CBS News/New York Times Monthly Poll #1, 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 integrity, his morals, his leadership, and his handling of the presidency, foreign policy, and the economy. Their views were also sought regarding Vice President Al Gore, the United States Congress, First Lady Hillary Clinton, Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr, Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, former White House intern Monica Lewinsky, the Republican party, and the Democratic party. A series of questions about the upcoming 1998 congressional elections was asked. Topics covered the respondent's voting behavior, the role of Clinton in the 1998 elections, the accomplishments of the 1997-1998 Congress, and which party would work the hardest for education, family values, ethics, reducing crime, establishing a fair tax system, and leading the country into the 21st century. A series of questions addressed Clinton's admission to having an inappropriate relationship with Monica Lewinsky, including the nation's level of satisfaction with Clinton's statements, the overall importance of this topic to the nation, whether it was a private or a public matter, the impact of the scandal on the remaining two years of the Clinton presidency, the impact of the scandal on other issues in Congress, whether schoolteachers should discuss the scandal with their students, and what the consequences should be if it were determined that Clinton obstructed justice. An additional question asked respondents for their thoughts on the impact of the stock market on the United States economy. Background information on respondents includes age, sex, race, ethnicity, education, religion, political party, voter registration and participation history, marital status, employment status, political orientation, age of children in the household, family income, and stock market investments.