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Poll: Clinton gets thumbs up from American publicWASHINGTON (AllPolitics) -- The American public favors the censure rather than the impeachment or resignation of President Bill Clinton as he prepares to face a crucial vote on his future, an exclusive poll has found. A CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll conducted Tuesday and Wednesday found that 54 percent of Americans supported censure vs. 36 percent favoring impeachment. Only 33 percent of those polled said Clinton should resign and turn the presidency over to Vice President Al Gore. Since last weekend, support has gone up for Clinton with a jump from 59 to 62 percent of Americans not wanting their congressional representative to vote for impeachment. However, four out of ten Americans said he should resign if he was impeached by the full House of Representatives and his case sent to trial in the Senate. On the question of how the Clinton controversy will affect America, opinion was varied. One in five people believe the impeachment of Clinton would plunge the U.S. into a "serious crisis" while a similar number say it would pose "no problem at all." But most people believe Clinton is heading in the right direction. Sixty-three percent of those polled approved of the way he was handling his job. A further 52 percent of people favored the Democrats' handling of the Clinton investigation but only 38 percent supported Republicans on the same question. There was strong disapproval on the media's handling of the investigation with a 63 percent disapproval rating. In contrast, 67 percent of people believed first lady Hillary Clinton was handling the investigation well. And while another CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll shows Americans may not believe Clinton ordered the Iraq attack to divert attention from impeachment, the move did force the House to delay a planned Thursday debate -- and possible vote -- on the impeachment articles. CNN/USA Today/Gallup PollInterviews with 1,089 adult Americans conducted December 15-16, 1998. Most interviews were conducted on Tuesday; all Wednesday interviews were conducted after the White House announced U.S. attacks on Iraq. 1) Should your U.S. Representative vote to impeach Clinton?
Yes No
Now 36% 62%
Last
Weekend 38 59
2) Should Clinton be impeached by the House of Representatives and then removed from office by the Senate
Yes No
Impeached: 36% 62%
Removed: 34 63
3) Should Clinton be....
Yes No
Censured: 54% 39%
Impeached 36 62
Resign 33 63
4) Should Clinton resign now? Yes...33% No 63% 5) Should Clinton resign if he is impeached? Yes 41% No 55 6) Is Clinton fit to be president? Yes 62% No 36% 7) House should vote.... On impeachment and censure 47% Only on impeachment 34% 8) Clinton impeachment would face the U.S. with... Serious crisis 20% Major problem 35% Minor problem 24% No problem at all 18% 9) How Clinton is handling his job as president? Approve 63% Disapprove 33% 10) Opinion of political parties
Favorable Unfavorable
Democratic 58% 32%
Republican 43% 47%
11) How parties in Congress are handling the Clinton investigation
Approve Disapprove
Democratic 52% 40%
Republican 38 56
12) Likely to vote for U.S. Representative who supports impeachment More likely 19% Less likely 31 No difference 48 13) Are you glad Clinton is president? Yes 62% No 35% 14) How media is handling Clinton investigation? Approve 32% Disapprove 63 15) How Hillary Clinton is handling Clinton investigation? Approve 67% Disapprove 23 16) Opinion of Clintons
Positive Negative
Bill Clinton 46% 50%
Hillary Clinton 64 31
17) Can reasonable people disagree with you on impeachment?
Yes No
Opponents to impeachment 40% 54%
Supporters of impeachment 55% 37%
Sampling error: +/- 3% points |
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MORE STORIES:Thursday, December 17, 1998
• House Republicans rally 'round Livingston • Full text of Livingston statement • Clinton denies Iraq attack was a diversion • Impeachment and Iraq fill the president's time • U.S. public gives Iraq attack mixed reviews • Transcript: Clinton defends U.S. attack on Iraq • House passes resolution in support of U.S. troops • Poll: U.S. public endorses Clinton's actions on Iraq • Poll: Clinton gets thumbs up from American public • Hundreds head for Washington anti-impeachment vigil • Gore rallies support for Clinton • Livingston faces trial by fire • Russia may ask Lewinsky for help | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
