CNN/USA TODAY/Gallup Poll: Clinton Rides High
first half of the CNN/Time survey
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President's Approval Rating Stays At High Levels
By Keating Holland/CNN
WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, Feb. 8) -- President Bill Clinton's approval rating remains high in the wake of his State of the Union address. A full 62 percent of the public approves of the way he is handling his job, according a new CNN/TIME survey. That is a slight increase over his 58 percent approval rating in early January.
The poll's findings track those of a CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll released earlier this week. The first half of the CNN/Time survey was released Friday.
The poll of 1,012 adult Americans was conducted Feb. 5-6, 1997, and has a margin of sampling error of +/- 3 percentage points for the entire sample.
Clinton Approval Rating Approve 62% Disapprove 31
Nonetheless, Americans are pessimistic about the future of the next generation. Only 27 percent say that today's children will be better off than current generations; two-thirds feel that the next generation will be worse off economically. In 1986, only 39 percent said that the next generation will be worse off economically.
Will Next Generation Be Worse Off Economically?
Now 1986
Yes 67% 39%
No 27 48
The public thinks that Clinton should pay more attention to improving the country's education system than a balanced budget, Social Security, health care costs or campaign finance reform. Of those five issues, 34 percent say that education should be the highest priority in Clinton's second term in office. Next on the list is balancing the budget, with 28 percent support. Only 3 percent say that campaign finance reform should be Clinton's highest priority in his second term.
Which Should Be Clinton's Top Priority? Education 34% Budget 28 Health care 17 Social Security 13 Campaign finance 3
What are the public's priorities in international affairs? Promoting political stability in Russia -- a key reason for the Yeltsin-Clinton summit announced on Friday -- ranks low on the public's list. Only 45 percent say that Russia should be a top priority or high priority for the U.S. foreign policy. By contrast, 88 percent say that drug trafficking should be a top priority or a high priority. Eighty percent say the same about international terrorism and nuclear arms control. Two-thirds say the same about keeping Saddam Hussein from threatening Iraq's neighbors.
Top/High Priority For U.S. Policy Drugs 88% Terrorism 80 Nuclear arms 80 Chemical weapons 78 Iraq 65 Middle East 56 Bosnia 48 Russia 45 China 45
The public continues to oppose the presence of U.S. troops in Bosnia. A majority, 54 percent, disapprove of having troops there. A majority also feels that the U.S. should take a strong stand on human rights in China, even if this might jeopardize diplomatic and trade relations with that country. Two-thirds have a favorable opinion of the United Nations.
U.S. Troops in Bosnia Favor 40% Oppose 54 Should U.S. Take Strong Stand On Human Rights in China? Yes 54% No 32 Opinion of United Nations Very favorable 21% Somewhat favorable 52 Unfavorable 24
Other Polls:
• President Clinton Is America's Most Admired Man (12/30/97)
• Americans Support U.S. Role In Bosnia (12/22/97)
• Reno Should Have Appointed Independent Counsel (12/3/97)
• Americans Want Independant Counsel (11/24/97)
• Virginia Exit Poll: Governor's Race (11/6/97)
• New Jersey Exit Poll: Governor's Race (11/4/97)
• New York City Exit Poll: Mayor's Race (11/4/97)
• Clinton, Gore Approval Ratings Rise (10/30/97)
• America's Leaders Like America's Course (10/13/97)
• Americans Want Campaign Reform (9/29/97)
• Bad, Good News For Gore (9/12/97)
• Congress Returns With High Approval Rating (8/28/97)
• More Americans Want Jones vs. Clinton Settled Out Of Court (8/14/97)
• Credit For Balanced Budget Deal Goes To GOP (8/1/97)
• Clinton, GOP Deserve Credit For Budget (7/28/97)
• GOP Congress Out Of Touch, Favors Wealthy (6/30/97)
• People Still Care About Washington Scandals (6/3/97)
• High Court Correct On Jones Case (6/2/97)
• Public Supports Budget Deal By 2-1 Margin (5/8/97)
• Few Americans Volunteer Regularly (4/25/97)
• Most Say No To Wheelchair In F.D.R. Memorial (4/24/97)
• Clinton's Approval Suffering Little (4/21/97)
• Majority Says Gingrich Loan 'Inappropriate' (4/18/97)
• Clinton's Approval Rating Remains High (3/27/97)
• Gore's Poll Numbers Dip (3/14/97)
• WSJ/NBC Poll On Fund-Raising (3/13/97)
• Is Clinton's Honeymoon Ending? (2/27/97)
• Americans Are Split On Clinton's Fund-Raising Tactics (2/27/97)
• For 2000, Powell's No. 1 With GOP Voters (2/21/97)
• President's Approval Rating Stays At High Levels (2/8/97)
• New Yorkers Strongly Support Pataki (2/7/97)
• Public Confidence High In Clinton On Most Issues (2/7/97)
• Clinton Rides High On Issues Public Cares About Most (2/3/97)
• Clinton Approval Rating At All-Time High (1/16/97)
• Polls - Campaign '96