Midterm reviews mixed for Clinton

By JON FEINBERG
Collegian Staff Writer

A broken promise here, a botched nomination there and a perpetual tendency to waffle are just a few of the ways that President Clinton's publicized critics describe his first two years in office.

But despite many political pundits labeling Clinton's term as a two year, downhill slide, the administration is claiming success. Last month, on the two year anniversary of Clinton's inauguration, a White House news release said the administration has taken action on 96 percent of his campaign promises. Clinton has also achieved either partial or substantial success on 123 of his 162 promises.

Some analysts agree with the administration's claims that the president has lived up to his campaign.

"I guess he had in his first couple of years the highest batting average with Congress in 30 or 40 years," said Robert O'Connor, associate professor of political science. "By and large, if you look at his campaign promises and the Democratic party platform, he's accomplished what he promised."

Regardless of the president's successes on such topics as lifting the gag rule on abortion and various proposals to increase jobs, O'Connor said people who did not like Clinton's promises will not like his actions.

"If you don't like what he said he would do," O'Connor said, "you're going to say he's been horrible."

And many public opinion polls regarding the president's job have consistently shown that many Americans do not approve of Clinton's policies.

"The general trends in his opinion have gone downhill since he's entered office," said Suzanna DeBoef, assistant professor of political science.

And although DeBoef said the trend is not atypical, she said the drop in approval ratings of Clinton's presidency has been unique.

"How quickly it's happened and how far it's gone is more excessive than past presidents," she said.

However, DeBoef said Clinton may be a victim of an American public that has become increasingly more demanding of the chief executive.

"The notion of coverage has always been critical but has become increasingly critical in the past decades," she said.

But DeBoef said many people think that the president did not help his cause by tackling controversial issues, such as gays in the military, early in his term.

"That was really a stupid thing for him to take on that early," DeBoef said. Clinton's actions on that issue made many Americans believe that he was too liberal, she said.

Another problem that harmed Clinton's image in the public's eyes was his failure to succeed on his most important campaign promise -- health care improvements.

"I think if one is going to be critical of Clinton's first two years," O'Connor said, "it's that he made one strategic error that doomed to failure his attempt to reform the health care system."

Steve Brame, president of the College Republicans, said because of his failure to put a health care plan through Congress, Clinton's first two years cannot be labeled as a success.

"I think because of that, the perception is that he's been a weak leader in Congress," Brame said.

But Mike Schiano, vice president of the College Democrats, said Clinton's stance on health care should be admired.

"He's the first person to take a stab at (health care)," Schiano said. "He's the only one who had the political courage to stand up to the special interests."

In addition to health care, Schiano said the president has initiated many policies that have gone against 12 years of Republicanism -- such as shrinking the budget deficit, increasing jobs and establishing the crime bill.

"There's so many things that it's hard to list them," he said.

Other University students are mixed in their opinions of Clinton's progess so far.

"I'm pretty satisfied with what he's tried to do so far," said Brian Burrer (junior-political science). One of the best things that Clinton has done, he said, was decreasing the trade deficit.

However, Burrer said Clinton has not been able to please everyone.

"What's happened is he might have tried to do too much," he said.

Sara Schwede (freshman-engineering) said although she likes some of his programs, she does not approve of Clinton's political nature.

"As a person I don't like him," Schwede said. "He's trying to appeal to everyone, yet he's never going to please them all."

Despite many people's disapproval with Clinton thus far, most people agree that it is too early to count him out of the 1996 presidential election.

"Let's face it," Brame said, "Bill Clinton is an excellent campaign politician."

It is hard to predict the results of the election, O'Connor said, because so much depends on who makes up the Republican team. But he said the president is far from being out of the running.

"Anyone who says Clinton can't win is certainly a loser," O'Connor said.