Poll: Public Doesn't Want Administration Taking Sides In Mideast Talks
Clinton's approval rating remains high
By Keating Holland/CNN
WASHINGTON (May 11) -- Most Americans believe the United States has not put too much pressure on Israel to make compromises with the Palestinians, but the public does not want to see the Clinton Administration take sides with either party in the Middle Eastern negotiations, according to a new CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll.
Only 24 percent say the U.S. has put too much pressure on Israel, and 49 percent say the U.S. has not put enough pressure on that country. But 54 percent say the U.S. has not put enough pressure on the Palestinians either.
Nonetheless, three-quarters say the U.S. should refrain from taking sides with either the Israelis or the Palestinians. And only 2 percent say the U.S. should side with the Palestinians, as critics charge the Clinton Administration has done in its recent decisions.
Also in this poll:
The survey of 1,005 adult Americans, including 867 registered voters, was conducted May 8-10, and most questions have a margin of error of +/- 3 percentage points.
Here are the numbers:
| U.S. Pressure on Israel To Settle Mideast Conflict |
| Too much | 24% |
| Not enough | 49% |
| U.S. Pressure on Palestinians To Settle Mideast Conflict |
| Too much | 21% |
| Not enough | 54% |
| Whose Side Should U.S. Take in Mideast Conflict? |
| Too much | 21% |
| Not enough | 54% |
| Whose Side Should U.S. Take in Mideast Conflict? |
| Israelis | 15% |
| Palestinians | 2% |
| Neither | 74% |
Americans don't want to see tobacco industry let off the hook
Some provisions in the tobacco bill currently pending in Congress are popular
with the general public, but Americans don't want to see the tobacco companies
let off the hook in court, and they are split on how to regulate tobacco and
how best to reduce teen smoking.
Eighty-seven percent favor severe restrictions on the advertising and sale of tobacco to minors, but are evenly divided over making
tobacco companies pay penalties if teen smoking is not reduced by a certain
date.
Americans are also split over whether to classify nicotine as a drug so
the federal government can regulate it in the same way it does prescription
drugs. They do favor increasing the price of a pack of cigarettes by $1.10
over five years. But they do not support limits to the amount of money tobacco
companies have to pay each year as a result of lawsuits.
| Restrictions On Sale Of Tobacco To Minors |
| Favor | 87% |
| Oppose | 12% |
| Increasing Price Of Pack of Cigarettes |
| Favor | 59% |
| Oppose | 39% |
| Regulating Tobacco Like A Prescription Drug |
| Favor | 50% |
| Oppose | 47% |
| Limiting Money Tobacco Companies Must Pay Due To Lawsuits |
| Favor | 41% |
| Oppose | 54% |
Clinton approval remains high
President Bill Clinton's approval rating remains high, although the number of Americans who approve of how Congress is handling its job has slipped in the past three weeks.
The number of registered voters who plan to vote for a Republican in the congressional elections this fall has also dropped very slightly during
that time, although it is important to note that the GOP continues to
maintain a lead among those who have voted in previous off-year elections. If
turnout is low in November, as usually happens in off-year elections, that will
benefit the Republicans.
| Clinton Approval Rating |
| Now | April |
| Approve | 64% | 63% |
| Disapprove | 31% | 31% |
| Congress Approval Rating |
| Now | April |
| Approve | 44% | 49% |
| Disapprove | 48% | 40% |
| Registered Voters' Choice for Congress |
| Now | April |
| Democrat | 48% | 46% |
| Republican | 43% | 45% |
| Registered Voters Only Sampling error: +/-3.5% pts |
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