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Clinton Approval Remains High Eight Years After His First Election

Clinton Approval Remains High Eight Years After His First Election

by David W. Moore

GALLUP NEWS SERVICE

PRINCETON, NJ -- With less than three months to go in his presidency, and almost exactly eight years since he was first elected in 1992, President Bill Clinton is enjoying a relatively high job approval from the American public -- comparable to what President Eisenhower received at about the same point in his presidency, and somewhat higher than the approval rating President Reagan received at a similar point in time. According to a Gallup poll conducted Oct. 25-28, 57% of Americans say they approve of the job Bill Clinton is doing as president. In the past half century, only two other presidents -- Eisenhower and Reagan -- have finished a second term in office. In mid-October 1960, Eisenhower received a 58% approval rating, while in mid-October 1988, Reagan’s approval rating registered at 51%.

Clinton’s current approval rating is down slightly from the 59% average he has enjoyed for this election year, but his current favorable rating is up. By a margin of 54% to 44%, Americans say they have a favorable, rather than unfavorable, opinion of the president, which is substantially better than the net negative ratio of 42% favorable to 54% unfavorable he received at the beginning of August this year, right after the GOP convention -- his lowest such rating in eight years.

The high point for Bill Clinton’s job approval rating was in December 1998, when his approval number reached 73% in a Dec. 19-20 Gallup poll. Clinton’s lowest job approval rating has been 39% -- a low point he reached in June 1993, and again in August and September 1994.

In a Gallup poll last month, conducted Oct. 6-9, Americans gave Clinton relatively high marks for his handling of both the economy and foreign affairs. Seventy-one percent said they approved of Clinton in his dealing with the economy and 55% for his handling of foreign affairs. His highest ratings on both items came in the first quarter of 1999, as polls in January and March showed approval ratings for Clinton on the economy that reached 80%, and on foreign affairs that reached 60%. This occurred shortly after the president was acquitted by the Senate in his impeachment trial. A poll in May of this year showed that his ratings were a bit lower than the current ratings -- a 51% approval rating on foreign affairs and a 65% approval rating on the economy.

Only Slight Gender Gap in Clinton Ratings
Although there is a substantial gender gap in the current presidential election contest, there are only slight differences between men and women in their ratings of Clinton. A majority of both men and women approve of Clinton’s job performance -- 55% of men and 58% of women -- and a majority of both groups also rate Clinton favorably rather than unfavorably. The average gender gap in the two measures is about four percentage points, less than half the gender gap found in the current presidential voting.

The major differences in ratings are found among partisans. Among Democrats, Clinton enjoys an 84% approval rating, compared with 56% among independents and 23% among Republicans. A similar pattern is found among partisans in Clinton’s favorability ratings.

Survey Methods

Results are based on telephone interviews with 1,004 national adults, aged 18+, conducted Oct. 25-28, 2000. For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that 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
%

Dis-
approve
%

No
opinion
%

   


Approve
%

Dis-
approve
%

No
opinion
%

2000

       

99 Jan 22-24

69

29

2

00 Oct 25-28

57

38

5

 

99 Jan 15-17

69

29

2

         

99 Jan 8-10

67

30

3

00 Oct 6-9

58

37

5

 

99 Jan 6

63

34

3

00 Sep 11-13

60

34

6

 

1998

     

00 Aug 29-Sep 3

62

35

3

 

98 Dec 19-20

73

25

2

00 Aug 18-19

62

35

3

 

98 Dec 15-16

63

33

4

00 Aug 11-12

58

39

3

 

98 Dec 12-13

64

34

2

00 Aug 4-5

57

40

3

 

98 Dec 4-6

66

30

4

00 Jul 25-26

57

39

4

 

98 Nov 20-22

66

30

4

00 Jul 14-15

59

37

4

 

98 Nov 13-15

66

31

3

00 Jul 6-9

59

36

5

 

98 Oct 29-Nov 1

66

30

4

00 Jun 22-25

55

40

5

 

