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Clinton and Gore: An Update

Clinton's favorable rating begins to recover

GALLUP NEWS SERVICE

PRINCETON, NJ -- Bill Clinton and Al Gore have largely vanished from the news in recent weeks. In fact, news stories about Gore have focused more on his absence from the news rather than on anything he has said or done. Clinton's name did surface again on Wednesday, when a news report said that Clinton may net one million dollars on a forthcoming speaking tour in Europe. The latest Gallup poll shows that former President Clinton's ratings appear to be rebounding a little from the hit they took after his controversial pardons earlier this year. His favorable rating had sunk to 39% in early March, with 59% of the American public giving him an unfavorable rating. Now, Clinton is back up to a 48% favorable, 50% unfavorable number. This is, however, still well below his personal high point of 66% that came in January 1993, just as he was moving into the White House, and is also below the 60% range he had in 1996 and 1997.

Former Vice President Al Gore's favorable rating has been relatively steady this year. Fifty-five percent of Americans now view him favorably, little changed from mid-January of this year. Gore's high point, 64% favorable, came during the election campaign last August -- just after the Democratic convention.

Survey Methods

The results below are based on telephone interviews with a randomly selected national sample of 1,015 adults, 18 years and older, conducted April 20-22, 2001. 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.

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. How about -- [RANDOM ORDER]?

Bill Clinton


Favorable

Unfavor-
able

No
opinion

   


Favorable

Unfavor-able

No
opinion

2001

       

1996

     

(NA) 2001 Apr 20-22

48

50

2

 

(LV) 1996 Oct 31-Nov 1

59

37

4

         

(LV) 1996 Oct 30-31

60

37

4

(NA) 2001 Mar 5-7

39

59

2

 

(LV) 1996 Oct 26-29

58

38

4

(NA) 2001 Feb 19-21

42

55

3

 

(LV) 1996 Oct 19-20

59

36

5

(NA) 2001 Feb 1-4

51

48

1

 

(LV) 1996 Oct 18-19

58

37

5

2000

       

(LV) 1996 Oct 17-18

61

34

5

(NA) 2000 Dec 2-4

57

41

2

 

(LV) 1996 Oct 16-17

58

38

4

(NA) 2000 Nov 13-15

57

41

2

 

(LV) 1996 Oct 15-16

58

38

4

(NA) 2000 Oct 25-28

54

44

2

 

(LV) 1996 Oct 14-15

59

36

5

(RV) 2000 Sep 15-17

46

48

6

 

(LV) 1996 Oct 13-14

58

36

6

(NA) 2000 Aug 18-19

48

48

4

 

(LV) 1996 Oct 12-13

60

35

5

(NA) 2000 Aug 4-5

42

54

4

 

(LV) 1996 Oct 11-12

62

35

3

(NA) 2000 Apr 28-30

47

51

2

 

(LV) 1996 Oct 5-6

62

33

5

1999

       

(LV) 1996 Oct 4-5

60

34

6

(NA) 1999 Dec 9-12

45

53

2

 

(LV) 1996 Oct 3-4

58

37

5

(NA) 1999 Sep 23-26

54

45

1

 

(LV) 1996 Oct 2-3

60

37

3

(NA) 1999 Aug 3-4

52

46

2

 

(LV) 1996 Sep 27-29

63

33

4

(NA) 1999 Jul 22-25

57

41

2

 

(LV) 1996 Sep 3-5

59

35

6

(NA) 1999 Jun 25-27

48

50

2

 

(LV) 1996 Sep 2-4

61

34

5

(NA) 1999 Apr 30-May 2

53

45

2

 

(RV) 1996 Sep 2-4

62

33

5

(NA) 1999 Apr 13-14

51

47

2

 

(RV) 1996 Aug 30-Sep 1

61

35

4

(NA) 1999 Mar 5-8

54

43

3

 

(RV) 1996 Aug 28-29

60

34

6

(NA) 1999 Feb 19-21

55

43

2

 

(RV) 1996 Aug 16-18

57

41

2

(NA) 1999 Feb 4-8

55

44

1

 

(RV) 1996 Aug 14-15

58

37

5

(NA) 1999 Jan 8-10

58

40

2

 

(RV) 1996 Aug 5-7

60

37

3

1998

       

(NA) 1996 Jul 18-21

62

35

3

(NA) 1998 Dec 28-29

56

42

2

 

