Clinton Enjoys Lofty Ratings As Second Term Nears
President Clinton begins his second term in office more popular with the American people than at any time since the early days of his presidency, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.
The survey also found that large majorities of Americans doubt that the scandals that follow Clinton into his second term will significantly weaken the president politically or interfere with his ability to govern.
And more than half of those interviewed - 56 percent - said they expect the president to do a better job over the next four years than he did during his first term.
Overall, the Post-ABC News poll found that 60 percent of those interviewed said they approve of the job Clinton is doing as president.
That is his best showing since his first month in office and 16 points higher than in December 1994 as the president prepared to face the newly elected Republican majority in Congress.
Among the keys to Clinton’s resurgent popularity: prosperity at home and peace abroad. More than six in 10 survey respondents - 61 percent - approve of the job Clinton is doing “handling the nation’s economy” - his strongest rating in his four years as president and 16 points higher than his standing a year ago.
Likewise, 54 percent approved of the way Clinton was handling foreign affairs, up from a low of 37 percent in September 1994.
In particular, the survey suggests that Clinton has prospered with the economy.
Among those who approved of the way Clinton has handled the economy, eight in 10 also approved of the job he’s done. But among those who don’t like Clinton’s record on the economy, seven in 10 disapprove of his presidency.
A total of 1,206 randomly selected adults were interviewed Jan. 13-15 for this survey. Margin of sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.
The survey suggests that after four years, Americans have become intimately familiar with the strengths and weaknesses of their president.
Seven in 10 say Clinton has a “vision for the future of the country.” Just as many say he has “new ideas” and “stands up for what he believes in,” his best showing on both these measures since he took office.
But more than half - 54 percent - said Clinton is not honest and an equally large majority don’t believe he has high moral and ethical standards - percentages unchanged since the summer.
The survey also found that most Americans appear to have a waitand-see toward the latest developments in the scandals that surround the Clintons and the Democrats.
Americans have not yet made up their minds about charges of sexual harassment leveled by Paula Corbin Jones against Clinton, allegations that a majority regarded as serious.
Nearly half - 47 percent - said they didn’t know enough yet to say, while 29 percent said they doubted that Jones was harassed and 24 percent said her charges against Clinton were probably true.
xxxx COMEBACK KID Overall, the Post-ABC News poll found that 60 percent of those interviewed said they approve of the job Clinton is doing as president.