Public Remains Uncomfortable With Starr's Inquiry

Many people are also unsatisfied with Clinton's explanations so far

By Keating Holland/CNN

WASHINGTON (Feb. 16) -- Most Americans do not like the way Independent Counsel Ken Starr has been investigating the sex-and-perjury allegations swirling around Monica Lewinsky and President Bill Clinton, according to a new CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll.

A majority thinks it is inappropriate for Starr to seek testimony from Secret Service agents who work directly with the president, and nearly two-thirds -- 64 percent -- believe it was inappropriate for Starr to call Monica Lewinsky's mother before the grand jury.

Half the country believes that Starr is involved in a systematic campaign to leak information about the investigation to harm Clinton politically.

And a majority continues to believe Starr should stop his investigation now, although that number has dropped slightly since the beginning of the month.

The results are based on interviews with 1,014 adults Feb. 13-15, and the survey has a margin of sampling error of +/- 3 percentage points.

Here are the numbers:

There's bad news for Clinton, too

The number of Americans who believe the allegations against Clinton continues to grow. Sixty-seven percent now believe that Clinton had sexual relations with Lewinsky, a former White House intern. Only 55 percent felt that way at the start of February. The number who think Clinton lied about such an affair under oath has grown 10 points, to 62 percent, and the number who think Clinton attempted to obstruct justice by getting Lewinsky to lie under oath is now nearly a majority.

But only about one in five Americans think those charges are definitely true, indicating most of the public is still suspending judgment on Clinton. One piece of the puzzle the public is waiting for is some explanation by Clinton of his side of the story.

Only 44 percent say they are satisfied with his denials in the Lewinsky matter. A majority say Clinton needs to say more in public about the charges being made against him. It all adds up to a good news-bad news story for the president. His approval rating, now 66 percent, is almost unchanged since late January, and remains higher than it was before the Lewinsky allegations were first made public.

But the number of Americans who have a favorable view of him personally has dropped significantly since the beginning of the month. The bottom line is Clinton is still in a very strong position, but there are some early indications that some of his strength could erode if the trends in today's poll continue.

Monday February 16, 1998

• Lewinsky's Attorney Wants Starr To Take Polygraph
• Specter Urges No Action In Gulf Before Congress Votes
• Democratic Donors Focus On Election, Not Scandal
• White House Scandal At A Glance

Poll:
• Support Drops For Military Strikes Against Iraq
• Public Remains Uncomfortable With Starr's Inquiry