ABC News/Washington Post Poll, March 1999

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This monthly poll, fielded March 11-14, 1999, 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 for their opinions of President Bill Clinton, Vice President Al Gore, their state's governor, the United States Congress, First Lady Hillary Clinton, Texas governor George W. Bush, former Red Cross president Elizabeth Dole, former New Jersey Senator Bill Bradley, former Vice President Dan Quayle, Arizona Senator John McCain, former Tennessee governor Lamar Alexander, multimillionaire publisher Steve Forbes, and conservative commentator Pat Buchanan. Respondents were asked to assess the importance of a political candidate's stance on a variety of issues as well as which party is best able to handle those issues. Topics included crime, the economy, foreign affairs, the middle class, moral values, Medicare, the environment, partisanship, and tolerance. Those queried were asked whether they believed the 1994 switch of congressional balance to the Republican party had been a good or a bad thing. Given possible 2000 presidential races between Democratic hopefuls Gore and Bradley and Republican hopefuls Bush and Dole, respondents were asked for whom they would vote. Those queried were also asked for whom they would vote in a Republican primary or caucus consisting of Bush, Dole, Quayle, Buchanan, Forbes, Alexander, McCain, Family Research Council president Gary Bauer, Ohio Congressman John Kasich, radio talk show host Alan Keyes, and New Hampshire Senator Bob Smith. They were also asked for whom they would vote in a Democratic primary or caucus consisting of Gore, Bradley, and Reverend Jesse Jackson. Respondents were asked whether the following characteristics made them more or less likely to vote for a candidate for president: the candidate is a woman, has used cocaine, has smoked marijuana, has never before held elected office, is an environmentalist, has cheated on a spouse, has lived and/or worked in Washington, DC, most of his/her life, has been accused of improper campaign fundraising, supports legalized abortion, was once a heavy drinker, and/or is supported by labor unions. A series of questions addressed the situation in Kosovo, including whether United States vital interests were at stake in the region, whether the United States should bomb Serbia if Serbia did not agree to a peace plan for Kosovo, and whether the United States and Europe should use ground forces to enforce a peace treaty. Additional topics covered the state of the nation's economy, possible uses for the federal budget surplus, respondent enthusiasm for a 2000 presidential race between Gore and Bush, and the 2000 congressional elections. Background information on respondents includes age, race, sex, education, religion, political party, political orientation, voter registration and participation history, and labor union membership.