June 15, 1999
Web posted at: 6:12 p.m. EDT (2212 GMT)

WASHINGTON (June 15) -- Vice President Al Gore faces a difficult task as he prepares to officially declare his presidential candidacy on Wednesday. Forty-five percent of all Americans say they definitely will not vote for him next November if he wins the Democratic nomination -- regardless of who the GOP puts up against him.

With only 18 percent saying they will definitely vote for him, Gore must win over nine out of 10 Americans who haven't made up their minds about him in order to get a majority of the public backing him in the general election next year.

By contrast, only 27 percent say that they will definitely vote against Texas Gov. George W. Bush if he wins the GOP nod in 2000. Twenty-four percent say they will definitely vote for Bush and 41 percent say their vote depends on who the Democrats nominate.

But it's far too early to simply hand the keys to the Oval Office over to Bush. The number of Americans who say they will definitely vote for Bush has dropped eight points since March as the country has become more familiar with him.

Nonetheless, a majority say that Bush would do a better job handling the economy and handling foreign affairs than Gore would.

The survey of 1,022 adult Americans was conducted June 11-13 and the margin of sampling error is+/- three percentage points, unless otherwise noted.

Questions and results

Thinking about Al Gore, which of the following statements best describes your chances of voting for him as president: 1. You will definitely vote for him regardless of who the Democratic/Republican Party nominates? 2. Your vote for him depends on who the Democratic/Republican Party nominates? 3. You will definitely not vote for him regardless of who the Democratic/Republican Party nominates?

Thinking about George W. Bush, which of the following statements best describes your chances of voting for him as president: 1. You will definitely vote for him regardless of who the Democratic/Republican Party nominates? 2. Your vote for him depends on who the Democratic/Republican Party nominates? 3. You will definitely not vote for him regardless of who the Democratic/Republican Party nominates?

Thinking about George W. Bush and Al Gore, does the following statements best describes your chances of voting for him as president: You will definitely vote for him regardless of who the Democratic/Republican Party nominates?

Thinking about George W. Bush and Al Gore, does the following statements best describes your chances of voting for him as president: You will definitely not vote for him regardless of who the Democratic/Republican Party nominates?

Regardless of which presidential candidate you support, please tell me whether you think Al Gore or George W. Bush would better handle each of these issues?

Tuesday, June 15, 1999

• Clinton urges House to strengthen the Brady law
• Video: Bush reflects on debut campaign foray
• Gore to declare for president Wednesday
• Poll: Forty-five percent say they will vote against Gore
• Group links Lott actions to casino donations
• With 2000 race in mind, Giuliani to propose change of successor
• Lessons for Mrs. Clinton from 1964
• Report says Department of Energy 'incapable of reforming itself'
• Gambling everywhere according to federal study
• Rep. Lazio likely to run for New York Senate
• Lott says Gore's gun control vote may boomerang
• Presidential hopeful recalls humiliation of NBA rookie year
• Action on Senate medical privacy bill postponed again
• Senate passes bill to limit Y2K lawsuits, administration threatens veto
• House talks Social Security compromise as Senate struggles
• Former New Mexico Gov. Jack M. Campbell dead at 82
• Abortion settlement reached requiring 24-hour waiting period
• Bush welcomes attention from opposition
• Gore mistaken about where young adults can buy guns
• Book says lawyer was upset at Clinton's word dance about Lewinsky
• New polls shows Bush holding lead
• U.S. envoy seeks to patch up ties with China

• Bush heads from New Hampshire to Massachusetts
• Dole campaign office burglarized
• McCain moves on to education
• Bradley says competition is good

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