GALLUP NEWS SERVICE
PRINCETON, NJ – A review of the American public's rating of Bill Clinton's handling of both the economy and foreign affairs shows that both are positive, as they have since mid-1996. However, while the two aspects of the presidency were rated very similarly in Clinton's first term, in recent years his rating on the economy clearly outpaced his foreign policy rating. In 1998, 1999 and 2000 an average of more than 70% of the public approved of Clinton's handling of the economy and 25% or less disapproved. During the same years, no yearly average of public approval on Clinton's handling of foreign affairs topped the 60% mark, and typically more than a third of Americans disapproved of Clinton's handling of foreign affairs.
Here are the data presented graphically:
Survey Methods
The results below are based on telephone interviews with a randomly selected national sample of 1,052 adults, 18 years and older, conducted October 6-9, 2000. For results based on this sample, one can say with 95 percent confidence that the maximum error attributable to sampling and other random effects is plus or minus 3 percentage points. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.
Do you approve or disapprove of the way Bill Clinton is handling [RANDOM ORDER]? How about...
A. The economy
|
Approve |
Dis-approve |
No opinion |
Approve |
Dis-approve |
No opinion |
|||
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|||
|
2000 Oct 6-9 |
71 |
24 |
5 |
1996 Nov 21-24 |
53 |
36 |
11 |
|
|
1996 Oct 2-3 |
57 |
36 |
7 |
|||||
|
2000 May 18-21 |
65 |
30 |
5 |
1996 Oct 1-2 |
58 |
35 |
7 |
|
|
1999 Jun 4-5 |
74 |
20 |
6 |
1996 Aug 23-25 |
54 |
40 |
6 |
|
|
1999Apr 26-27 |
72 |
22 |
6 |
1996 Jun 27-30 |
49 |
44 |
7 |
|
|
1999 Apr 6-7 |
73 |
18 |
9 |
1996 Mar 15-17 |
46 |
49 |
5 |
|
|
1999 Mar 30-31 |
78 |
16 |
6 |
1996 Jan 12-15 |
44 |
52 |
4 |
|
|
1999 Mar 19-21 |
80 |
12 |
8 |
1995 Dec 15-18 |
47 |
45 |
8 |
|
|
1999 Jan 15-17 |
81 |
15 |
4 |
1995 Oct 19-22 |
44 |
49 |
7 |
|
|
1998 Jul 7-8 |
71 |
24 |
5 |
1995 Jun 20-23 |
47 |
46 |
7 |
|
|
1998 Jun 22-23 |
69 |
24 |
7 |
1995 Jul 7-9 |
41 |
52 |
7 |
|
|
1998 Jun 5-7 |
71 |
22 |
7 |
1995 Jun 5-6 |
42 |
49 |
9 |
|
|
1998 Apr 17-19 |
73 |
20 |
7 |
1995 Feb 3-5 |
46 |
49 |
5 |
|
|
1998 Jan 25-26 |
69 |
25 |
6 |
1995 Jan 16-18 |
47 |
48 |
5 |
|
|
1998 Jan 24-25 |
70 |
25 |
5 |
1994 Dec 2-5 |
43 |
50 |
7 |
|
|
1998 Jan 23-24 |
73 |
22 |
5 |
1994Nov 2-6 |
43 |
51 |
6 |
|
|
1997 Nov 21-23 |
64 |
28 |
8 |
1994 Oct 22-25 |
42 |
53 |
5 |
|
|
1997 May 6-7 |
59 |
33 |
8 |
1994 Oct 18-19 |
38 |
57 |
5 |
|
|
1997 Mar 24-26 |
57 |
35 |
8 |
1994 Sep 23-25 |
40 |
55 |
5 |
|
|
1997 Feb 24-26 |
56 |
36 |
8 |
B. Foreign affairs
|
Approve |
Dis-approve |
No opinion |
Approve |
Dis-approve |
No opinion |
|||
|
2000 Oct 6-9 |
55 |
35 |
10 |
1996 Nov 21-24 |
54 |
39 |
7 |
|
|
1996 Oct 2-3 |
53 |
38 |
9 |
|||||
|
2000 May 18-21 |
51 |
40 |
9 |
1996 Oct 1-2 |
54 |
36 |
10 |
|
|
1999 Jun 4-5 |
55 |
40 |
5 |
1996 Aug 23-25 |
53 |
40 |
7 |
|
|
1999 Apr 26-27 |
50 |
43 |
7 |
1996 Jun 27-30 |
52 |
38 |
10 |
|
|
1999 Apr 6-7 |
55 |
38 |
7 |
1996 Mar 15-17 |
49 |
45 |
6 |
|
|
1999 Mar 30-31 |
54 |
40 |
6 |
1996 Jan 12-15 |
48 |
46 |
6 |
|
|
1999 Mar 19-21 |
60 |
30 |
10 |
1995 Dec 15-18 |
46 |
48 |
6 |
|
|
1999 Jan 15-17 |
64 |
32 |
4 |
1995 Oct 19-22 |
43 |
44 |
13 |
|
|
1998 Jul 7-8 |
56 |
34 |
10 |
1995 Jul 20-23 |
37 |
54 |
9 |
|
|
1998 Jun 22-23 |
53 |
36 |
11 |
1995 Jul 7-9 |
44 |
44 |
12 |
|
|
1998 Jun 5-7 |
57 |
36 |
7 |
1995 Jun 5-6 |
40 |
51 |
9 |
|
|
1998 Apr 17-19 |
63 |
31 |
6 |
1995 Feb 3-5 |
44 |
45 |
11 |
|
|
1998 Jan 25-26 |
62 |
29 |
9 |
1995 Jan 16-18 |
44 |
49 |
7 |
|
|
1998 Jan 24-25 |
58 |
32 |
10 |
1994 Dec 2-5 |
44 |
46 |
10 |
|
|
1998 Jan 23-24 |
57 |
34 |
9 |
1994 Nov 2-6 |
49 |
44 |
7 |
|
|
1997 Nov 21-23 |
55 |
35 |
10 |
1994 Oct 22-25 |
46 |
48 |
6 |
|
|
1997 May 6-7 |
50 |
38 |
12 |
1994 Oct 18-19 |
44 |
50 |
6 |
|
|
1997 Mar 24-26 |
51 |
35 |
14 |
1994 Sep 23-25 |
40 |
55 |
5 |
|
|
1997 Feb 24-26 |
46 |
34 |
20 |
