(2007-1468-F) Public Opinion Polling

216 folders, approximately 6,407 pages

This collection consists of records related to public opinion polling and public opinion mail and email concerning issues of health care; the Brady Bill; gun control; welfare; the Welfare to Work social program; gay marriage; Bosnia; and Haiti. This collection consists of email, memoranda, correspondence, and tally sheets. These records include statistical information compiled by the White House, particularly during the first years of the Clinton Administration, 1993-1995, on how much mail and email it was receiving, and on what topics, and the trendline of public opinion on those topics. The records also include email created by White House staff concerning public opinion polling, and describe the thoughts of the general public on the aforementioned topics.

FOIA. Researchers should consult the archivist about related materials. FOIA request 2007-1468-F consists of correspondence and reports of the public’s opinions sent to President Clinton concerning topics of health care, gun control, and legislation on the: Brady Bill, the Welfare and Welfare to Work social programs, gay marriage, and the U.S. involvement in both Bosnia and Haiti. The White House Office of Records Management (WHORM) Subject Files contain a great deal of information concerning public opinions to President Clinton on the topics of health care, gun control, welfare, gay marriage, and U.S. involvement in Bosnia and Haiti. The Subject Files responsive to this FOIA primarily consist of memoranda outlining for President Clinton how much mail, both textual and electronic, he was receiving in a particular week, and what topics his mail dealt with, with breakdowns of how many correspondents that week were in favor of and/or against a particular topic. The memoranda often describe for President Clinton how support or opposition to an issue has increased or decreased in comparison with previous weeks, and what topics correspondents were focused on. Other responsive records in the WHORM Subject Files include memoranda to President Clinton providing him with selected samples of public mail on various topics, specific letters to President Clinton on various subjects, and his responses; and memoranda and correspondence outlining the way in which the Clinton White House handled bulk mail. White House Staff and Office Files responsive to this FOIA are from the Office of Correspondence. They mostly consist of both daily and weekly tally sheets the Clinton White House compiled to show what issues they were receiving mail on, and how public opinion for that day or week broke down in favor of or in opposition to a particular issue, including health care, gun control, welfare, gay marriage, and U.S. involvement in Bosnia and Haiti. The tally sheets also outline how much mail the Clinton White House was receiving on a particular topic for a particular day or week. Other responsive staff and office files from the Office of Correspondence include statistical reports on how much email the Clinton White House was receiving, primarily from 1998-1999, and daily activity reports indicating how much mail the White House received from July to December 1999. Automated Records Management System [Email] (ARMS) responsive to this FOIA are primarily email from the public to President Clinton concerning the aforementioned topics. The email sent to president@whitehouse.gov was often bundled into one daily email. The daily bundles consisted of hundreds of email. Responsive email concerning FOIA 2007-1468-F were individually selected from the bundled email. The records also consist of correspondence between White House staff members concerning public opinion polling on various topics.

Textual

Records that are responsive to this FOIA request were found in these collection areas—Clinton Presidential Records: WHORM Subject Files; Clinton Presidential Records: Staff and Office Files; Clinton Presidential Records: Automated Records Management System [Email]. The White House Office of Records Management (WHORM) contains a variety of series created to organize and track documents and correspondence. The WHORM Subject File was compiled by a letter/number combination. Staff and Office Files were maintained at the folder level by staff members within their individual offices and document all levels of administration activity. The Automated Records Management System (ARMS) is a database that contains email records of the Executive Office of the President. This system maintained unclassified Presidential email. The ARMS dataset is comprised of 6 sub-series of email records called “Buckets.” The buckets include NPR, OPD, POTUS, WHO, CEA, and Default. ARMS emails are arranged chronologically by creation date. WHORM files are processed at the document level; whereas, Staff and Office files are processed at the folder level, that is, individual documents are not selected and removed from a folder for processing. While this method maintains folder integrity, it frequently results in the incidental processing of documents that are not wholly responsive to the subject area.

Collection is open to all researchers. Access to Clinton Presidential Records is governed by the Presidential Records Act (PRA) (44 USC 2201) and the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 USC 552, as amended) and therefore records may be restricted in whole or in part in accordance with legal exemptions.

Official records of William Jefferson Clinton’s presidency are housed at the Clinton Presidential Library and administered by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) under the provisions of the Presidential Records Act (PRA).

Staff Archivist, September 2010. Previously restricted materials are added as they are released.

