Similar to the typical incumbent strategy to appear above presidential campaigning, Donald Trump appears to put himself above the polls. For a man who gets fired up about many things- the polls do not seem to concern him. Putting himself above the polls stands in line with his persistent argument that he is not a typical “career politician” candidate.
In September, when Trump’s numbers were increasing he was quoted saying he did not know why his poll numbers were improving. He speculated that the “enthusiasm” of the national audience could be due to his conversation about jobs, the second amendment, or caring for the military. His unknowing attitude gives off an air of being grateful that the polls are up saying, “We’ve had a great month”, but at the same time not concerned with the exact details.
In August, Michael Cohen was interviewed on CNN, and it was suggested that Trump was down in the polls. He immediately questioned, “Says who?,” trying to probe the interviewer, Brianna Keilar, about which polls. Confused and assertive, she replies with “All of them,” – a response that is, sure, all encompassing, but lacks evidence. The awkward silence on live news lends way to a thought groups. One being that Cohen is abrasive and trying to elude the question. Another being that Keilar does not actually have the information about the specific polls. I tend to believe it is the ladder. Cohen was looking for solid facts about the things he was being questioned on because generalizations about being down in all the polls was not something that would disrupt their campaigning.
Trump desires to keep up his persona as a businessman. Someone different compared to his opponent, Clinton, who has spent her lifetime developing a career in politics. By acting nonchalant, he is using the polls in a way that promotes he is not a politician that is consumed by them.