Poll: Presidential campaign overshadows ClintonBy Keating Holland/CNN
January 26, 2000
Web posted at: 6:00 p.m. EST (2300 GMT)
Just under two-thirds of the public say they plan to watch Bill Clinton's State
of the Union address on Thursday night, but the presidential campaign has begun
to overshadow Clinton. A majority of all Americans say they are paying more
attention to the proposals made by the presidential candidates than to
Clinton's proposals; only about a quarter say they are paying more attention to
Clinton than the candidates. (Even a plurality of Democrats say they are
paying more attention to the candidates than to the President.)
Sixty-three percent of respondents say they will watch the State of the Union this year. That's slightly less than previous years, including 67 percent last year, 68 percent in 1993, and 69 percent for George Bush the elder's final State of the Union in 1992. (The record appears to be 77 percent in 1998, when the speech was given several days after the Monica Lewinsky scandal
first broke.)
What effect does Clinton have on Gore's chances of succeeding
him? Nine percent nationally say that Gore's close ties with Clinton make them feel more
favorably toward Gore; almost three times as many say that Gore's ties with
Clinton make them feel less favorably toward the Vice President. Two-thirds
say that Clinton has no effect on their view of Gore.
The poll is based on interviews with 1,496 adult Americans conducted January 17-19, 2000. It has a sampling error of plus or minus three percentage points unless otherwise noted.
| Plan to Watch State of the Union Speech? |
| Now | 63% |
| 1999 | 67% |
| 1998 | 77% |
| 1993 | 68% |
| 1992 | 69% |
| Pay More Attention to
Proposals Made By... |
| Presidential candidates | 53% |
| Bill Clinton | 27% |
| Gore's Close Ties to Clinton
Make You Feel... |
| More favorably toward Gore | 9% |
| Less favorably toward Gore | 23% |
| No effect | 67% |
| Opinion of Clinton
As a Person |
| Favorable | 36% |
| Unfavorable | 59% |
| How Clinton is Handling
His Job as President |
| Approve | 62% |
| Disapprove | 35% |
|