98 Oct 23-25

65

32

3

00 Jun 6-7

60

36

4

 

98 Oct 9-12

65

32

3

00 May 18-21

57

37

6

 

98 Oct 6-7

63

34

3

00 May 5-7

57

36

7

 

98 Sep 23-24

66

31

3

00 Apr 28-30

59

39

2

 

98 Sep 21

66

31

3

00 Mar 30-Apr 2

62

34

4

 

98 Sep 20

60

34

6

00 Mar 17-19

56

39

5

 

98 Sep 14-15

63

35

2

00 Mar 10-12

63

34

3

 

98 Sep 11-12

63

34

3

00 Feb 25-27

57

39

4

 

98 Sep 10

60

37

3

00 Feb 14-15

62

34

4

 

98 Sep 1

62

33

5

00 Feb 4-6

63

33

4

 

98 Aug 21-23

62

35

3

00 Jan 25-26

64

32

4

 

98 Aug 20

61

34

5

00 Jan 17-20

62

35

3

 

98 Aug 18

66

29

5

00 Jan 13-16

59

37

4

 

98 Aug 17

62

32

6

00 Jan 7-10

63

35

2

 

98 Aug 10-12

65

30

5

1999

       

98 Aug 7-8

64

32

4

99 Dec 20-21

57

36

7

 

98 Jul 29

65

31

4

99 Dec 9-12

56

41

3

 

98 Jul 13-14

63

31

6

99 Nov 18-21

59

36

5

 

98 Jul 7-8

61

34

5

99 Nov 4-7

58

38

4

 

98 Jun 22-23

60

34

6

99 Oct 21-24

59

36

5

 

98 Jun 5-7

60

34

6

99 Oct 8-10

56

39

5

 

98 May 8-10

64

31

5

99 Sep 23-26

59

38

3

 

98 Apr 17-19

63

31

6

99 Sep 10-14

60

38

2

 

98 Apr 1

67

28

5

99 August 24-26

60

35

5

 

98 Mar 20-22

66

28

6

99 Aug 16-18

59

36

5

 

98 Mar 16

67

29

4

99 Aug 3-4

60

35

5

 

98 Mar 6-9

63

31

6

99 Jul 22-25

64

31

5

 

98 Feb 20-22

66

29

5

99 Jul 16-18

58

38

4

 

98 Feb 13-15

66

30

4

99 Jul 13-14

59

37

4

 

98 Jan 30-Feb 1

69

28

3

99 Jun 25-27

57

41

2

 

98 Jan 25-26

59

37

4

99 Jun 11-13

60

37

3

 

98 Jan 24-25

60

35

5

99 Jun 4-5

60

35

5

 

98 Jan 23-24

58

36

6

99 May 23-24

53

42

5

 

98 Jan 16-18

60

30

10

99 May 7-9

60

35

5

 

98 Jan 6-7

59

32

9

99 Apr 30-May 2

60

36

4

 

1997

     

99 Apr 26-27

60

35

5

 

97 Dec 18-21

56

36

8

99 Apr 13-14

60

36

4

 

97 Nov 21-23

61

30

9

99 Apr 6-7

59

35

6

 

97 Nov 6-9

59

31

10

99 Mar 30-31

64

32

4

 

97 Oct 27-29

59

32

9

99 Mar 19-21

64

33

3

 

97 Oct 3-5

55

36

9

99 Mar 12-14

62

35

3

 

97 Sep 25-28

58

33

9

99 Mar 5-7

68

28

4

 

97 Sep 6-7

61

28

11

99 Feb 26-28

66

31

3

 

97 Aug 22-25

60

34

6

99 Feb 19-21

66

30

4

 

97 Aug 12-13

61

32

7

99 Feb 12-13

68

30

2

 

97 Jul 25-27

58

34

8

99 Feb 9

70

27

3

 

97 Jun 26-29

55

36

9

99 Feb 4-8

65

33

2

 

97 May 30-Jun 1

57

35

8

99 Jan 27

67

31

2

 

