An ABC poll conducted March 17 showed satisfaction with the president's job performance remains high, at 66 percent. She was composed and sincere-sounding, true. But polls generally show that about two-thirds of Americans already believe that their chief executive does not have high moral standards. His ratings reflect satisfaction with his public actions, not with his character. Ironically, women continue to be stronger Clinton supporters than men, in general.
Women also take a harsher view of the president's accusers.
A Gallup poll released this week found that 24 percent of men had a favorable view of Kathleen Willey, while only 22 percent of women held a similar opinion. Twenty-four percent of men were favorable towards Monica Lewinsky, according to Gallup, but only 19 percent of men were so inclined. Inside Washington, where politics is a major league sport, Willey's TV appearance was seen as a possible turning point in attitudes towards the president. Outside the Beltway, it has apparently been received as just another part of a puzzle voters lost interest in long ago. The whole thing seems a bit juvenile, and with so many other pressing things going on maybe we need to be paying attention to other issues.