Focus group: How do Americans feel about President Trump and the country?
How do Americans feel about President Donald Trump and the future of the country?
This week, CBS’ “Face the Nation” went to Richmond, Va., to interview a panel of voters about their impressions of where the country is -- and their thoughts on the new president. Of the eleven people in the focus group, four voted for Mr. Trump, five voted for Democrat Hillary Clinton, one voted for Mr. Trump in the primary but Clinton in the general election. One did not vote in November.
Asked for a word or phrase to describe the country right now, most participants made it clear they think the country is going through a difficult time, using words including “turmoil,” “chaos,” and “scary.”
“Turmoil,” said Isaiah, a Clinton voter. “Right now, if you lose, you don’t lose. You just fight, fight, fight. You fuss, fuss, fuss.”
“I feel like everybody is sitting on pins and needles,” said Gina, also a Clinton voter. “So it’s sort of like waiting. I feel like we have to be hopeful.”
Charles, a Trump voter, offered three words: “Volatility, turmoil and chaos.”
“Frustration,” said Barb, another Trump voter, adding that a lot of people are “afraid” because “they don’t know what’s going to happen.”
Seenu, a Clinton voter, said the phrase he’d use is “mass confusion.”
“They promised us that they’re going to drain the swamp,” he said, referring to Mr. Trump’s oft-used campaign slogan. “Instead, I think we’re getting more of the same.”
One participant, Trump voter Aaron, had a slightly more positive word: “change.”
“We’ve got a president who very clearly does things in a different way and is surrounded by a team that does things in a different way,” he said. “They’re going about keeping their campaign promises, but they communicate them in a different way.”