Clinton Scandals I

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President Clinton: Scandals and Investigations, continued
All data are from nationwide surveys of Americans 18 & older.

Impeachment polls conducted in 1999:

ABC News (survey completed 2/12)
ABC News/Washington Post (1/10)
CBS News (2/12)
CBS News/New York Times (2/1)
CNN/Time (1/21)
Fox News/Opinion Dynamics (1/28)
Gallup/CNN/USA Today (2/13)
Harris (1/12)
Los Angeles Times (2/12)
Marist College (1/26)
NBC News (1/12)
NBC News/Wall Street Journal (1/18)
Newsweek (2/12)
Pew (1/25)
Zogby (1/21)

Impeachment polls conducted November-December
Lewinsky scandal polls conducted through October

See Congress for ratings of Congress and congressional leaders.

Other Scandals:
Paula Jones
Whitewater
Chinagate

ABC News Poll. February 12, 1999. N=526 adults nationwide.
			.
"As you may know, the Senate today found Clinton not guilty of the impeachment charges against him, meaning he can remain in office. Do you approve or disapprove of the Senate vote finding Clinton not guilty of the impeachment charges?"
		%
	Approve	60
	Disapprove	39
	No opinion	1
			.
"Do you think the Senate should censure or officially reprimand Clinton for his actions in the Monica Lewinsky matter, or should it drop the case without censuring Clinton?"
		%
	Censure Clinton	44
	Drop the case	54
	No opinion	2
			.
"Clinton still could face criminal charges of perjury and obstruction of justice. That could happen while he's still in office or after he leaves office. Do you think Clinton should or should not face criminal charges at some point?" If "Yes": "Should he face criminal charges while he's still in office or after he leaves office?"
		%
	Should -- while in office	20
	Should -- after leaving office	29
	Should not	46
	No opinion	5
			.
"Regardless of the Senate's verdict, do you think the charges against Clinton were serious enough for him to be impeached and put on trial, or would you say the charges were not serious enough and the impeachment and trial never should have happened?"
		%
	Serious enough	43
	Not serious enough	56
			.
"Do you think the Senate voted today on the basis of the facts of the case or on the basis of partisan politics?"
		%
	Facts of the case	23
	Partisan politics	71
	No opinion	6
			.
"Looking back, did Clinton's impeachment and trial strengthen or weaken your faith in the government's ability to handle charges of lawbreaking by a president?"
		%
	Strengthened	21
	Weakened	62
	No difference (vol.)	15
	No opinion	2
			.
"After the Senate vote today Clinton said he was profoundly sorry for his actions. Do you think he's being sincere when he says that, or not sincere?"
		%
	Sincere	50
	Not sincere	47
	No opinion	3

ABC News Poll. February 6-7, 1999. N=803 adults nationwide.
				.
"At the end of the trial the Senate will vote to decide whether or not Clinton should be removed from office. Do you think the Senate should or should not remove Clinton from office?"
		2/6-7/99	1/19/99
		%	%
	Should	33	36
	Should not	65	60
	No opinion	2	4
				.
"Do you think the videotaped testimony from Monica Lewinsky and the two other witnesses helped the prosecutors' side in the impeachment case, helped Clinton's side, or made no difference?"
		%
	Prosecutors' side	17
	Clinton's side	8
	Made no difference	53
	No opinion	22
				.
"The current schedule calls for senators to debate the charges against Clinton and vote on them in the coming week. Do you think the Senate should debate the charges in an open, public session or in a closed, private session?"
		%
	Open session	56
	Closed session	41
	No opinion	3
				.
"Do you think the Senate should or should not censure or officially reprimand Clinton for his actions in the Monica Lewinsky matter?"
		2/6-7/99	1/8-10/99
		%	%
	Should	56	57
	Should not	39	38
	No opinion	5	5
				.
"How would you feel if the Senate allows Clinton to remain in office? Would you be pleased about that, satisfied but not pleased, dissatisfied but not angry, or angry?"
		%
	Pleased	39
	Satisfied but not pleased	29
	Dissatisfied but not angry	20
	Angry	11
	No opinion	1
				.
"Are you interested in hearing more about the impeachment case, or would you say you’re sick of it?"
		%
	Interested in hearing more	18
	Sick of it	81
	No opinion	1