97 May 6-7

57

35

8



GALLUP NEWS SERVICE

APPROVAL RATING CONTINUED

 

 


Approve
%

Dis-
approve
%

No
opinion
%

   


Approve
%

Dis-
approve
%

No
opinion
%

1997

               

97 Apr 18-20

54

37

9

 

94 Dec 2-5

42

50

8

97 Mar 24-26

59

35

6

 

94 Nov 28-29

43

49

8

97 Feb 24-26

57

33

10

 

94 Nov 2-6

46

46

8

97 Jan 30-Feb 2

60

31

9

 

94 Oct 22-25

48

46

6

97 Jan 10-13

62

31

7

 

94 Oct 18-19

41

52

7

97 Jan 3-5

58

35

7

 

94 Oct 7-9

42

52

6

1996

       

94 Sep 23-25

44

51

5

96 Dec 9-11

58

34

8

 

94 Sep 16-18

42

50

8

96 Nov 21-24

58

35

7

 

94 Sep 6-7

39

54

7

96 Oct 26-29

54

36

10

 

94 Aug 15-16

39

52

9

96 Oct 2-3

57

36

7

 

94 Aug 8-9

43

48

9

96 Oct 1-2

58

34

8

 

94 Jul 15-17

42

49

9

96 Sep 7-9

60

31

9

 

94 Jul 1-3

43

48

9

96 Aug 30-Sep 1

60

33

7

 

94 Jun 25-28

44

47

9

96 Aug 23-25

53

39

8

 

94 Jun 11-12

49

44

7

96 Aug 16-18

52

39

9

 

94 Jun 3-6

46

47

7

96 Aug 5-7

57

36

7

 

94 May 20-22

51

42

7

96 Jul 25-28

58

35

7

 

94 Apr 22-24

48

44

8

96 Jul 18-21

57

35

8

 

94 Apr 16-18

51

41

8

96 Jun 27-30

52

42

6

 

94 Mar 25-27

52

41

7

96 Jun 18-19

58

37

5

 

94 Mar 11-13

50

41

9

96 May 28-29

53

38

9

 

94 Mar 7-8

50

42

8

96 May 9-12

55

39

6

 

94 Feb 26-28

53

41

6

96 Apr 25-28

56

37

7

 

94 Jan 28-30

58

35

7

96 Apr 9-10

54

40

6

 

94 Jan 15-17

54

38

8

96 Mar 15-17

52

39

9

 

94 Jan 6-8

54

38

8

96 Mar 8-10

54

37

9

 

1993

     

96 Feb 23-25

53

40

7

 

93 Dec 17-19

54

40

6

96 Jan 26-29

52

42

6

 

93 Dec 4-6

52

38

10

96 Jan 12-15

46

47

7

 

93 Nov 19-21

48

43

9

96 Jan 5-7

42

49

9

 

93 Nov 15-16

50

43

7

1995

       

93 Nov 2-4

48

45

7

95 Dec 15-18

51

44

5

 

93 Oct 28-30

48

45

7

95 Nov 17-18

53

38

9

 

93 Oct 13-18

47

44

9

95 Nov 6-8

52

41

7

 

93 Oct 8-10

50

42

8

95 Oct 19-22

49

40

11

 

93 Sep 24-26

56

36

8

95 Oct 5-7

46

42

12

 

93 Sep 13-15

46

43

11

95 Sep 22-24

48

44

8

 

93 Sep 10-12

47

42

11

95 Sep 14-17

44

44

12

 

93 Aug 23-25

44

47

9

95 Aug 28-30

46

43

11

 

93 Aug 8-10

44

48

8

95 Aug 4-7

46

42

12

 

93 Jul 19-21

41

49

10

95 Jul 20-23

46

44

10

 

93 Jul 9-11

45

48

7

95 Jul 7-9

48

42

10

 

93 Jun 29-30

46

47

7

95 Jun 5-6

47

42

11

 

93 Jun 18-21

39

50

11

95 May 11-14

51

42

7

 

93 Jun 5-6

37

49

14

95 Apr 21-24

44

47

9

 

