CBS News/New York Times Monthly Poll #3, August 1998

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Summary

This poll is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. Respondents were asked to give their o...

This poll is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. Respondents were asked to give their opinions of President Bill Clinton, his integrity, his leadership skills, and his handling of the presidency, foreign policy, and the economy. Respondents' views were also sought regarding Vice President Al Gore, First Lady Hillary Clinton, Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr, and former White House intern Monica Lewinsky. Respondents were asked to state their opinions on Clinton's August 17, 1998, admission before a grand jury that he had had an affair with Lewinsky. Those queried were also asked if they found it understandable why Clinton did not tell the truth in January 1998 when initially asked about the affair, and whether they felt it was more serious for the president to lie about national policy issues or about his sexual behavior. An additional series of questions was asked regarding the Clinton/Lewinsky scandal, including the overall importance of this situation to the nation, whether it was a public or private matter, and who was to blame for creating and prolonging the matter. Respondents were asked whether they believed Mrs. Clinton's defense of her husband prior to August 17, 1998, and whether they believed that she did not know the whole story until the weekend prior to Clinton's testimony. Additional questions covered the possible punishments that Clinton might encounter, whether this scandal had damaged the institution of the United States presidency, whether the Whitewater investigation should be dropped, and whether Clinton was guilty in the sexual harassment lawsuit filed against him by former Arkansas state employee Paula Jones. Background information on respondents includes age, sex, race, ethnicity, political party, political orientation, religion, education, marital status, voter registration and participation history, family income, and age of children in household.Cf: http://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR02606.v2

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