CNN has refused to retract or apologize for a poll showing President Donald Trump far behind the presumed Democratic nominee, despite a cease and desist letter from the Trump campaign.
The poll, which was conducted by SSRS and published Monday, shows Trump 14 points behind former Vice President Joe Biden among registered voters, and his approval rating standing at 38%.
"We stand by our poll," CNN spokesman Matt Dornic said Wednesday, after network president Jeff Zucker received the cease and desist letter.
"It's a stunt and a phony poll to cause voter suppression, stifle momentum and enthusiasm for the president, and present a false view generally of the actual support across America for the president," Trump campaign senior legal adviser Jenna Ellis and chief operating officer Michael Glassner wrote in the letter.
Trump tweeted Monday:
"I have retained highly respected pollster, McLaughlin & Associates, to analyze todays CNN Poll (and others), which I felt were FAKE based on the incredible enthusiasm we are receiving."
CNN notes McLaughlin, a Republican pollster, is among the lowest-rated pollsters in the industry, according to FiveThirtyEight.
The letter also claims the poll surveyed "1,259 adults – not even registered voters, let alone likely voters."
However, CNN states, "the 14-point margin by which Trump is trailing Biden came from a question posed only to 1,125 registered voters. It's typical for polling to sample registered voters rather than likely ones at this stage of the race, as it's difficult to project whether voters will participate in an election that is five months away."
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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