93 May 21-23

44

46

10

95 Apr 17-19

46

45

9

 

93 May 10-12

45

44

11

95 Apr 5-6

47

45

8

 

93 Apr 22-24

55

37

8

95 Mar 27-29

44

47

9

 

93 Mar 29-31

52

37

11

95 Mar 17-19

46

45

9

 

93 Mar 12-14

53

34

13

95 Feb 24-26

42

48

10

 

93 Feb 26-28

59

29

12

95 Feb 3-5

49

44

7

 

93 Feb 12-14

51

34

15

95 Jan 16-18

47

45

8

 

93 Jan 29-31

54

30

16

1994

       

93 Jan 24-26

58

20

22

94 Dec 28-30

40

52

8

         

94 Dec 16-18

42

53

5

         

(^) Based on one-night poll; margin of error = ± 4 pct pts, with additional possible error due to limitations of polls conducted in only one night



GALLUP NEWS SERVICE

Next, we’d like to get your overall opinion of some people in the news. As I read each name, please say if you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of this person -- or if you have never heard of him or her. How about...[Random order]

A. Bill Clinton

 


Favor-
able
%

Unfavor-
able
%

No
opinion
%

   


Favor-
able
%

Unfavor-able
%

No
opinion
%

2000

               

(NA) 2000 Oct 25-28

54

44

2

 

(LV) 1996 Oct 19-20

59

36

5

         

(LV) 1996 Oct 18-19

58

37

5

(RV) 2000 Sep 15-17

46

48

6

 

(LV) 1996 Oct 17-18

61

34

5

(NA) 2000 Aug 18-19

48

48

4

 

(LV) 1996 Oct 16-17

58

38

4

(NA) 2000 Aug 4-5

42

54

4

 

(LV) 1996 Oct 15-16

58

38

4

(NA) 2000 Apr 28-30

47

51

2

 

(LV) 1996 Oct 14-15

59

36

5

1999

       

(LV) 1996 Oct 13-14

58

36

6

(NA) 1999 Dec 9-12

45

53

2

 

(LV) 1996 Oct 12-13

60

35

5

(NA) 1999 Sep 23-26

54

45

1

 

(LV) 1996 Oct 11-12

62

35

3

(NA) 1999 Aug 3-4

52

46

2

 

(LV) 1996 Oct 5-6

62

33

5

(NA) 1999 Jul 22-25

57

41

2

 

(LV) 1996 Oct 4-5

60

34

6

(NA) 1999 Jun 25-27

48

50

2

 

(LV) 1996 Oct 3-4

58

37

5

(NA) 1999 Apr 30-May 2

53

45

2

 

(LV) 1996 Oct 2-3

60

37

3

(NA) 1999 Apr 13-14

51

47

2

 

(LV) 1996 Sep 27-29

63

33

4

(NA) 1999 Mar 5-8

54

43

3

 

(LV) 1996 Sep 3-5

59

35

6

(NA) 1999 Feb 19-21

55

43

2

 

(LV) 1996 Sep 2-4

61

34

5

(NA) 1999 Feb 4-8

55

44

1

 

(RV) 1996 Sep 2-4

62

33

5

(NA) 1999 Jan 8-10

58

40

2

 

(RV) 1996 Aug 30-Sep 1

61

35

4

1998

       

(RV) 1996 Aug 28-29

60

34

6

(NA) 1998 Dec 28-29

56

42

2

 

(RV) 1996 Aug 16-18

57

41

2

(NA) 1998 Dec 4-6

56

40

4

 

(RV) 1996 Aug 14-15

58

37

5

(NA) 1998 Nov 20-22

57

40

3

 

(RV) 1996 Aug 5-7

60

37

3

(NA) 1998 Oct 9-12(*)

54

43

3

 

(NA) 1996 Jul 18-21

62

35

3

(NA) 1998 Sep 14-15

51

47

2

 

(NA) 1996 Jun 18-19

60

36

4

(NA) 1998 Aug 21-23

55

43

2

 