(NA) 1996 Jun 18-19

60

36

4

(NA) 1998 Dec 4-6

56

40

4

 

(NA) 1996 May 28-29

59

38

3

(NA) 1998 Nov 20-22

57

40

3

 

(NA) 1996 May 9-12

60

39

1

(NA) 1998 Oct 9-12(*)

54

43

3

 

(NA) 1996 Mar 15-17

58

38

4

(NA) 1998 Sep 14-15

51

47

2

 

(NA) 1996 Feb 23-25

60

37

3

(NA) 1998 Aug 21-23

55

43

2

 

(NA) 1996 Jan 12-15

54

44

2

(NA) 1998 Aug 20 (*)

53

43

4

 

1995

     

(NA) 1998 Aug 18 (*)

55

42

3

 

(NA) 1995 Nov 6-8

59

38

3

(NA) 1998 Aug 10-12

60

38

2

 

(NA) 1995 Sep 22-24

55

41

4

(NA) 1998 Aug 7-8

58

40

2

 

(NA) 1995 Aug 4-7

51

44

5

(NA) 1998 Jun 5-7

61

36

3

 

(NA) 1995 Jul 7-9

57

40

3

(NA) 1998 Mar 20-22

60

35

5

 

(NA) 1995 Apr 17-19

56

42

1

(NA) 1998 Mar 16(*)

60

37

3

 

(NA) 1995 Mar 17-19

51

45

4

(NA) 1998 Feb 20-22

64

34

2

 

(NA) 1995 Jan 16-18

56

42

2

(NA) 1998 Feb 13-15

58

39

3

 

1994

     

(NA) 1998 Jan 30-Feb 1

65

34

1

 

(NA) 1994 Dec 28-30

48

49

3

(NA) 1998 Jan 28

63

32

5

 

(NA) 1994 Nov 28-29

50

47

3

(NA) 1998 Jan 25-26

53

43

4

 

(NA) 1994 Sep 6-7

47

50

3

(NA) 1998 Jan 24-25

58

39

3

 

(NA) 1994 Jul 15-17

49

48

3

(NA) 1998 Jan 23-24

57

40

3

 

(NA) 1994 Apr 22-24

56

41

3

1997

       

(NA) 1994 Mar 25-27

56

40

4

(NA) 1997 Dec 18-21

58

37

5

 

(NA) 1994 Mar 7-8

59

38

3

(NA) 1997 Oct 27-29

62

35

3

 

(NA) 1994 Jan 15-17

60

37

3

(NA) 1997 Oct 3-5

56

40

4

 

(NA) 1994 Jan 6-8

62

35

3

(NA) 1997 Sep 25-28

61

35

4

 

1993

     

(NA) 1997 Sep 6-7

63

32

5

 

(NA) 1993 Nov 19-21

55

41

4

(NA) 1997 Jul 25-27

62

35

3

 

(NA) 1993 Nov 15-16

56

38

6

(NA) 1997 Jun 26-29

59

37

4

 

(NA) 1993 Nov 2-4

54

42

4

(NA) 1997 Apr 18-20

60

38

2

 

(NA) 1993 Sep 24-26

63

32

5

(NA) 1997 Mar 24-26

63

34

3

 

(NA) 1993 Aug 8-10

53

42

5

(NA) 1997 Feb 24-26

61

34

5

 

(NA) 1993 Jul 19-21

51

45

4

(NA) 1997 Jan 31-Feb 2

64

32

4

 

(NA) 1993 Jun 5-6

48

44

8

(NA) 1997 Jan 10-13

65

31

4

 

(NA) 1993 Apr 22-24

63

32

5

(NA) 1997 Jan 3-5

60

36

4

 

(NA) 1993 Jan 29-31

65

27

8

1996

       

(NA) 1993 Jan 18-19

66

26

8

(LV) 1996 Nov 3-4

56

40

4

 

1992

     

(LV) 1996 Nov 2-3

57

38

5

 

(NA) 1992 Nov 10-11

58

35

7

(LV) 1996 Nov 1-2

58

37

5

         

 

 

Al Gore

 

Favor
able

 

Unfav-
orable

Never heard of

 

No opinion

   

 

Favor
able

 

Unfav-
orable

Never heard of

 

No opinion

                     

2001

         

(NA) 1999 Apr 13-14

54

39

1

6

(NA) 2001 Apr 20-22

55

41

*

4

 

