Bush, Gore front-runners in latest CNN/Time poll

June 12, 1999
Web posted at: 1:55 p.m. EDT (1755 GMT)

In this story: Information please Bush, hypothetically, beats Gore, again RELATED STORIES, SITES

WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, June 12) -- George W. Bush and Al Gore are the front-runners for their parties' nominations for president in 2000, but their support appears to be tenuous, according to the latest CNN/Time poll.

Only about half the Republicans who currently support Bush for the nomination say they are certain to stick with him; 49 percent of "Bush Republicans" said they would, against 46 percent who may change their minds, according to the poll released Saturday. That sampling error was plus or minus 7 percentage points.

The same was true for Gore, according to the poll, which surveyed 1,031 adult Americans, including 482 Democrats and 389 Republicans, on June 9-10.

Of "Gore Democrats," who support the vice president over challenger and former Sen. Bill Bradley, about 41 percent said they would stick with Gore, against 53 percent who might change their minds. This question, also had a sampling error of plus or minus 7 percentage points.

At the same time, Republicans polled overwhelmingly believe Bush will be the GOP nominee in 2000; two-thirds expect the Texas governor and former president's son to clinch it.

Similarly, 71 percent of Democrats polled expect Gore to lead their ticket.

Information, please

As Bush makes his initial foray this weekend into the first-in-the-nation primary states of Iowa and New Hampshire, and Gore prepares a formal announcement of his candidacy for Wednesday, part of the problem for both seems to be a lack of information about them.

Nearly 70 percent of Republicans surveyed say they don't know enough about Bush yet to decide whether he would make a good president.

Among Democrats surveyed, just two-fifths felt they knew enough about Gore to decide if he'd make a good president; 58 percent did not.

Bush, hypothetically, beats Gore, again

Gore still lags Bush in hypothetical match-ups: 55 percent for Bush against 42 percent for Gore among all poll respondents; that's consistent with May numbers of 54 percent for Bush and 41 percent for Gore.

In the latest poll, Bush was seen as having a stronger moral character, caring more about the average American and more likely to get things done than Gore.

But Gore was seen among those polled as better understanding both the nation's problems and foreign policy than Bush.

CNN/Time poll / June 9-10, 1999:

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Who Will Win Nomination in 2000?

Bush       67%
Quayle      5
Dole        3

Asked of Republicans only
Sampling error: +/-5% pts


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Who Will Win
Democratic Nomination?

Gore       71%
Bradley    13

Asked of Democrats only
Sampling error: +/-5% pts


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Know Enough About Bush To Decide
If He Would Make a Good President?

           All
        Republicans

Yes        30%
No         69 %

Sampling error: +/-7% pts


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Know Enough About Gore To Decide
If He Would Make a Good President?

           All
        Democrats

Yes        41%
No         58 %

Sampling error: +/-7% pts


-----------------

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More Likely to
Get Things Done

Bush      48%
Gore      28

Sampling error: +/-3% pts


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Stronger Moral Character

Bush       42%
Gore       31

Sampling error: +/-3% pts


------------------       

Cares More About the
Average American

Bush       39%
Gore       36

Sampling error: +/-3% pts 


------------------


Understands the
Nation's Problems

Gore        40%
Bush        37

Sampling error: +/-3% pts


------------------

Understand Foreign Policy

Gore        46%
Bush        32

Sampling error: +/-3% pts


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