A n ew Politico/Morning Consult Poll out this morning finds that even as governors across the country are moving ahead with plans to reopen their states, "large majorities of voters favor continued social distancing to stop the spread of the coronavirus and expect a second surge of cases in the next year."
Nearly three-in-four voters, 73 percent, think Americans should continue social distancing, even if it means continued damage to the U.S. economy. Just 15 percent say social distancing should end to boost the economy, even if the virus spreads.
Meanwhile, the poll also shows voters are girding for a second wave of cases. Nearly 8-in-10, 79 percent, say that second wave is very or somewhat likely. Only 9 percent say it's unlikely.
And here is what the new PBS poll found:
Meanwhile, (not surprisingly) Trump continues to send out contradictory signals.
With more and more states ready to resume some semblance of normal life, the messages from Mr. Trump and his administration at times have sounded contradictory and confusing. The president is anxious to get the stalled economy running again as the election grows nearer, and he has encouraged protests against restrictions in some states even as parts of his own government counsel caution for fear of rushing into a second wave of the disease.
The contrast was on display on Tuesday even as the number of cases in the United States surpassed one million and the death toll of 52,000 approached the total American military casualties of the Vietnam War. Mr. Trump hosted Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida at the White House to talk about reopening a state that has stirred deep concern because of its disproportionate population of retirees and the crowded public beaches that remained open long after experts recommended they be closed. The president later staged a ceremony in the East Room with small businesses to talk about getting back to work....
But shortly before that, one of his top health advisers, Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, was warning against precipitous action by the states.
“Hopefully everyone does it according to the guidelines for ‘Opening Up America Again,’” Dr. Fauci said, referring to the federal recommendations during a video talk sponsored by the Economic Club of Washington, D.C. Otherwise, he said, premature action could lead to “a rebound to get us right back in the same boat that we were in a few weeks ago.”
Exit take: Grim number for Trump.
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