Gallup Stunner: Americans Blame Clinton for Business Scandals

NewsMax.com ^ | 7/08/02 | Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff

[kattracks]

Despite a coordinated Democratic Party-media push to pin blame for the recent wave of corporate scandals on President Bush, a majority of Americans currently blame ex-President Bill Clinton for the business corruption that has sent the stock market reeling and caused a crisis in confidence in corporate America, according to a CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll released Monday.

51 percent of Americans surveyed agreed that President Clinton's "moral failings in office" contributed to the permissive climate that encouraged corporate leaders to behave unethically.

Of that number, more than half, 26 percent "strongly agreed" that Clinton was partially responsible for the business scandals. The rest, 25 percent, "moderately agreed" the ex-president deserved blame.

When asked the same question about President Bush, only 15 percent "strongly agreed" that he set a climate that encouraged corporate corruption. 31 percent "moderately agreed" with the same proposition, for a cumulative total of 46 percent - five percent less than those who blame Clinton.

Another stunning development: President Bush's approval ratings have actually improved in the weeks since the Democrat-media complex began shifting blame to Bush.

The CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll put Bush's overall job approval at 76 percent - up six points since early June.

"This result alone suggests that the president has been untouched by these scandals," Gallup said.

Gallup surveyed 1,019 adults over the age of 18 on June 28-30. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percent.

Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:

Bush Administration
Clinton Scandals
Sen. Hillary Clinton

[FranklinsTower]

Apology accepted. BTW I knew who you were directing it to anyway...:^)

[TracyPA]

The American people like and trust President Bush. And that includes a lot of Democrats. I was talking to a neighbor the other day. Elderly lady, about 80, and a staunch Democrat. We were discussing the world situation and all of a sudden she asks "What do you think of our President?" I said I liked him and thought he was doing a good job. She answered "So do I." Democrats are in BIG trouble if this keeps up, and they know it.

[McLynnan]

Love this, FWI. Alternating between smiling and gloating here!

[paulsy]

"Pubbies should not let up but keep this trend intact. Do not get lazy. Things change unexpectedly in politics. Keep linking TRAITORClinton to the biz scandals."

i don't think 51% is much of a trend (though the approval numbers look really good). i still worry that the connection between Clinton and the business scandels is tenuous at best and if we try to hammer this connection home now, when the dust settles and people have a chance to think about it, taking this position might backfire a bit on us.

[paulsy]

"The DMC is how I will forever refer to CNN/ABC/NBC/CBS..et al. Ha!! "

dittos, the "democrat media complex" = DMC

[elcaudillo]

Golly.

Less dupes than I figured in the USA!

[rwfromkansas]

You would think immorality could never lead to more immorality.........

I have seen your posts and they don't support traditional conservatism (which includes strong morals) in the slightest.

[PLK]

Another stunning development: President Bush's approval ratings have actually improved

CNN/USA Today betray their Democrat bias by using the phrase "stunning development." I'm sure they were not only stunned, but dismayed as well.

Great poll. Thanks CNN/USA Today.

[dead]

So you think that if Clinton didn't get blow jobs in the Oval Office, Andersen's partners wouldn't have knowingly conspired with Enron officials to hide accounting malfeasance?

You exhibit a childish naiveté and a complete ignorance of the concept of “traditional conservatism,” which embraces individual responsibility.

Here’s a clue. Clinton is solely responsible for Clinton’s crimes. Corrupt CEO’s are solely responsible for their crimes.

Your attempt to blame the actions of corrupt corporate leaders on the prevailing culture is an outright embrace of the liberal excuse-making ethos.

Typical fuzzyheaded liberal logic.

[Howlin]

Your attempt to blame the actions of corrupt corporate leaders on the prevailing culture is an outright embrace of the liberal excuse-making ethos.

Aren't those basically the very words that the Clintons used to described the Reagan/Bush 41 years? Odd that worse corruption would happen under their "reign," isn't it? Especially when you factor in that THEY profited heartily, eve if it was "in kind."

I believe a case can be made that people thought anything was okay during the Clinton administration. After all, Clinton got away with it, didn't he?

[dead]

I really don't believe accounting crimes were committed because Clinton got away with getting blow jobs and lying about it.

Accounting crimes were committed because the people involved were greedy criminals.

The fact that they got away with it for so long was due to shoddy enforcement of the laws by people in his administration.

Most CEO and other corporate officers are not stupid enough to decide to break the law because a group of gutless politicians exhibited profound weakness when it came to punishing a fellow politician. The two issues are not even remotely related.

[olliemb]

Did you know that Fritz Hollings was the senator who got the most donations from Worldcom?--I guess he was sleeping with the "big corporations".

[Temple Owl]

Bump! My feeling exactly.

[NormsRevenge]

This buttwipe is like the Energizer Bunny .. He just keeps goin' and goin' ... Co... caine :-? sniff

[Michael Barnes]

Never. Not once. As if the poll never existed.

So what your telling me is NOT to expect to hear about this on NPR?

[NormsRevenge]

Webb Hubbell is generally understood to be Chelsea's sperm donor...MUD

What a WeBB we Weave, When At First we Try to Conceive..

The thought of Hilliary urr Hitlary with a turkey baster in her hands .. Scary!

[Mudboy Slim]

"The thought of Hilliary urr Hitlary with a turkey baster in her hands .. Scary!"

Actually, I suspect that swingin' HildaBeast had more than a turkey baster in her hands at the exact moment Chelsea was conceived, before she went lesbo, of course...just as scary, IMHO!!

LOL and FReegards...MUD

[olliemb]

I agree, the dear Lord watches over his faithful and he will deliver good. We just have to keep the faith and keep on praying for the good cause. I do believe that in the USA we are fighting good vs. evil--republican vs. democrat. I do believe that now, especially after reading what the NAACP has to say re: GWB. NAACP is having their convention here and the Bush bashing and the accusations of right wing conspiracy and the vote fraud etc is daunting. I thought we had put the hate and the racial wedges behind us long time ago. Especially here in Houston where we are all united in helping each other out.

Interesting--Bush speaks about helping out a neighbor and vouchers for the poor and appoints blacks and latinos and the NAACP speaks about hate, right wing conspiracy, Bush doing snake oil business, and appointing racially hostile conservative Republicans in his administration. Wow--what hate mongering by the NAACP who brags about bringing 1 million blacks to vote against Bush in 2000.

[Mudboy Slim]

"FWIW I mass emailed this report to piles of letters to editors and "opinionators" like Hannity and Rush."

Well, it worked!! Limbaugh focused on this issue for almost his whole first hour...knocked it outta the Park, if you wanna know the Truth!!

FReegards...MUD