ABC News Poll. January 19, 1999, in the closing minutes of and immediately following the State of the Union speech. N=584 adults nationwide.
			.
"As you may know, the House of Representatives has voted to impeach Clinton, and the Senate is holding a trial to decide whether or not Clinton should be removed from office. After each side presents its case, do you think the Senate should then call witnesses to testify, or should the Senate complete the trial without calling witnesses to testify?"
		%
	Should call witnesses	39
	Should not	55
	No opinion	6
			.
"Clinton's lawyer opened his defense in the Senate today. From what you've heard, do you think his lawyer made a strong case against removing Clinton from office, or a weak case?"
		%
	Strong case	32
	Weak case	24
	No opinion	43

*ABC News/Washington Post* Poll.** January 8-10, 1999. N=923 adults nationwide.
			.
"As you may know, the House of Representatives has voted to impeach Clinton. Next the Senate will hold a trial to decide whether or not Clinton should be removed from office. After each side presents its case in the trial, do you think the Senate should then call witnesses to testify, or should the Senate complete the trial without calling witnesses to testify?"
		%
	Should call witnesses	41
	Should not	55
	No opinion	4
			.
"Again, the House of Representatives has voted to impeach Clinton and next the Senate will hold a trial to decide whether or not he should be removed from office. Do you think the Senate should or should not remove Clinton from office?"
		%
	Should	33
	Should not	65
	No opinion	2
			.
"If your U.S. senator voted in favor of removing Clinton from office, would that make you more likely to support your senator in the next election, more likely to oppose your senator for reelection, or wouldn't it make much difference in your vote?"
		%
	More likely to support	19
	More likely to oppose	31
	Not much difference	48
	No opinion	2

CBS News Poll. February 12, 1999. N=926 adults nationwide who had previously been interviewed in CBS polls conducted 1/30-2/1/99 and 2/7/99.
					.
		ALL	Repub- licans	Demo- crats	Indepen- dents
		%	%	%	%
"Do you approve or disapprove of the way the Senate has handed the impeachment trial?"
	Approve	39	31	42	42
	Disapprove	56	66	53	52
	Don't know/No answer	5	3	5	6
					.
"Do you approve or disapprove of the Senate voting not to convict President Clinton and allowing him to remain in office?"
	Approve	64	29	89	64
	Disapprove	34	69	10	35
	Don't know/No answer	2	2	1	1
					.
"Just from the way you feel right now, do you think President Clinton's actions were serious enough to warrant his being convicted by the Senate and removed from the presidency, or not?"
	Were serious enough	36	72	13	34
	Were not	62	28	85	63
	Don't know/No answer	2	0	2	3
					.
"Do you think the Senate should have censured President Clinton—that is, publicly reprimand him for what he has done—or not?"
	Should have	46	54	41	46
	Should not	50	42	55	51
	Don't know/No answer	4	4	4	3
					.
"Regardless of your opinion of the outcome of the Senate impeachment trial, do you think the country would have been better off if the investigation of these charges had never started, or not?"
	Better off if had never started	62	35	79	63
	Not better off	34	58	17	33
	Don't know/No answer	4	7	4	4
					.
"Do you think Bill Clinton can still be an effective president, or not?"
	Yes, can still be	74	46	92	75
	No, cannot	23	49	7	22
	Don't know/No answer	3	5	1	3
					.
"Do you think of the whole impeachment process as mostly the investigation of possible crimes, or mostly as politics?"
	Possible crimes	19	37	7	17
	Politics	78	58	91	80
	Don't know/No answer	3	5	2	3

CBS News Poll. February 7, 1999. N=631 adults nationwide.
					.
		ALL	Repub- licans	Demo- crats	Indepen- dents
		%	%	%	%
"Do you approve or disapprove of the way the Senate is handling the impeachment trial?"
	Approve	32	51	23	28
	Disapprove	56	40	64	60
	Don't know/No answer	12	9	13	12
					.
"Just from the way you feel right now, do you think President Clinton's actions are serious enough to warrant his being convicted by the Senate and removed from the presidency, or not?"
	Are serious enough	31	65	9	28
	Are not	65	32	88	66
	Don't know/No answer	4	3	3	6
					.
"In the Senate trial, what do you want your senators to do: vote in favor of convicting Clinton and removing him from office, or vote against convicting Clinton so he will remain in office?"
	Vote for conviction	29	62	7	27
	Vote against	66	31	92	67
	Don't know/No answer	5	7	1	6