(NA) 1999 Feb 19-21

59

33

1

7

           

(NA) 1999 Feb 4-8

61

31

*

8

(NA) 2001 Jan 15-16

56

41

0

3

 

1998

       

2000

         

(NA) 1998 Dec 28-29

57

28

1

14

(NA) 2000 Dec 15-17

57

40

*

3

 

(NA) 1998 Sep 14-15

56

32

2

10

(NA) 2000 Dec 2-4

46

52

*

2

 

(NA) 1998 Feb 13-15

57

33

2

8

(NA) 2000 Nov 13-15

53

44

*

3

 

(NA) 1998 Jan 30-Feb 1

62

31

1

6

(RV) 2000 Nov 13-15

54

44

*

2

 

(NA) 1998 Jan 24-25

56

32

1

11

(RV) 2000 Nov 4-5

56

39

*

5

 

(NA) 1998 Jan 23-24

55

33

1

11

(RV) 2000 Oct 24-26

53

42

*

5

 

1997

       

(RV) 2000 Oct 23-25

55

40

*

5

 

(NA) 1997 Dec 18-21

50

37

3

10

(RV) 2000 Oct 20-22

57

39

*

4

 

(NA) 1997 Oct 27-29

53

38

1

8

(RV) 2000 Oct 5-7

57

37

*

6

 

(NA) 1997 Oct 3-5

47

42

1

10

(RV) 2000 Sep 28-30

61

31

0

8

 

(NA) 1997 Sep 25-28

51

39

2

8

(RV) 2000 Sep 15-17

62

30

*

8

 

(NA) 1997 Sep 6-7

55

32

3

10

(NA) 2000 Aug 18-19

64

30

*

6

 

(NA) 1997 Jun 26-29

57

32

1

9

           

(NA) 1997 Apr 18-20

56

34

1

9

(NA) 2000 Aug 4-5

52

42

1

5

 

(NA) 1997 Mar 24-26

57

31

2

10

(NA) 2000 Jul 25-26

56

38

*

6

 

(NA) 1997 Jan 3-5

60

26

2

12

(NA) 2000 Jul 14-16

58

34

1

7

 

1996

       

(NA) 2000 Jun 23-25

52

39

1

8

 

(LV) 1996 Oct 26-29

61

31

1

7

(NA) 2000 Jun 6-7

59

35

*

6

 

(RV) 1996 Aug 30- Sep 1

61

27

2

10

(NA) 2000 Apr 28-30

53

38

1

8

 

(RV) 1996 Aug 28-29

60

26

2

12

(NA) 2000 Mar 10-12

59

36

1

4

 

(RV) 1996 16-18

59

30

*

11

(NA) 2000 Feb 25-27

59

35

1

5

 

(RV) 1996 Aug 11

59

29

1

11

(NA) 2000 Feb 20-21

56

37

1

6

 

(NA) 1996 Jan 12-15

52

34

2

12

(NA) 2000 Feb 4-6

57

37

1

5

 

1995

       

(NA) 2000 Jan 17-19

56

38

*

6

 

(NA) 1995 Jan 16-18

57

29

3

11

1999

         

(NA) 1994 Sep 6-7

56

31

2

11

(NA) 1999 Dec 20-21

57

36

1

6

 

(NA) 1994 Apr 22-24

60

28

2

10

(NA) 1999 Dec 9-12

54

42

*

4

 

(NA) 1994Mar 25-27

56

29

2

13

(NA) 1999 Oct 21-24

58

36

*

6

 

(NA) 1994 Jan 15-17

62

26

3

9

(NA) 1999 Oct 8-10

54

42

1

3

 

1993

       

(NA) 1999 Sep 23-26

55

40

*

5

 

(NA) 1993 Nov 2-4

49

30

--

21

(NA) 1999 Aug 16-18

58

37

*

5

 

(NA) 1993 Jul 19-21

55

30

--

15

(NA) 1999 Aug 3-4

52

40

1

7

 

(NA) 1993 Apr 22-24

55

24

--

21

(NA) 1999 Jul 22-25

53

35

1

11

 

(NA) 1993 Jan 18-19

63

22

--

15

(NA 1999 Jun 25-27

56

39

1

4

 

1992

       

(NA) 1999 Apr 30-May 2

55

37

1

7

 

(NA) 1992 Nov 10-11

56

28

--

16

*Less than 0.5%


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