Politics Source Available on Developing Impeachment Story
09/30/2019
Contact: Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944 or Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu and Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209 or Christine_Gillette@uml.edu
Politics and public opinion expert John Cluverius is available for comment on today’s developments in the Democrats’ pursuit of impeaching President Donald Trump.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi announced yesterday a formal impeachment inquiry into Trump. The investigation is sparked by a July phone call in which Trump is alleged to have asked Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden – Trump’s possible rival in the 2020 presidential race – and his family.
Trump and Zelensky met earlier today at the United Nations in New York, where they were asked about the conversation. Cluverius says a memo released today summarizing the phone call makes it obvious “the president asked a foreign leader to investigate one of his potential opponents.”
While the drumbeat for impeachment is a sign that Democrats believe the political winds are with them going into the 2020 presidential race, risks remain in pursuing it, according to Cluverius, associate director of the UMass Lowell Center for Public Opinion.
“Much like the Russia investigation, there’s a chance that this investigation will have little impact on overall attitudes about Trump, because most people need to understand both why this is an abuse of power and that in the United States, presidents have historically not sought the aid of foreign powers to prosecute political opponents,” he said.
Cluverius pointed to two key benchmarks to watch for: lawmakers on both sides of the aisle “who would normally be protecting the president politically” begin “speaking in favor of impeachment” and any changes in Trump’s overall approval rating with voters.
“A president with a job approval rating at 42 percent has a much better chance of getting re-elected than a president with an approval rating at 38 percent. He’s been in the low 40s for most of his presidency; a dip below 40 percent would signal a strong response from the voters who have supported him,” Cluverius said.
In addition to his role with the UMass Lowell Center for Public Opinion, Cluverius is an assistant professor of political science. Before joining the university, he worked as a political operative for a variety of candidates for elective office and interest groups.
To arrange an in-person or telephone interview with Cluverius, contact Nancy Cicco at 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu or Christine Gillette at 978-934-2209, Christine_Gillette@uml.edu.