CBS News Poll. January 10-11, 1999. N=1,182 adults nationwide.
					.
		ALL	Repub- licans	Demo- crats	Indepen- dents
		%	%	%	%
"Do you approve or disapprove of the way the Senate is handling the impeachment trial?"
	Approve	46	66	36	42
	Disapprove	41	23	51	44
	Don't know/No answer	13	11	13	14
					.
"Do you think the U.S. Senate should hold a full trial, complete with witnesses and testimony, to decide whether or not to remove President Clinton from office, or don't you think a full trial is necessary?"
	Hold a full trial	36	59	21	34
	Not necessary	60	37	75	60
	Trial, but not full (vol.)	1	1	1	0
	Don't know/No answer	3	3	3	6
					.
"Given what you know right now, do you think the Senate should censure President Clinton—that is, should the Senate vote to publicly reprimand President Clinton for what he has done—or don't you think the Senate should censure him?"
	Should	52	43	58	51
	Should not	38	46	34	36
	Don't know/No answer	10	11	8	13
					.
"Given what you know right now, do you think it would be better for the country if Bill Clinton resigned from office, or do you think it would be better for the country if Bill Clinton finished his term as president?"
	Resigned	29	56	13	27
	Finished term	68	40	86	68
	Don't know/No answer	3	4	1	5
					.
"Just from the way you feel right now, do you think President Clinton's actions are serious enough to warrant his being convicted by the Senate and removed from the presidency, or not?"
	Are serious enough	37	68	14	38
	Are not	61	29	84	59
	Don't know/No answer	2	3	2	3

CBS News Poll. January 3-4, 1999. N=1,175 adults nationwide.
					.
		ALL	Repub- licans	Demo- crats	Indepen- dents
		%	%	%	%
"The U.S. House of Representatives voted on December 19, 1998, to impeach President Clinton and send articles of impeachment to the Senate for a trial. Do you approve or disapprove of the House voting to impeach President Clinton?"
	Approve	40	70	19	44
	Disapprove	57	27	80	52
	Don't know/No answer	3	3	1	4
					.
"Do you think the U.S. Senate should hold a full trial, complete with witnesses and testimony, to decide whether or not to remove President Clinton from office, or don't you think a full trial is necessary?"
	Hold a full trial	32	52	19	33
	Not necessary	63	44	79	60
	Trial, but not full (vol.)	2	3	1	2
	Don't know/No answer	3	1	1	5
					.
"Given what you know right now, do you think the Senate should censure President Clinton—that is, should the Senate vote to publicly reprimand President Clinton for what he has done—or don't you think the Senate should censure him?"
	Should	52	45	62	45
	Should not	39	44	29	45
	Don't know/No answer	9	11	9	10
					.
"Given what you know right now, do you think it would be better for the country if Bill Clinton resigned from office, or do you think it would be better for the country if Bill Clinton finished his term as president?"
	Resigned	28	50	12	29
	Finished term	70	47	87	67
	Don't know/No answer	2	3	1	4
					.
"Just from the way you feel right now, do you think President Clinton's actions are serious enough to warrant his being impeached and removed from the presidency, or not?"
	Are serious enough	34	63	13	35
	Are not	62	34	82	61
	Don't know/No answer	4	3	5	4

"Some people say the Senate holding a trial would have a serious, negative impact on the country—affecting things like economic confidence and the ability to get work done. What do you think? Would a trial in the Senate have a serious, negative impact on the country, or not?"
	Would have serious impact	60	47	72	56
	Would not	32	47	20	35
	Impact, not serious (vol.)	3	3	4	3
	Don't know/No answer	5	3	4	6

