Poll Links Clinton’s Weak Rating to Broken Promises

WASHINGTON — President Clinton’s approval rating remains weak, at 39%, largely because many people believe that he breaks his promises and cannot get things done, according to a poll released Wednesday by the Times Mirror Center for People and the Press.

Nevertheless, most Americans perceive Clinton as a warm, friendly person who is well-informed and say that it is too early to determine whether his presidency ultimately will be a successful one.

Relatively few can cite any Clinton accomplishments, although support for his economic plan and his handling of foreign policy and trade issues is fairly strong and up slightly from previous polls. In sharp contrast, there is clear disapproval of the President’s decision to ease the ban on gays in the military.

Pollsters interviewed 1,203 adults nationwide by telephone from July 29 through Aug. 1. The margin of error was plus or minus 3 percentage points. The survey was sponsored by Times Mirror Co., which owns the Los Angeles Times and other newspaper, broadcasting and publishing enterprises.

“The public doubts Clinton’s abilities but still reserves judgment,” said poll director Andrew Kohut.

The survey found that only 39% approve of Clinton’s job performance, while 46% disapprove. Although the President’s approval rating jumped about a dozen points after the June 26 attack on Iraqi facilities in Baghdad, his latest rating has returned to the level of early June. But the jury is still out on Clinton long-term: 60% think it is too early to judge the success or failure of his presidency.

The public overwhelmingly considers the President warm and friendly (87%) and well-informed (63%). At the same time, a majority does not think that the President keeps his promises (53%) and does not believe he can get things done (54%). The public is also evenly divided on whether it thinks he is well-organized.

Support for Clinton’s economic program stands at 46%, with 37% opposed. The support is up from 42% in early June. Fifty-two percent approve of his foreign policy (up from 49%) and 49% approve of his handling of trade issues (up from 36%).

The poll also gauged the public’s news interest this summer. The Midwestern floods commanded the greatest audience and was on a par with such previous big stories as the Persian Gulf War, the first Rodney G. King trial and the San Francisco earthquake. Almost two of three Americans said that they were following the saga of rising waters and breached levees very closely.

Coverage of gays also drew a wide audience, with 44% saying that they followed very closely Clinton’s decision to relax the ban on homosexuals in the service.

However, the press was most criticized for its coverage of this story. Fully 24% said that the issue received too much coverage, a complaint level three times higher than for any other story of the period.