CBS News/New York Times New York State Poll #1, February 2000

This special topic poll, fielded February 16-22, 2000, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and a range of other political and social issues. The focus of this data collection was on the upcoming presidential and New York State senatorial campaigns. Residents of New York State were asked to give their opinions of President Bill Clinton, New York governor George Pataki, Vice President Al Gore, Texas governor George W. Bush, former New Jersey senator Bill Bradley, Arizona senator John McCain, First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, New York City mayor Rudolph Giuliani, and civil rights activist Al Sharpton. Respondents were then asked a series of questions on a hypothetical senatorial contest between Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton and Republican Rudolph Giuliani. Respondents were queried as to whether they were paying attention to the upcoming race, whether they were likely to vote and, if so, which candidate they were leaning toward, or if they preferred another candidate to run. Respondents were asked to compare Clinton and Giuliani in terms of whether they cared about the needs and problems of people like them, would represent their interests, would be better at reforming the health care system, would improve education and reduce crime, would get along with other members of the Senate, would protect access to legal abortions, had the right kind of experience, honesty, and integrity, and would vote as respondents would like on potential Supreme Court nominations. Respondents were asked to assess Rudolph Giuliani's job as mayor, including his handling of crime, education, race relations, and economic development, and Hillary Rodham Clinton's role as First Lady, and whether she could represent New York State effectively without having lived in New York State for very long. Regarding the presidential election, respondents were asked if they were paying attention to the campaign, whether they were registered with a party, whether they intended to vote in the upcoming New York State primary and, if so, for whom. Respondents were also queried regarding whether they believed campaign contributions influenced candidates, and whether contributions affected the honesty and trust of candidates. On a separate matter, respondents with school-aged children were asked whether they felt comfortable in letting their children engage in various activities without an accompanying adult, such as riding the subway, going outside after dark, crossing the street or going to a nearby store, sleeping over at another child's house, or going to a movie with friends. Parents were also asked whether their children traveled to school by themselves, dated, and had a recognized curfew hour. Other questions asked of respondents covered preferred uses of a projected federal budget surplus, views on access to abortion services, and the posting of the Ten Commandments in public schools. Background information on respondents includes age, sex, race, education, religion, voter registration and participation history, political party, political orientation, Hispanic descent, marital status, age of children in household, and family income.