CBS News Monthly Poll #3, September 1998

This poll 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, his leadership, and his morals, the United States Congress, First Lady Hillary Clinton, Vice President Al Gore, Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, and United States House of Representatives Judiciary Committee Chairman Henry Hyde. This poll was fielded September 19-20, 1998, the weekend prior to the House of Representatives' public release of Clinton's videotaped testimony before the grand jury. Respondents were asked if they intended to vote in the November 1998 congressional elections, and how the Clinton/Monica Lewinsky scandal would influence their electoral decisions. Those queried were asked a series of questions about the relationship between Clinton and Lewinsky. Topics covered whether the relationship was a public or a private matter, who was to blame for this matter, whether Clinton encouraged Lewinsky to lie and commit perjury, what the punishment should be for Clinton if he did obstruct justice, and whether it was understandable why Clinton would have lied about the relationship. Respondents were asked how much they presently knew about the contents of the videotape and whether they would personally watch any of the videotaped testimony. Additional topics covered the motivation behind the Judiciary Committee's release of the tape, whether Clinton should resign, the impact of the scandal on the political agendas of Congress and the White House, the impact of the scandal on the remainder of the Clinton presidency, and whether the news media, the public, and Congress would be better off if Clinton resigned. Background information on respondents includes age, sex, race, ethnicity, education, religion, political party, political orientation, voter registration and participation history, marital status, employment status, family income, and age of children in the household.