“In a normal world, it’s not good,” said Chris Wilson, a Republican pollster. But given the health of the economy and relative stability abroad, Mr. Trump’s approval ratings are already significantly lower than what virtually any other president would be enjoying at this moment of his administration. And if there is one predictable element of this otherwise unpredictable presidency, it is that some new story will detonate in the days or weeks ahead, pushing the last eruption off the home page and television chyron. That fact was both a tonic to Republicans on Tuesday and a reason for concern. While suggesting that the Manafort and Cohen felonies were merely this week’s version of the Omarosa tapes — the latest ephemeral drama to grip Washington but barely faze voters — Republican officials were also apprehensive about what more Mr. Cohen may reveal on his way to a likely prison sentence.

Source: New York Times August 22, 2018 09:02 UTC