Vested Interest - Trends - October 1998 Issue

Post Starr Polls Give Clinton Strong Support

Polling conducted after Kenneth Starr released his report to Congress finds continued support for President Clinton. A Los Angeles Times poll of 968 adults nationwide found that 41 °% thought Congress should drop the matter completely. Thirty-four percent favored censure, and 18% favored impeachment. Most, 60%, thought Clinton had committed perjury in his Paula Jones deposition, but a stronger majority, 63%, said Clinton should not resign. Fully 73% said Clinton was effective at getting things done. Even among .Republicans, just 30% thought Clinton should be impeached. (Reuters, September 14, 1998)

Republicans Risk Backlash from Tape Release: Survey

A New York Times poll of 960 adults nationwide found that a majority of all respondents, and a plurality of Republicans, believe Congress released the Clinton deposition tape as part of a partisan effort to weaken the Democrats. The poll, conducted a week after the tape was released, found that 78% overall, and 65% of Republicans, thought the tape should not have been released. Nearly 65% of all respondents, and 39% of Republicans, thought Congress was acting primarily to embarrass the president. In question after question, the poll revealed, "the public's exasperation with the entire matter," the Times noted. (New York Times, September 25, 1998)

Russians Oppose Dictatorship

A poll of residents in Russia taken by the National Public Opinion Center found that 45% of respondents think Russia can solve its current crisis without a dictatorship. A third of respondents, however, support a dictatorship as the only solution, and 23% are undecided. Considered most likely to become a dictator was former General Alexander Lebed, currently governor of Kransoyarsk in Siberia. Another 8% thought others in the military could impose a dictatorship, while 14% thought the Communists could do it. (AP, September 23, 1998)

Survey Finds Europeans Annoyed by Polls

A survey by Market Research Solutions, an English polling company, found that European consumers are increasingly annoyed by telephone calls from pollsters. The report finds that more respondents report annoyance at the intrusive nature of pollsters, and are refusing to participate in increasing numbers. The survey found respondents were more likely to respond to brief questionnaires, and favored being told the purpose of the poll. (Reuters, September 16, 1998)

America Chock Full of Fornicators

A survey of 10,000 sexually active people in 16 nations around the world by the London International Group found that Americans are the most likely to have extramarital affairs, though the British and Russians were close behind. About half of the Americans polled admitted to infidelity, and 20% admitted to "serial philandery." Most faithful nations included Spain, Hong Kong, and Poland. (ABCNews, September 23, 1998)