A Question of Character

How the media have handled the issue and how the public has reacted

Sources and Evidence

July 27, 2000

Usually, different news sources came with different kinds of evidence. Outside experts were more likely to offer some proof for the claims (92% versus 81% overall) and to base their proof on the candidate's public record (43% versus 31% overall).

Journalists on the other hand, referred to the public record just 28% of the time and offered no evidence 22% of time.

The candidates were the next most likely source to offer evidence (83%) and in doing so, referred to the public record (36%).

Evidence Used by the Various Sources
	Journalist (n=661)	Candidate (n=329)	Surrogate (n=160)	Expert (n=73)	Voter (n=45)	Other Media (n=38)	Other (n=24)
Voter interaction	3%	1%	6%	2	16%	0%	17%
Public record	28	36	28	43	20	16	29
Recent remarks	7	9	3	1	2	13	4
Camp. platform	8	13	9	8	5	0	0
Tactics /rhetoric	14	10	8	23	13	3	17
Opponent attack	6	10	16	4	2	3	0
Friends' remarks	2	0	3	0	0	3	4
Past personal life	3	1	2	0	2	13	13
Poll	2	0	1	3	2	6	8
Other media	2	*	1	0	0	0	0
Other	3	3	6	8	2	6	4

No evidence	22	17	17	8	36	37	4

Total	100	100	100	100	100	100	100