Poll: Too Much Lewinsky Coverage

Most people think there is too much, consider media irresponsible

WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, Jan. 29) -- Nearly three-quarters of Americans think there has been too much news media coverage of allegations that President Bill Clinton had an affair with a young White House intern, according to a new CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll.

Seventy-two percent said there has been too much coverage since the scandal broke last week, 22 percent said there has been the right amount and 4 percent say too little.

The survey was based on interviews with 672 adults on Wednesday and has a margin of sampling error of +/- 4 percentage points to +/- 5 percentage points, depending on the question.

QUESTION: Do you think there has been too much coverage of the allegations about Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky in the news media, about the right amount, or too little?

QUESTION: Overall, do you feel the news media have acted responsibly or irresponsibly in this matter?

QUESTION: In general, which do you think media are more concerned with in their coverage of the allegations made about Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky...

(A) Being certain that a news story is accurate before they report it publicly,

OR

(B) Being the first media organization to report a news story

QUESTION: How do you think most journalists personally feel about President Clinton's recent troubles concerning these allegations? Do you think...

(A) They enjoy Clinton's difficulties
(B) They are unhappy about the situation
(C) They don't much care one way or the other

Clinton's job approval rating highest ever

In the wake of his State of the Union speech, Clinton's favorable rating has risen by 10 points, and his approval rating, now 67 percent, has never been higher. The effect of Tuesday night's speech, like that of most speeches, will probably only be temporary, but it also extends to the public's view of the allegations that Clinton had an affair with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

A majority of the public continues to believe that the two had an affair, but that figure has dropped nine points since the beginning of the week, and the number who believe that Clinton lied under oath about the affair or tried to get Lewinsky to do so have dropped even further. Nonetheless, despite his current high ratings, the public has still not passed final judgment on Clinton. Only 44 percent are satisfied with Clinton's denials in these matters; slightly more -- 47 percent -- feel Clinton needs to say more about these allegations.

Here are the numbers:

Skepticism about Lewinsky, Starr

The events of the past few days, including Hillary Clinton's attack on independent counsel Kenneth Starr as well as the press conference by someone claiming to be a former lover of Monica Lewinsky, has also affected public attitudes in these matters.

More than two-thirds currently have an unfavorable view of Lewinsky, and unfavorable views of Starr have also risen. Most Americans believe -- as Mrs. Clinton charged on Tuesday -- that Starr is using the criminal justice system to achieve political ends.

Only 28 percent think that Starr is conducting a fair and impartial investigation. The public is split, however, over whether the current controversy is due more to a right-wing conspiracy or is mostly a result of Clinton's own behavior.

Public sets Clinton's personal life aside

While the State of the Union speech made Americans feel more confident about Clinton's ability to carry out his duties as president, a majority continue to say that he sets a bad moral example, and that opinion remains virtually unchanged since the start of the week. Then why is Clinton's approval rating so high? It's because 56 percent say that Clinton's personal life doesn't matter to them, as long as he does a good job of running the country.

Thursday Jan. 29, 1998

• Judge Strips Lewinsky Material From Jones Case
• Babbitt Forcefully Denies Wrongdoing In Casino Decision
• Indictment Against Trie Outlines Fraud, Obstruction
• Starr's Subpoena Carefully Crafted, For A Reason
• White House Scandal At A Glance
• Court Order Expanding Starr's Probe Released

Poll:
• Too Much Lewinsky Coverage