Qlbc UIL-1LCbçICr/EAGLETON POLL FOR RELEASE: THURSDAY. FEBRUARY 26, 1987 CONTACT: CLIFF ZUKIN OR RELEASE: SL/EP14-1 (EP64-1) BOB CARTER RELEASE INFORMATION A story based on the survey findings presented in this release and back ground memo will appear in Thursday’s Star-Ledger. Other newspapers may also use this information In their Thursday editions. Electronic media may release after 6:00 p.m. Wednesday, February 25. We ask users to properly attribute this copyrighted information to the “Star-Ledger/Eagleton Poll.” IRAN-CONTRA ARMS AFFAIR HURTS REAGAN IN NEW JERSEY JOB RATING DROPS; TRUTHFULNESS OUESTIONED Ronald Reagan’s stature in New Jersey is being dragged down by the Iran-Contra arms affair, even before the release of the Tower Commission report expected to be critical of the President’s handling of the controversy. The latest Star-Ledger/Eagleton Poll finds Reagan’s job performance rating down, with a majority of New Jerseyans feeling he has not been telling the truth in the matter of aid to the Contras, that his administration has been trying to cover up some of the facts about the Iranian arms deal, and that the President is not really in charge of what goes on in his administration. The survey, conducted between February 16 and 23 with 800 New Jersey residents, shows only one-in-five giving the President positive marks of “excellent” or “good” for his handling of the Iran-Contra affair. Three-quarters give Reagan the negative grades of “only fair or “poor.” New Jerseyans overwhelmingly disapprove of the idea of their government selling arms to Iran for the release of hostages--by a margin of 70 to 20 percent, -more- ATTENTION RADIO STATIONS: Audio is available after 6:00 p.m. on Wednesdays February 25 from (201) 932-3605 (Rutgers Feature Phone). PIE SlATE 1)NM?SJN Of NEW JERSEY I.L..JTc1ERS Eagielon institute of Politics • New Brunswick • New Jersey 08901 • 201/828-2210
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Qlbc UIL-1LCbçICr/EAGLETON POLL
FOR RELEASE: THURSDAY. FEBRUARY 26, 1987 CONTACT: CLIFF ZUKIN ORRELEASE: SL/EP14-1 (EP64-1) BOB CARTER
RELEASE INFORMATION
A story based on the survey findings presented in this release and background memo will appear in Thursday’s Star-Ledger. Other newspapers mayalso use this information In their Thursday editions. Electronic media mayrelease after 6:00 p.m. Wednesday, February 25. We ask users to properlyattribute this copyrighted information to the “Star-Ledger/Eagleton Poll.”
IRAN-CONTRA ARMS AFFAIR HURTS REAGAN IN NEW JERSEY
JOB RATING DROPS; TRUTHFULNESS OUESTIONED
Ronald Reagan’s stature in New Jersey is being dragged down by the Iran-Contra
arms affair, even before the release of the Tower Commission report expected to be
critical of the President’s handling of the controversy.
The latest Star-Ledger/Eagleton Poll finds Reagan’s job performance rating
down, with a majority of New Jerseyans feeling he has not been telling the truth
in the matter of aid to the Contras, that his administration has been trying to
cover up some of the facts about the Iranian arms deal, and that the President is
not really in charge of what goes on in his administration.
The survey, conducted between February 16 and 23 with 800 New Jersey
residents, shows only one-in-five giving the President positive marks of
“excellent” or “good” for his handling of the Iran-Contra affair. Three-quarters
give Reagan the negative grades of “only fair or “poor.”
New Jerseyans overwhelmingly disapprove of the idea of their government
selling arms to Iran for the release of hostages--by a margin of 70 to 20 percent,
-more-
ATTENTION RADIO STATIONS: Audio is available after 6:00 p.m. on WednesdaysFebruary 25 from (201) 932-3605 (Rutgers Feature Phone).
PIE SlATE 1)NM?SJN Of NEW JERSEY
I.L..JTc1ERS Eagielon institute of Politics • New Brunswick • New Jersey 08901 • 201/828-2210
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EPG4-1 (SL/EP14-1) Page 2
with the remainder undecided. Less than one-half of Garden State residents
accept the administration’s justification of its actions in dealing with Iran.
About equal numbers say they actually view the Iran situation as an arms-for-
hostages trade as feel other concerns were behind the administration’s policy.
