April 15, 1999
Web posted at: 5:00 p.m. EDT (2100 GMT)

WASHINGTON (April 15) -- The current military action in Kosovo has not produced any major changes in support for the Republican candidates for president despite a flurry of publicity for Arizona Sen. John McCain, a leading critic of the Clinton Administration's policies.

According to the latest CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll, Texas Gov. George W. Bush remains the front-runner with 53 percent of all Republicans nationwide choosing him as their first choice. Former Red Cross Director Elizabeth Dole, with support from 16 percent of all Republicans, is the only other GOP hopeful in double digits.

McCain's support has risen from 3 percent in March to 5 percent -- but it is worth noting that is below the 8 percent he won in a poll in January. Dan Quayle, Steve Forbes, and Pat Buchanan all have similar strength.

The survey of 1,069 adult Americans was conducted on April 13-14, 1999. Questions have a margin of sampling error of +/- three percentage points unless otherwise indicated.

I'm going to read a list of people who may be running in the Republican primary for president in the next election. After I read all the names, please tell me which of those candidates you would be most likely to support for the Republican nomination for president in the year 2000.

Please say if you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of John McCain -- or if you have never heard of him.

Opinion of John McCain

Gore continues to lead Bradley, trail Bush

On the Democratic side, Bill Bradley is now drawing support from a third of all Democrats nationwide, but Vice President Al Gore continues to maintain a 20-point lead on the former basketball star.

A majority -- 54 percent -- of Democrats nationwide want Gore to be their party's nominee in 2000; 34 percent prefer Bradley. Bradley has gained some ground on Gore in the past six weeks, going from 20 percent of the vote in early March to 34 percent while Gore's share of support has remained steady.

But Bradley's improvement is probably not due to Kosovo. Since the start of military action in Yugoslavia, both Democratic candidates have seen their support grow, leaving the vice president's 20-point lead unchanged since March 25. Bradley's favorable ratings are rising as more Americans become familiar with him.

More bad news for Gore: he wins just 38 percent in a hypothetical match-up against Bush -- the lowest amount of support he has received to date. Gore also wins only 42 percent in a hypothetical contest with Dole, another low for the vice president.

I'm going to read a list of people who may be running in the Democratic primary for president in the next election. After I read all the names, please tell me which of those candidates you would be most likely to support for the Democratic nomination for president in the year 2000?

Now suppose the year 2000 presidential election were being held today. If Vice President Al Gore were the Democratic party's candidate and Texas Gov. George W. Bush were the Republican party's candidate, who would you be more likely to vote for?

If Vice President Al Gore were the Democratic party's candidate and former Red Cross President Elizabeth Dole, were the Republican party's candidate, who would you be more likely to vote for?

Please say if you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of Bill Bradley -- or if you have never heard of him.

Opinion of Bill Bradley

Americans support Clinton's contempt citation

What is the reaction to Judge Susan Webber Wright's ruling that President Bill Clinton was in contempt of court for giving intentionally false testimony during the Paula Jones case?

Two-thirds agree with the judge's decision, and 60 percent would favor Clinton being disbarred and prevented from practicing law as a result of the judge's ruling.

As you may know, a federal judge in Arkansas on Monday held that President Clinton was in contempt of court for giving "intentionally false" testimony about his relationship with Monica Lewinsky in the Paula Jones lawsuit. Do you agree or disagree with the judge's decision?

The possibility exists that as a result of this decision, the Arkansas State Bar could disbar Bill Clinton and prevent him from practicing law in Arkansas when he leaves the presidency. Would you favor or oppose that action?

Disbar Clinton because he was cited for contempt?

Mood changing toward Clinton Administration

There are early warning signs for the Clinton Administration that the public's mood is changing in a post-Lewinsky, wartime world.

During Clinton's impeachment, his approval rating was high, satisfaction with how things were going in the country reached record levels, and Clinton held a sizeable advantage over the GOP in the public's mind. In January, for example, 55 percent said they wanted Clinton to have more influence than the Republicans in Congress over the direction the nation takes in the next year.

Now, Clinton and the Republicans are in a virtual tie -- just before Congress is likely to begin debating U.S. policy in Kosovo.

And satisfaction with how things are going in the country has dropped from 71 percent in February to 58 percent -- still an indication of a relatively contented country and about par for the course through most of 1998.

Clinton's approval rating is now at 60 percent, far below the record 73 percent he posted just after his impeachment by the House or the 70 percent figure he had during his Senate trial. But between the 1996 election and the start of the Lewinsky scandal, his approval rating consistently hovered around 60 percent, and it seems likely that the drop in Clinton's ratings due to their resuming a natural level now that impeachment is past us.

How much has Kosovo hurt Clinton? A few points at most -- his approval rating was at 64 percent just before the bombing in Yugoslavia began.

Who do you want to have more influence over the direction the nation takes in the next year -- Bill Clinton or the Republicans in Congress?

In general, are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the way things are going in the United States at this time?

Do you approve or disapprove of the way Bill Clinton is handling his job as president?

Thursday, April 15, 1999

• Capitol Hill pushes for cost of Kosovo
• Poll: Support for NATO strikes, and ground troops, growing
• FEC reports: Gore and Bush dominate the race for campaign funds
• Congress approves $1.74 trillion budget for FY 2000
• Elizabeth Dole heading to the Balkans
• Poll: Kosovo has little impact on 2000 landscape
• China trade deal back on track, Congress still poses hurdle
• Diabetic congressman pushes stamp to raise research money
• Impeachment cost at least $1.2 million; some paid $20,000 a month
• House Democrats begin signature drive on campaign finance
• House sends census review bill to Senate
• Gingrich resumes Washington political career
• First lady writing about White House entertaining
• Briefs: House Dems raise record funds; Forbes online; Author Gephardt
• Analysis: Congress complains but doesn't act to fix complex tax code

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