-Caveat Lector- Polls Show Clinton Ratings Slipping By WILL LESTER .c The Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) -- Public approval of President Clinton's job performance has slipped to its lowest level in almost three years in a new poll that shows the public about evenly split regarding which party should control Congress. Apprehension about the Kosovo conflict has risen in the CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll released Wednesday. The president's job approval declined from 60 percent earlier this month to 53 percent, the lowest rating he has had in that poll since August 1996. During the months of the Monica Lewinsky scandal and impeachment trial, his approval rating consistently stayed between 60 percent and 70 percent. Asked whether the country would be better off if Republicans or Democrats controlled Congress, the public was divided, with just over a third, 36 percent, choosing Republicans and about the same number, 37 percent, choosing Democrats. Democrats had a 41-30 edge in December's CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll. A majority, 57 percent, said they were very confident or somewhat confident in the president's ability to handle the Kosovo conflict. But the number who said they were very confident in his ability to handle the conflict dropped from 27 percent in late March to 17 percent in late May. And the number not at all confident in his ability to handle Kosovo grew from 13 percent to 25 percent. More than half said they oppose sending ground troops if NATO airstrikes are not effective. In mid-April, a slim majority said they would favor sending ground troops in that circumstance. And support for U.S. involvement in the NATO action in Kosovo slipped to 49 percent, the first time that support has been below 50 percent since the airstrikes began in late March. Four out of five said they favored the United States and its NATO allies temporarily suspending the airstrikes and trying to resolve the conflict through negotiations. More than 70 percent opposed stopping all military action and making no further effort to help refugees return to Kosovo. The phone survey of 1,050 adults was taken Sunday and Monday and has an error margin of plus or minus 3 percentage points. DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance—not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om