Fully half the public believes Mr. Reagan was “lying when he said he did not
know that the money from the Iranian arms sale went to help the Contras fighting
against the government of Nicaragua. Another 13 percent are unsure of the
President’s truthfulness; only 37 percent say they are convinced he is telling
the truth. The vast majorlty--83 percent--believe the Reagan administration is
trying to cover up some of the facts surrounding the Iranian arms deal.
Cliff Zukin, director of the Poll, commented, “While there is a widespread
belief that this policy turned out to be an embarrassing mistake, there is much
less a feeling that Reagan has been dishonest than that he has not really been in
control of the situation. As of now, more feel he let the situation get out of
hand than that he orchestrated It; more attribute responsibility to him than
blame.”
The poll suggests that Reagan, somewhat ironically, may have escaped more of
the direct blame because of the perception that he is not fully in control of his
staff in the White House or National Security Council. Only 35 percent think
that Reagan is in charge of what goes on in his administration. In comparison,
56 percent feel that other people are really running the government most of the
time.
The President’s overall job performance rating has slipped noticeably over
the last five months. An October, 1986 survey found positive assessments
outnumbering negative ones by a margin of two-to-one. Positive comments
continued to run ahead of negative ones in the February survey, although by a
much narrower margin of 57 to 42 percent. Additionally, more offer unfavorable
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than favorable evaluations of Reagan’s handling of the nation’s economy, foreign
affairs and relations with the Soviet Union.
Ronald Reagan continues to be viewed as an effective leader for the country,
despite the Iran-Contra controversy. While down from 75 percent in 1984, 63
percent continue to classify Reagan as a “strong leader.” The recent Rutgers
survey also finds 28 percent of state residents saying Reagan has more honesty
and integrity than most people in public life, with half that number saying he
has less and the remainder classifying him as “about the same” as others.
Zukin commented, “The real surprise here Is not that positive assessments
outnumber negative ones, but that so many say that Ronald Reagan is no better
than other politicians. Certainly much of the glow the Reagan presidency has
built up over the last six years has faded, and this will be an important factor
in the context for the 1988 presidential election. We can expect the Iran-Contra
affair to dominate the news for the next six months and into the new presidential
nominating season.”
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Copyright, The Eagleton Institute, Newark Star-Ledger, 1987.
arlic %(aE-ICbWI/EAGLETON POLL
BACKGROUND MEMO--REL.EASE SL/EP14-1 (EP64-1). THURSDAY. FEBRUARY 26. 1987
The latest Star-Ledger/Eagleton Poll was conducted between February 16 and 23,1987, when a random sample of New Jerseyans, (18 years and older) was interviewedby telephone. Figures presented for the total sample of 800 have a sampling errorof ±3.5 percent at a 95 percent confidence interval. Sampling error is theprobable difference in results between interviewing everyone in a populationversus a scientific sample taken from that population. Sampling error does nottake into account other possible sources of error inherent in any study of publicopinion. The questions and figures referred to in this release are as follows:
“How would you rate the job Ronald Reagan is doing as president--excellent, good,only fair or poor?”
Excellent Good Only Fair Poor Don’t Know Total jjfl
* Equals percent that agreed (a lot or a little) that Reagan “has been a strongleader for the country.”
“Do you think Ronald Reagan has more honesty and integrity than most people inpublic life, less, or about the same amount?”
Don’tMore Less Same Know Total
February 1987 28% 14% 57% 1% 100% (800)
( “Do you think that most of the time Ronald Reagan is in charge of what goes onL in his administration, or do you think that most of the time other people are
really running the government’?”
Reagan Others Run Don’tin Charge Government Know Total
“As you may know, the Reagan administration sold military weapons and spare( parts to the government of Iran during the past year. Do you think they did
this mainly as a way to get American hostages in Lebanon released, or mainlyfor other reasons?”
To Release For Other Both! Don’tHostages Reasons Equal Know Total jjfl
February 1987 39% 44% 7% 10% 100% (799)
“Do you approve or disapprove of the United States government selling arms toIran in order to get American hostages in Lebanon released?”
Don’tApprove Disapprove Know Total
February 1987 20% 70% 9% 99% (798)
“Ronald Reagan has said he did not know that the money from the Iranian armssale was going to help the Contras who are fighting against the government ofNicaragua. Do you think he was telling the truth or was he lying when he saidthat?”