AllPolitics - A CNN/Time Poll

A CNN / Time Poll - December 6-7, 1995

About the CNN/Time Polls
Sample size and poll information
The Presidential Horse Race
Budget Battle
Clinton Approval Rating
Favorable/Unfavorable Ratings
Clinton Vs. Republican Congressional Leaders
Newt Gingrich

Interviews with 1,000 adult Americans conducted
December 6-7, 1995.


Back to the top

Bob Dole is still the overwhelming frontrunner 
for the 1996 Republican presidential nomination, 
but Bill Clinton's advantage over him in a hypothetical 
two-way race has tripled since early November. 44% 
of all Republicans nationwide would vote for Dole if 
asked to choose the GOP nominee. But the Kansas Republican 
would lose to Clinton by 19 points if the election were held 
tomorrow. 53% of all Americans would choose Clinton; 34% 
of all Americans would choose Dole. In early November, 
Clinton had a 48%-42% lead over Dole.



1996 Presidential Choice
   
             Now     November
Clinton      53%     48%
Dole         34%     42%

Sampling error: +/-3% pts




Republicans' Choice for Presidential Nomination

Dole       44%    Lugar     3%
Buchanan    8%    Keyes     3%
Gramm       7%    Dornan    3%
Forbes      5%    Alexander 2%

Sampling error: +/-5% pts


Back to the top
 
One reason for Clinton's strength may be the 
advantage he has gained in the budget battle with 
Congress. Based on what they have read or heard about 
the two sides' proposals for the federal budget, 51% 
of the public say that Clinton's proposals would be better 
for the country. 34% say that the country would be 
better off with the proposals of the Republican leaders in 
Congress. That preference may be due in part to Americans' 
views of the budget cuts proposed by the GOP. 47% say the 
proposed GOP cuts in federal spending have gone too far. 
In March, at the end of the 100 Days, only 30% felt that 
way. 51% also believe that Clinton has acted more 
responsibly than the Republican leaders in Congress so far 
in the budget negotiations. Only a third say the GOP 
leaders have acted more responsibly than Clinton.




Whose Budget Proposals Are
Better for the Country? 

Clinton            51%
GOP leaders        34%

Sampling error: +/-3% pts




GOP Proposals Cut
Spending Too Much

Now     47%
March   30%

Sampling error: +/-3% pts




Acted More Responsibly
In Budget Negotiations

Clinton        51%
GOP leaders    32%

Sampling error: +/-3% pts



Back to the top

More than half of all Americans thinks that 
President Clinton is doing a good job providing 
strong leadership for the country and managing 
U.S. foreign policy. But only 43% think he is doing 
a good job handling the situation in Bosnia; 
43% think he is doing a poor job there. By a thin 
47%-44% margin, the public thinks Clinton is doing a 
good job on the economy. All that translates into an 
overall approval rating of 55% for the President.



Clinton is Doing
A Good Job On...

Leadership      54%
Foreign policy  51%
Economy         47%
Bosnia          43%

Sampling error: +/-3% pts



Clinton's Handling of
Foreign Policy

Good job  51%
Poor job  38%

Sampling error: +/-3% pts




Clinton's Handling
Of Bosnia

Good job    43%
Poor job    43%

Sampling error: +/-3% pts




Clinton Approval Rating

Approve       55%
Disapprove    36%

Sampling error: +/-3% pts

Back to the top

Clinton's favorable rating is also rising. Six in 
ten Americans have a favorable impression of him; 
just over a third have an unfavorable view. That represents 
a gain of seven points since September. By contrast, GOP 
frontrunner Bob Dole's favorable rating is at 44%. Only a quarter 
of the public thinks favorably of House Speaker Newt 
Gingrich. (Note that many interviews were conducted before news of 
the special counsel was known.) Other favorable ratings: Ross Perot 
at 38%, Hillary Clinton at 57%, Al Gore at 50%.



Opinion of Clinton

Favorable     61%
Unfavorable   35%

Sampling error: +/-3% pts




Opinion of Dole

Favorable      44%
Unfavorable    35%

Sampling error: +/-3% pts




Opinion of Gingrich

Favorable      24%
Unfavorable    56%

Sampling error: +/-3% pts




Favorable Ratings

Clinton    61%
Dole       44%
Perot      38%
Gingrich   24%

Sampling error: +/-3% pts

Back to the top

The public now has more confidence in Clinton 
than in the Republicans in Congress to deal with 
the major issues facing the country today. That is a 
dramatic switch from a year ago, when 46% said they had 
more confidence in the GOP in Congress and just 30% 
were more confident of Clinton's ability. Even as recently as 
September, the public was closely split -- 42% were more 
confident in the Republicans and 41% chose Clinton. But 
today, 49% are more confident in Clinton; 35% prefer the 
Republicans. The number of Americans who approve of the job 
that Congress is doing overall is at 35%, down from the 42% 
who approved of Congress in April after the 100 Days had 
concluded. (That 42% figure was the highest congressional 
approval rating since Yankelovich began asking the 
question in 1990.)



Who Do You Have
More Confidence In?


             Now    1994
Clinton      49%     30%
GOP          35%     46%

Sampling error: +/-3% pts




Congressional Approval Rating


               Now      April
Approve        35%      42%
Disapprove     55%      47%

Sampling error: +/-3% pts


Back to the top

Newt Gingrich's approval rating has fallen to 31%, 
and for the first time a majority of the 
public disapproves of how the Georgia Republican 
is handling his job as Speaker of the House. Fewer 
than one in ten Americans would like to see Gingrich 
become president some day. Two-thirds of the public 
thinks that Gingrich too often says things that are 
improper for a Speaker of the House. In January, 51% 
felt that way.


CNN/TIME POLL
December 6-7
Gingrich Approval Rating

Approve        31%
Disapprove     53%

Sampling error: +/-3% pts


CNN/TIME POLL
December 6-7
Gingrich as President

Would like       9%
Would not like  80%

Sampling error: +/-3% pts


CNN/TIME POLL
December 6-7
Does Gingrich Say Improper
Things Too Often?

Yes      65%
No       23%

Sampling error: +/-3% pts


72% of the country thinks Gingrich is intelligent, and 
by a 47%-40% margin the public says he is someone with a 
vision about the future. Only 29% say Gingrich is dishonest. 
But only 24% say that Gingrich is someone they can trust. 
Just 26% say that Gingrich is someone they are proud to have 
as a leader in Congress. 63% say he is too extreme in his 
views, and 52% say he is out of touch with the American people.


CNN/TIME POLL
December 6-7
Is Gingrich Dishonest?

Yes   29%
No    44%

Sampling error: +/-3% pts


CNN/TIME POLL
December 6-7
Is Gingrich Someone
You Can Trust?

Yes   24%
No    60%

Sampling error: +/-3% pts


CNN/TIME POLL
December 6-7
Is Gingrich Intelligent?

Yes   72%
No    17%

Sampling error: +/-3% pts


CNN/TIME POLL
Is Gingrich Too Extreme
In His Views?

Yes   63%
No    24%

Sampling error: +/-3% pts


CNN/TIME POLL
Is Gingrich Out of Touch
With American People?

Yes   52%
No    35%

Sampling error: +/-3% pts

Back to the top
AllPolitics home page