Another 30 percent approve of the job he is doing but do not approve of him personally. A solid 39 percent disapprove of both the job the president is doing and disapprove of him personally. The propensity to vote, as best it can be measured, is heaviest among those who fault Clinton on both counts, moderate among those who give him mixed grades and weakest among those who approve of both his job and his personal character. Lake, while holding out hope Democrats can shift the election agenda back to the issues of Social Security, health care and education, where they have a decided advantage, did not disagree with Goeas's analysis. She also pointed out that among senior citizens, whose impact is unusually great in low-turnout elections, moral issues now have eclipsed even Social Security in importance.
Values are now their top issue . . .
One positive note for Democrats in the survey was that voters increasingly credit them for what has been a healthy economy. Congressional Democrats lead the GOP on improving the economy and creating jobs, but Republicans still have the advantage on holding down taxes. The differential turnout figures were the most dramatic element of the poll. Republicans led by 3 points among all 1,000 in the sample of voters.