespeople did not respond to TPM’s request for comment.
In August, when the same Rasmussen tracking poll showed that 36 percent of black voters supported the President, Political Science Professor Michael Tesler criticized the finding in the Washington Post, writing: “Polling firms that have interviewed far more African Americans, and that are much more transparent than Rasmussen, all show that Trump’s black approval rating is much lower than 36 percent.”
On Saturday, Fox News contributor Deroy Murdock mentioned the Rasmussen poll in an opinion piece on FoxNews.com.
Journalists noted Trump’s invention Sunday:
It’s actually a Rasmussen poll that a Fox columnist uncritically passed along. https://t.co/f73unNvQ6y https://t.co/0kG0SXu6uT
— Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) November 4, 2018
Couldn’t find the poll he’s talking about. But a Fox News poll released on Oct. 17th shows Trump’s approval among non-white registered voters at 29%. Its 25% among non-white likely voters. https://t.co/lLNFJHrB7I pic.twitter.com/1gPcWhXwNb
— Ryan Hutchins (@ryanhutchins) November 4, 2018
Counter-point: This poll does not exist https://t.co/sw8cDhFEmy
— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) November 4, 2018
There's no new Fox poll saying this. It's 100% false. Is Trump simply lying or is he so unhinged that he thinks it's true? Here's how far we're fallen as a nation: We hope the president is dishonest instead of deranged. https://t.co/cXYxjmmBzX
— Mark Jacob (@MarkJacob16) November 4, 2018
The sun rose and Trump tells another lie. Just another day.
Another example of why reading is important and facts matter.
And with water still proving to be wet, Rasmussen pushes some phony numbers.
Wonder which hat he pulled this one from?
What a pathetic asshole