WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, December 9) -- Americans favor censure over impeachment as the House Judiciary Committee prepares to debate four proposed articles of impeachment against President Bill Clinton, a new CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll showed Wednesday.

The survey, conducted between 6 and 9 p.m. ET after the House Judiciary Committee finished hearing Clinton's defense, showed 61 percent of the public opposed to impeachment, while 55 percent said they were in favor of censure.

Clinton faces the threat of impeachment because of his relationship with ex-White House intern Monica Lewinsky, but he has denied he committed perjury or obstruction of justice in trying to conceal their relationship.

The new poll numbers are based on interviews with 568 adult Americans. The survey has a margin of sampling error ranging from +/- 5 percentage points to +/- 8 percentage points, depending on the question.

Here are the questions and results:

Question 1: How closely have you been following the congressional impeachment proceedings against Bill Clinton -- very closely, somewhat closely, not too closely, or not at all?

Question 2: As you may know, the House Judiciary Committee is holding hearings on whether to recommend impeachment of Bill Clinton to the full House of Representatives. In your view, should the House Judiciary Committee vote for or against impeachment?

Question 3: In addition to a vote on impeachment, the House Judiciary Committee may also consider a resolution to censure Bill Clinton -- that is, express formal disapproval of his actions. In your view, should the House Judiciary Committee vote for or against censure?

Question 4 : Next we'd like you to think ahead to the actions the full House of Representatives might take after the Judiciary Committee has voted. Would you, personally, be angry or not angry if the full House of Representatives:

(A) votes to impeach Bill Clinton and send the matter to the Senate for a trial.

(B) votes to censure Bill Clinton but not impeach him.

(C) votes against both impeachment and censure, and therefore takes no formal action against Bill Clinton.

Wednesday, December 9, 1998

• Judiciary Committee unveils four articles of impeachment
• White House lawyers wrap up Clinton defense
• Poll: Public says censure Clinton, don't impeach him
• Full text of the proposed articles of impeachment
• Text of Democratic censure resolution
• As it happens: The president's defense, day 2
• Profiles of the attorneys for Clinton and the committee
• Hyde asks GOP members to hold off on impeachment decision
• Sen. Albert Gore Sr. remembered as an 'inspiration'
• Starr: Clinton report 'misleading'
• Clintons, Sosa lead lighting of national Christmas tree
• Chicago mayor to seek third term
• Trooper quits amid allegations of affair with Oklahoma lieutenant governor
• Clinton largely ignores impeachment doings in public appearances
• Analysis: How much contrition is enough?
• Lawmakers use loophole to help colleagues
• Citizens turned off by impeachment hearings, opinions and all
• Trimmed cases against Democratic fund-raisers move ahead

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