This week’s White House Report Card finds President Trump still winning on the economy but ignoring that for red meat issues like immigration as he makes a final election blitz for House and Senate Republicans in Tuesday’s midterms. Our graders were not happy with some of his actions this week, however.

John Zogby

Grade C -

Going into the Tuesday election, President Trump owns the good economy — 250,000 new jobs last month, 1,000 new manufacturing jobs per day, a 3.7 percent unemployment rate, wages up again.

So, why isn't that what he is talking about? Trump's focus on immigration and his demagoguery on a few thousand Central Americans 800 miles away is feeding red meat to voters the GOP already has. Swing voters, new voters, undecided voters should be reminded that they probably are better off than they were a few years ago.



Poll on troops from Zogby Analytics, headed by John Zogby's son Jonathan Zogby.



But the president just cannot help himself. Just like he couldn't help himself when he said he was making progress on a trade deal with China and was contradicted by his own economic adviser. And just like he couldn't help himself while in Pittsburgh, the scene of a horrific tragedy. He just isn't the type of guy to lead Americans in mourning. But he generally wins.

Jed Babbin

Grade B

President Trump spent the week campaigning for Republican candidates across the nation and struggling to find a way to deal with the “caravan” — i.e., mob — of would-be immigrants coming through Mexico.

Tuesday’s election will be a referendum on the president himself — his personality as well as his political successes and failures — so he’s basically trying to carry his party across the finish line. Vice President Mike Pence and first daughter Ivanka Trump were also campaigning tirelessly. The Republicans are likely to hold and possibly build their Senate majority; retaining the House seems less certain.

The economy continues to soar, with 250,000 new jobs created in October despite the depredations of Hurricane Michael. The jobless rate fell to about 3.7 percent, which means that there are more jobs than job-seekers at this point.



Republicans believe our Country should be a Sanctuary for law-abiding Americans – not criminal aliens. And Republicans will ALWAYS stand with the HEROES of @ICEgov, @CBP, and Law Enforcement! pic.twitter.com/jmnmO26Yb3 — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 3, 2018



Early in the week, the president said he’d end “birthright” citizenship by executive order, which can’t be done constitutionally. He’s sending over 10,000 troops to the border, purportedly to stop the mob from entering the country, but the Posse Comitatus Act prevents the use of troops to enforce the law. The president said that people who throw rocks at our troops would be answered with arrests. He said another proposed executive order would be issued next week to prevent illegal aliens from entering at any place other than formal border crossings to claim asylum. But the immigration laws are indifferent to where a person enters the U.S. Whatever the new executive order says, it will be tied up in court for years.

The president, apparently bowing to pressure from other nations, has exempted China, India, Italy, Turkey, South Korea, and Japan (and two other nations that weren’t disclosed) from sanctions on purchases of Iranian oil that come into effect on Nov. 4. Because the first five on that list are the largest buyers of Iranian oil the exemptions will keep the Iranian economy alive for at least another year. The exemptions are a huge mistake.

John Zogby is the founder of the Zogby Poll and senior partner at John Zogby Strategies. His latest book is We are Many, We are One: Neo-Tribes and Tribal Analytics in 21st Century America. Follow him on Twitter @TheJohnZogby

Jed Babbin is an Examiner contributor and former deputy undersecretary of defense in administration of former President George H.W. Bush. Follow him on Twitter @jedbabbin