*CBS News/New York Times* Poll.** January 30-February 1, 1999. N=1,058 adults nationwide.
					.
		ALL	Repub- licans	Demo- crats	Indepen- dents
		%	%	%	%
"Do you approve or disapprove of the way the Senate is handling the impeachment trial?"
	Approve	37	57	28	32
	Disapprove	56	36	66	59
	Don't know/No answer	7	7	6	9
					.
"Now that the Senate impeachment trial is underway, do you want the Senate to come to a final vote on whether or not to convict President Clinton and remove him from office, or would you be satisfied if the impeachment trial adjourned and was dropped without a final vote?"
	Want a final vote	45	77	22	47
	Satisfied if dropped	51	22	74	46
	Don't know/No answer	4	1	4	7
					.
"What about in the year 2000 elections? Do you think the way the House and Senate Republicans have handled the impeachment matter will make it harder or easier for Republican candidates to win elections in 2000?"
	Harder	59	48	69	56
	Easier	23	28	20	22
	No effect (vol.)	9	14	4	10
	Don't know/No answer	9	10	7	12
					.
"Do you think the way the House and Senate Democrats have handled the impeachment matter will make it harder or easier for Democratic candidates to win elections in 2000?"
	Harder	42	49	36	43
	Easier	38	26	50	34
	No effect (vol.)	9	12	5	11
	Don't know/No answer	11	13	9	12
					.
"Just from the way you feel right now, do you think President Clinton's actions are serious enough to warrant his being convicted by the Senate and removed from the presidency, or not?"
	Are serious enough	37	70	14	38
	Are not	61	29	84	58
	Don't know/No answer	2	1	2	4
					.
"So far, have you learned anything new about this whole situation from the Senate impeachment trial, or not?"
	Yes	21	23	20	22
	No	77	73	78	78
	Don't know/No answer	2	4	2	0
					.
"In the Senate trial, what do you want your senators to do: vote in favor of convicting Clinton and removing him from office, or vote against convicting Clinton so he will remain in office?"
	Vote for conviction	31	64	9	31
	Vote against	62	30	87	60
	Don't know/No answer	7	6	4	9
					.
"Some senators have proposed a two-stage vote at the end of the impeachment trial. Instead of the vote on whether or not to convict President Clinton and remove him from office, the Senate would have two separate votes -- one on whether or not they believe President Clinton did what is claimed in the articles of impeachment, and the other on whether or not to remove him from office. Do you think this procedure is a good idea or a bad idea, or haven't you heard enough about this procedure yet to say?"
	Good idea	13	19	7	14
	Bad idea	24	26	24	23
	Haven't heard enough	60	54	62	61
	Don't know/No answer	3	1	7	2

*CNN/Time* Poll** conducted by Yankelovich Partners. January 20-21, 1999. N=1,024 adults nationwide.
					.
		ALL	Repub- licans	Indepen- dents	Demo- crats
		%	%	%	%
"Based on what you have read or heard, do you believe the Senate should remove President Clinton from office, or don't you feel that way?"
	Should remove	35	65	34	14
	Don't feel that way	62	31	63	83
	Not sure	3	4	3	3
					.
"Now that the first phase of the impeachment trial is coming to an end, the Senate is about to vote on whether or not to proceed with the trial. Once the first phase of the trial is complete, do you think the Senate should vote to end the trial at that time, or should it vote to proceed with the trial?"
	End the trial	58	32	59	76
	Proceed	36	63	36	18
	Not sure	6	5	5	6
					.
"Once the first phase of the trial is complete, do you think the Senate should hear testimony from witnesses, or don't you think so?"
	Should hear testimony	40	64	40	24
	Don't think so	56	32	56	74
	Not sure	4	4	4	2
					.
"Do you approve or disapprove of how the Republicans in the Senate are handling the impeachment trial of President Clinton?"
	Approve	37	65	38	18
	Disapprove	54	28	53	74
	Not sure	9	7	9	8
					.
"Do you approve or disapprove of how the Democrats in the Senate are handling the impeachment trial of President Clinton?"
	Approve	49	34	45	66
	Disapprove	40	55	44	25
	Not sure	11	11	11	9

*CNN/Time* Poll** conducted by Yankelovich Partners. January 7, 1999. N=1,067 adults nationwide.
					.
		ALL	Repub- licans	Indepen- dents	Demo- crats
		%	%	%	%
"Based on what you have read or heard, do you believe the Senate should remove President Clinton from office, or don't you feel that way?"
	Should remove	34	67	34	12
	Don't feel that way	62	30	62	83
	Not sure	4	3	4	5
					.
"In general, do you approve or disapprove of the way the U.S. Senate is handling the impeachment trial of President Clinton?"
	Approve	35	45	38	26
	Disapprove	47	33	45	57
	Not sure	18	22	17	17
					.
"Now suppose that the Senate took a vote on whether to hold a trial at all. If you had to choose, would you want the Senate to proceed with the trial or end it immediately?"
	Proceed with the trial	38	67	38	18
	End it immediately	59	32	58	79
	Not sure	3	1	4	3
					.
"Do you think that most U.S. senators, in their role as jurors in President Clinton's trial, will 'do impartial justice according to the Constitution and the laws,' or don't you think so?"
	Will do impartial justice	41	47	40	38
	Don't think so	50	44	51	52
	Not sure	9	9	9	10
					.
"Based on what you have read or heard, do you believe that President Clinton should resign from office and Al Gore become president, or don't you think so?"
	Should resign	35	64	35	16
	Don't think so	63	33	63	82
	Not sure	2	3	2	2
					.