Most Americans Think Their Moral Standards Are Higher Than Clinton's
But optimism about economy, Clinton's job approval rating remain high
By Keating Holland/CNN
WASHINGTON (March 23) -- President Bill Clinton's standing with the public remains high despite the fact that 69 percent of Americans say their moral standards are higher than his, according to a new CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll.
The country is still split over whether to believe Clinton or Kathleen Willey, but the number of Americans with an unfavorable view of the former White House aide has grown by 11 points in the past week in the face of a White House effort to undercut about her credibility. She has accused Clinton of groping her outside the Oval Office, but he has denied impropriety.
By a thin margin, the public thinks the White House has not gone too far in attacking the credibility of the women involved in allegations about Clinton's sexual behavior.
Clinton is helped by the perception that he did something immoral with Willey, but not illegal. And the public does not believe the charges against him are an impeachable offense. Only a third would support Congress impeaching Clinton if the charges that he made a sexual advance toward Willey and lied about it are true.
Significantly, though, a majority would support a vote of censure, formal disapproval of Clinton that would not remove him from office, if Willey's story is true.
The survey of 1,010 adults was conducted March 20-22, and has a margin of error of +/- 3 percentage points.
Here are the numbers:
Your Moral Standards Compared To Clinton's |
Higher Same Lower |
|
69% 22% 3% |
Opinion of Kathleen Willey |
Favorable Unfavorable Unsure |
|
Now 18% 40% 42% |
Last Week 23% 29% 58% |
Who Do You TendTo Believe More? |
Bill Clinton Kathleen Willey |
|
Now 45% 41% |
Last Week 40% 43% |
White House Attacks On Women's Credibility |
(Women refers to Kathleen Willey, Paula Jones, and Monica Lewinsky)
Gone too far Not gone too far |
|
43% 48% |
Clinton's Involvement With Kathleen Willey |
Illegal Immoral Not wrong |
|
12% 44% 36% |
What Should Congress Do If Willey's Charges Are True? |
Impeach Clinton Censure Clinton Take no action |
|
34% 53% 11% |
(Censure defined as "express formal disapproval of his actions, but do not remove him from office)
Public optimism about the economy is at two-decade high
Clinton's approval rating, now at 66 percent, essentially remains at an all-time high for him, and is higher than President Ronald Reagan's at this stage of his second term.
Why is Clinton riding so high? One reason is that the public's optimism about the economy is the highest it has been in over two decades. A majority of Americans continue to say that Clinton's personal life does not matter to them as long as he does a good job of running the country.
Fifty-five percent say they are better off now than they were a year ago. That's significant because a majority have never reported being personally better off at any time since 1976, when Gallup first started asking this question.
Seventy-one percent say they will be financially better off a year from now than they are today, another historically high figure.
Most Americans do not think that Clinton is honest and trustworthy, or that he shows good judgment or shares their values. But that is more than offset by the 77 percent who say he can get things done and the 72 percent who say he is an effective manager.
Sixty-four percent say Clinton does a good job representing America to the world, an important figure for a president who is just starting his first international visit since allegations about his personal life first surfaced. Clinton is on a six-nation trip to Africa.
Clinton Approval Rating |
Approve Disapprove |
|
66% 28% |
Personal Life Doesn't Matter If Clinton Runs Country Well |
Agree Disagree |
|
54% 45% |
Personal Financial Situation Compared To A Year Ago |
Better Same Worse |
|
55% 24% 20% |
Personal Financial Situation A Year From Now |
Better Same Worse |
|
71% 14% 9% |
Descriptions of Clinton |
Honest and trustworthy Shares your values Shows good judgment Can get things done Effective manager Does a good job representing
U.S. to the world |
|
Yes 33% 38% 42% 77% 72% 64% |
No 61% 57% 54% 21% 23% 34% |
Does Clinton Do A Good Job Representing U.S. To World? |
Yes No |
|
64% 34% |
|