Public Sends Mixed Signals About Bill Clinton;
Still Has High Marks for Fondling of the Economy
by Frank Newport
GALLUP NEWS SERVICE
President Bill Clinton, in the midst of the most important foreign policy crisis of his
administration, is receiving mixed reviews from the American public. His overall
job approval rating is down, and the public gives him low marks for having a
well-thought-out policy on Kosovo. At the same time, support has grown for U.S.
involvement in the region, and the president gets relatively high marks for his
handling of the situation so far. Overall, it appears that the public approves of the
idea behind what the Clinton Administration is attempting to do in Kosovo, while
at the same time giving him less positive marks for its execution or chance for
success.
Bill Clinton's job approval rating is now at 59%, the first time that this measure of
performance has dropped below 60% since January of 1998. As recently as early
March, Clinton's job approval was at 68%, and it was at 64% in two surveys
conducted in mid-to-late March.
There is no doubt that a good deal of Clinton's high job approval numbers over
the past year, even in the midst of the impeachment situation, have been due to
the robust U.S. economy. In fact, Clinton has received ratings as high as 81% for
his handling of the economy in recent weeks. In this most recent survey, the
public's approval of his handling of the economy has slipped to 73%; still high,
but decidedly lower than previous measures this year. It is unclear whether the
public is souring on his role in keeping the economy booming, or if the Kosovo
crisis is pushing his overall standing down and his perceived effectiveness in
handling the economy is going down with it.
Despite the overall drop in his job approval rating, the public's rating of Clinton's
handling of the situation in Kosovo remains at 58%, unchanged from mid-March.
Similarly, the public's rating of Clinton's handling of foreign policy, which had
dropped slightly in late March, has stayed the same, at 55%.
In summary, Clinton's ratings from the public as of April 6-7 are as follows:
Handling of the economy
73%
Overall job approval
59%
Handling of the Kosovo situation
58%
Handling of foreign policy
55%
Clinton's main preoccupation for the past several weeks has been U.S.
involvement in the air attacks against the Serbs in Yugoslavia, for which public
support has been increasing. At the same time, only half of the public says that
the NATO actions will ultimately be successful at achieving their objectives. This
type of dissonance between support for the military action and belief that it will be
successful may be an underlying factor in the public's more mixed reaction to Bill
Clinton. For example, while the public continues to give Clinton relatively high,
and stable, marks for his handling of the Kosovo situation, there is a decreasing
perception that the Clinton Administration's policies in the area are clear and well
thought out. A week ago, 46% said that the administrations policies were clear, a
percentage that has now dropped to 39%. It would seem as if the public supports
Clinton's efforts in the situation, but doesn't give him high marks for how
successful his efforts have been or will be as the situation unfolds.
There are partisan differences in support for U.S. involvement in the air attacks
currently under way. Seventy percent of Democrats support the air and missile
attacks, compared to 56% of independents and only 48% of Republicans. Support
for sending in ground troops is similarly skewed, with 41% of Republicans in favor
of sending in ground troops if the U.S. and NATO efforts are not successful,
compared to 56% of Democrats. Approval of Clinton's handling of the situation is
more strikingly partisan, with only 39% of Republicans saying they approve,
compared to 78% of Democrats.
For results based on the sample of national adults (N=1,055) surveyed April 6-7,
1999, the margin of sampling error is ±3 percentage points.
Do you approve or disapprove of the way Bill Clinton is handling his job as
president?
Approve
Disapprove
No opinion
99 Apr 6-7
59%
35%
6%
99 Mar 30-31
64
32
4
99 Mar 19-21
64
33
3
99 Mar 12-14
62
35
3
99 Mar 5-7
68
28
4
99 Feb 26-28
66
31
3
99 Feb 19-21
66
30
4
99 Feb 12-13
68
30
2
99 Feb 9*
70
27
3
99 Feb 4-8
65
33
2
99 Jan 27*
67
31
2
99 Jan 22-24
69
29
2
99 Jan 15-17
69
29
2
99 Jan 8-10
67
30
3
99 Jan 6*
63
34
3
*One-night poll
From what you have heard or read, do you think the Clinton Administration has
a clear and well-thought-out policy on the Kosovo situation, or don't you think
so?
Clear and
well-thought-out
policy
Don't
think
so
No
opinion
99 Apr
6-7
39%
50%
11%
99 Mar
30-31
46
47
7
Do you approve or disapprove of the way President Clinton is handling the
situation in Kosovo?
Approve
Disapprove
No opinion
99 Apr 6-7
58%
35%
7%
99 Mar 30-31
58
32
10
gallup.com
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