Yesterday's news that two different respected polls are showing 34% of African-Americans approving of President Trump is such bad news for Trump-haters that some refuse to believe it. Among those who presume to speak for African-Americans is "proud Nicaraguan-AMERICAN" Ana Navarro, a CNN contributor who is nominally a Republican (she supported Jeb! in 2016) but who announced that she voted for Democrats for president and governor of Florida because of her hatred for President Trump.



Ana Navarro (YouTube screen grab).

Zero chance this is accurate. Zero. The poll must have only been conducted in the homes of Ben Carson, Kanye, that sheriff guy with the hat and those two Cubic Zirconia & Polyester-Spandex ladies. https://t.co/vsmXJBY1KB — Ana Navarro-Cárdenas (@ananavarro) November 25, 2019

The level of sneering and denigration of widely admired figures including Ben Carson, Sheriff David Clarke, and Diamond & Silk is mean-spirited and classist. Naturally, this led to anger and charges of racism:

If this level of approval for President Trump continues among African-Americans, and if it translates into voting at even half the level of 34%, it will shake up a lot of Democrats (and Trump-haters) who take for granted the 90%+ support blacks traditionally have provided for the last few decades. Right now, denial may be the most secure-feeling option, but that attitude sacrifices realism (and the opportunity to take countermeasures) for psychological comfort.

I actually encourage Narvarro and her colleagues to continue to deny and to snark at blacks who support Trump. I have a strong suspicion that one factor in increasing black approval for Trump is the spectacle of the show trial impeachment hearings that look like an effort to railroad the president. Unfairness like vetoing defense witnesses and shutting down questioning by Republican representatives resonates with blacks. African-Americans have a well developed sense of unfair trial and proceedings and may well identify with the POTUS as the victim of a crooked process.