(NA) 1996 May 28-29

59

38

3

(NA) 1998 Aug 20 (*)

53

43

4

 

(NA) 1996 May 9-12

60

39

1

(NA) 1998 Aug 18 (*)

55

42

3

 

(NA) 1996 Mar 15-17

58

38

4

(NA) 1998 Aug 10-12

60

38

2

 

(NA) 1996 Feb 23-25

60

37

3

(NA) 1998 Aug 7-8

58

40

2

 

(NA) 1996 Jan 12-15

54

44

2

(NA) 1998 Jun 5-7

61

36

3

 

1995

     

(NA) 1998 Mar 20-22

60

35

5

 

(NA) 1995 Nov 6-8

59

38

3

(NA) 1998 Mar 16(*)

60

37

3

 

(NA) 1995 Sep 22-24

55

41

4

(NA) 1998 Feb 20-22

64

34

2

 

(NA) 1995 Aug 4-7

51

44

5

(NA) 1998 Feb 13-15

58

39

3

 

(NA) 1995 Jul 7-9

57

40

3

(NA) 1998 Jan 30-Feb 1

65

34

1

 

(NA) 1995 Apr 17-19

56

42

1

(NA) 1998 Jan 28

63

32

5

 

(NA) 1995 Mar 17-19

51

45

4

(NA) 1998 Jan 25-26

53

43

4

 

(NA) 1995 Jan 16-18

56

42

2

(NA) 1998 Jan 24-25

58

39

3

 

1994

     

(NA) 1998 Jan 23-24

57

40

3

 

(NA) 1994 Dec 28-30

48

49

3

1997

       

(NA) 1994 Nov 28-29

50

47

3

(NA) 1997 Dec 18-21

58

37

5

 

(NA) 1994 Sep 6-7

47

50

3

(NA) 1997 Oct 27-29

62

35

3

 

(NA) 1994 Jul 15-17

49

48

3

(NA) 1997 Oct 3-5

56

40

4

 

(NA) 1994 Apr 22-24

56

41

3

(NA) 1997 Sep 25-28

61

35

4

 

(NA) 1994 Mar 25-27

56

40

4

(NA) 1997 Sep 6-7

63

32

5

 

(NA) 1994 Mar 7-8

59

38

3

(NA) 1997 Jul 25-27

62

35

3

 

(NA) 1994 Jan 15-17

60

37

3

(NA) 1997 Jun 26-29

59

37

4

 

(NA) 1994 Jan 6-8

62

35

3

(NA) 1997 Apr 18-20

60

38

2

 

1993

     

(NA) 1997 Mar 24-26

63

34

3

 

(NA) 1993 Nov 19-21

55

41

4

(NA) 1997 Feb 24-26

61

34

5

 

(NA) 1993 Nov 15-16

56

38

6

(NA) 1997 Jan 31-Feb 2

64

32

4

 

(NA) 1993 Nov 2-4

54

42

4

(NA) 1997 Jan 10-13

65

31

4

 

(NA) 1993 Sep 24-26

63

32

5

(NA) 1997 Jan 3-5

60

36

4

 

(NA) 1993 Aug 8-10

53

42

5

1996

       

(NA) 1993 Jul 19-21

51

45

4

(LV) 1996 Nov 3-4

56

40

4

 

(NA) 1993 Jun 5-6

48

44

8

(LV) 1996 Nov 2-3

57

38

5

 

(NA) 1993 Apr 22-24

63

32

5

(LV) 1996 Nov 1-2

58

37

5

 

(NA) 1993 Jan 29-31

65

27

8

(LV) 1996 Oct 31-Nov 1

59

37

4

 

(NA) 1993 Jan 18-19

66

26

8

(LV) 1996 Oct 30-31

60

37

4

 

1992

     

(LV) 1996 Oct 26-29

58

38

4

 

(NA) 1992 Nov 10-11

58

35

7


Gallup https://news.gallup.com/poll/2371/clinton-approval-remains-high-eight-years-after-first-election.aspx
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