CBS News/New York Times Monthly Poll #3, December 1998

This poll, fielded December 13-17, 1998, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. Respondents were asked to give their opinions of President Bill Clinton, the United States Congress, and the Democratic and Republican parties. Those queried were also asked for their opinions of the House Judiciary Committee's handling of the impeachment matter, including the partisan vote by the committee to hold impeachment hearings, and the motivations behind the party-line votes. Respondents were asked whether they believed that Clinton would complete his second term, resign from office, be impeached, or be censured by Congress. Additional issues covered the respondents' understanding of the impeachment process, the possible effects of a Senate impeachment trial on the country, whether respondents had communicated their views about the impeachment matter to their representatives or to the media, whether it was more important for the president to be a role model or an effective president, and whether Clinton could still be an effective leader. On another topic, respondents were asked for their opinions on the United States' use of the Air Force to bomb targets in Iraq after Iraq failed to comply with its agreement to allow United Nations weapons inspections. Topics covered whether forcing Saddam Hussein to comply with the weapons inspectors was worth the potential loss of American lives, whether the strikes should continue until Iraq cooperated or until Hussein was removed from office, the timing of the start of the air strikes, the House of Representatives' decision to delay the start of the impeachment debate as a result of the attacks, and the possible ramifications if an impeachment vote was held while the United States was involved in military action against Iraq. Background information on respondents includes age, sex, race, education, religion, political party, political orientation, marital status, voter registration and participation history, and family income.

本次民调实施于1998年12月13日至17日，属于持续开展的月度民意调查系列，旨在收集公众对总统履职表现及一系列其他政治与社会议题的舆论看法。受访者需针对比尔·克林顿（Bill Clinton）总统、美国国会、民主党与共和党发表个人评价。受访对象同时需回答对众议院司法委员会（House Judiciary Committee）处理弹劾（impeachment）事宜的评价，包括该委员会以党派立场投票启动弹劾听证会的行为，以及这类党派投票背后的动机。受访者被询问是否认为克林顿将完成其第二任期、辞职、遭弹劾或被国会谴责。本次调查涵盖的其他议题包括：受访者对弹劾程序的认知、参议院弹劾审判可能对国家产生的影响、受访者是否曾向其议员或媒体传达对弹劾事宜的看法、总统更应成为行为楷模还是高效执政者，以及克林顿是否仍能胜任高效领导人一职。另一议题中，受访者需就美国因伊拉克未遵守联合国武器核查协议而动用空军轰炸伊拉克目标一事发表看法。相关话题包括：迫使萨达姆·侯赛因（Saddam Hussein）遵守武器核查要求是否值得承担美军可能的伤亡风险、空袭是否应持续至伊拉克合作或侯赛因下台、空袭发起时机、众议院因此次军事打击推迟弹劾辩论的决定，以及在美国卷入对伊军事行动期间进行弹劾投票可能产生的连锁影响。受访者的背景信息包括年龄、性别、种族、受教育程度、宗教信仰、政治党派、政治倾向、婚姻状况、选民登记与投票参与历史，以及家庭收入。