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Poll: Clinton on top as Starr maps Clinton investigation

WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, November 20) -- Public support for President Bill Clinton held firm Thursday as Independent Counsel Ken Starr laid out his case in Day One of impeachment proceedings.

A CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll conducted during Starr's almost 12 hours of testimony to the House Judiciary Committee revealed that the majority of people opposed impeachment of the president and had an unfavorable view of Starr.

In the first taste of public sentiment over the proceedings, most people who watched the testimony or heard about them felt the committee had accomplished nothing worthwhile.

Clinton's job approval rating came in at 62 percent - a level it has hovered at for several weeks.

The poll was developed after interviewing 652 adult Americans between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Thursday as the committee hearing was still in progress. It does not reflect later questioning of Starr by White House lawyer David Kendall.

Starr wins points

Starr gets relatively good marks from those who actually watched the hearing Thursday - 26 percent said he did an excellent job presenting his report and another 41 percent said he did a good job.

The public was split over whether his account of Clinton's actions were fair or unfair.

Nonetheless, a majority of those polled (including a majority of those who watched the afternoon's hearings) continue to disapprove of how Starr handled his investigation.

There also appears to be growing cross-party support in terms of how the Republicans and Democrats have handled the investigation.

Since weekend polling, support for how the Republicans are handling the Clinton investigation has jumped from 31 percent to 41 percent.

Democratic support has jumped from 44 percent to 48 percent.

CNN/USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL
November 19
Clinton Job Approval Rating


Now          62%
Nov. 13-15   66
Oct. 6-7     63

Sampling error: +/-4% pts
Question 1: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Bill Clinton is handling his job as President?

CNN/USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL
November 19
Should Your U.S. Representative
Vote To Impeach Clinton?

             Now   Nov. 13-15

Yes          35%      31%
No           62       66

Sampling error: +/-4% pts


CNN/USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL
November 19
Should Your U.S. Representative
Vote To Impeach Clinton?

              Yes     No

Now           35%     62%
Nov. 13-15    31      66
Oct. 9-12     34      62

Sampling error: +/-4% pts
Question 2: As you may know, removing a President from office involves two major steps in Congress. First, the House of Representatives must vote on whether there is enough evidence to bring a president to trial before the Senate. This step is called impeachment. Next, the Senate must vote on whether to remove the president from office or not. What would you want your member of the House of Representatives to do -- vote in favor of impeaching Clinton and sending the case to the Senate for trial, or vote against impeachment of Clinton?

CNN/USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL
November 19
Opinion of Ken Starr

            Now    Oct. 9-12

Favorable   35%       31%
Unfavorable  54        60

Sampling error: +/-4% pts


CNN/USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL
November 19
Opinion of Henry Hyde

             Now    Oct. 9-12

Favorable    25%      35%
Unfavorable  19       23
Unsure       56       42

Sampling error: +/-4% pts


CNN/USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL
November 19
Opinion of Bill Clinton

               Now  Oct. 9-12

Favorable      52%     54%
Unfavorable    46      43

Sampling error: +/-4% pts
Question 3: Next I'd like to get your overall opinion of some people in the news. As I read each name, please favorable or unfavorable person, or if you have never heard of him.

CNN/USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL
November 19
How Starr Is Handling
Clinton Investigation

               Now   Nov. 13-15

Approve        35%      31%
Disapprove     58       63

Sampling error: +/-4% pts

CNN/USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL
November 19
How GOP in Congress Is Handling
Clinton Investigation

               Now   Nov. 13-15

Approve        41%      31%
Disapprove     51       62

Sampling error: +/-4% pts


CNN/USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL
November 19
How Democrats in Congress Are
Handling Clinton Investigation

                Now   Nov. 13-15

Approve         48%     44%
Disapprove      42      46

Sampling error: +/-4% pts
Question 4: Do you approve or disapprove of the way each of the following is handling the current investigation into the charges against Bill Clinton?

CNN/USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL
November 19
Starr Testimony

Saw on TV             38%          
Heard about it         6          
Not heard about it    56

Sampling error: +/-4% pts
Question 5: As you may know, Independent Counsel Ken Starr testified today before the congressional committee investigating whether Bill Clinton should be impeached. Did you happen to see any coverage of those hearings on television today, or not?

Question 6: (IF DID NOT SEE ON TV): Have you heard or read anything today about what happened in today's hearings, or not?

CNN/USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL
November 19
Starr Testimony

Fair and accurate        46%
Unfair and distorted     41

Asked of those who saw or heard
about Starr testimony
Sampling error: +/-6% pts
Question 7: (IF SAW STARR TESTIMONY OR HEARD ABOUT IT): Based on what you have heard about Ken Starr's testimony today, do you think it was a fair and accurate account of Clinton's actions, or do you think it was an unfair and distorted account of Clinton's actions?

CNN/USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL
November 19
How Starr Presented His
Report To Congress

Excellent        26%
Good             41
Not so good       9
Poor             12

Asked of those who saw or heard
about Starr testimony
Sampling error: +/-6% pts


CNN/USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL
November 19
Opinion of Starr Among People
Who Saw or Heard About His Testimony

Excellent/good presentation     65%
Disapprove of Starr 
   investigation                58
Have unfavorable view of Starr  56

Sampling error: +/-6% pts
Question 8: (IF SAW STARR TESTIMONY OR HEARD ABOUT IT): Regardless of how you feel about him personally, how would you rate the job Ken Starr did today in presenting and defending his report to Congress -- excellent, good, not so good, or poor?

CNN/USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL
November 19
Effect of Hearing On
View of Impeachment Process

More confidence      32%
Less confidence      42

Asked of those who saw or heard
about Starr testimony
Sampling error: +/-6% pts
Question 9: (IF SAW STARR TESTIMONY OR HEARD ABOUT IT): As a result of today's impeachment hearings, do you have more confidence or less confidence in the impeachment process in Congress?

CNN/USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL
November 19
Did Hearings Accomplish
Something Worthwhile?

Yes         43%
No          49

Asked of those who saw or heard
about Starr testimony
Sampling error: +/-6% pts
Question 10: (IF SAW STARR TESTIMONY OR HEARD ABOUT IT): From what you saw or heard of today's hearings, do you think today's hearings did or did not accomplish something worthwhile?

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Friday, November 20, 1998

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