The following is a list of documents and folders processed in response to FOIA 2007-1468-F:
BOX 1
Clinton Presidential Records: WHORM: Subject File
Category Case Number
FE010 023299
FE010 023308
FE010 024552
FE010 136848
FE010 137111
FG006-03 060138
WH004 024101SS
WH004 025528SS
WH004 028460SS
WH004 029720SS
WH004 033446SS
WH004 033786SS
WH004 034279SS
WH004 035095SS
WH004 036609SS
WH004 037677SS
WH004 038983SS
WH004 039922SS
WH004 040586SS
WH004 042090SS
WH004 043210SS
WH004 044403SS
WH004 044404SS
WH004 044974SS
WH004 045336SS
WH004 045977SS
WH004 046521SS
WH004 047127SS
WH004 050392SS
WH004 051529SS
WH004 051790SS
WH004 052339SS
WH004 053464SS
WH004 053637SS
WH004 053886SS
WH004 054280SS
WH004 054840SS
WH004 055554SS
WH004 055976SS
WH004 057538SS
WH004 058116SS
WH004 058680SS
WH004 059926SS
WH004 060463SS
WH004 061512SS
BOX 2
Clinton Presidential Records: WHORM: Subject File
Category Case Number
WH004 062379SS
WH004 063766SS
WH004 064441SS
WH004 067593SS
WH004 070383SS
WH004 071295SS
WH004 072267SS
WH004 073376SS
WH004 074406
WH004 075027SS
WH004 076028SS
WH004 076483SS
WH004 082142SS
WH004 083225SS
WH004 085732SS
WH004 088045SS
WH004 088423SS
WH004 089138SS
WH004 090435SS
WH004 091307SS
WH004 091697SS
WH004 094125SS
WH004 094126SS
WH004 094127SS
WH004 098188SS
WH004 101100SS
WH004 106567SS
WH004 107783SS
WH004 109603SS
WH004 109980SS
WH004 110982SS
WH004 111809SS
WH004 112866SS
WH004 115288SS
WH004 115709SS
WH004 117244SS
WH004-01 001764SS
WH004-01 001868
WH004-01 005849SS
WH004-01 012967SS
WH004-01 026872SS
WH004-01 040587SS
WH004-01 046809SS
WH004-01 055975SS
WH004-01 075024SS
WH004-01 087651SS
WH004-01 134707

BOX 3
Clinton Presidential Records: WHORM: Subject File
Category Case Number
WH007 201986
Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files
Correspondence
Burkhardt, Daniel
Email (Weekly)---1999 [OA/ID 16142]
 Mail Analysis C Output Summary---Jul 99 to Dec 99 [OA/ID 16142]
 Mail Analysis Daily Activity Report---Jul 99 to Dec 99 [1] [OA/ID 16142]
 Mail Analysis Daily Activity Report---Jul 99 to Dec 99 [2] [OA/ID 16142]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 1] [1] [OA/ID 7775]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 1] [2] [OA/ID 7775]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 1] [3] [OA/ID 7775]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 1] [4] [OA/ID 7775]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 1] [5] [OA/ID 7775]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 1] [6] [OA/ID 7775]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 1] [7] [OA/ID 7775]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 1] [8] [OA/ID 7775]
BOX 4
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 2] [1] [OA/ID 7775]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 2] [2] [OA/ID 7775]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 2] [3] [OA/ID 7775]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 2] [4] [OA/ID 7775]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 2] [5] [OA/ID 7775]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 2] [6] [OA/ID 7775]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 2] [7] [OA/ID 7775]
 Daily Tally [1] [OA/ID 7775]
 Daily Tally [2] [OA/ID 7775]
 Daily Tally [3] [OA/ID 7775]
 Daily Tally [4] [OA/ID 7775]
 Daily Tally [5] [OA/ID 7775]
 Daily Tally [6] [OA/ID 7775]
BOX 5
 Daily Tally [7] [OA/ID 7775]
 Daily Tally [8] [OA/ID 7775]
 Daily Tally [9] [OA/ID 7775]
 Daily Tally [10] [OA/ID 7775]
 Daily Tally [11] [OA/ID 7775]
 Weekly Prop Tally [OA/ID 7775]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 1] [1] [OA/ID 7776]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 1] [2] [OA/ID 7776]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 1] [3] [OA/ID 7776]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 1] [4] [OA/ID 7776]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 1] [5] [OA/ID 7776]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 1] [6] [OA/ID 7776]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 1] [7] [OA/ID 7776]
BOX 6
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 2] [1] [OA/ID 7776]
Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 2] [2] [OA/ID 7776]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 2] [3] [OA/ID 7776]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 2] [4] [OA/ID 7776]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 2] [5] [OA/ID 7776]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 3] [1] [OA/ID 7776]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 3] [2] [OA/ID 7776]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 3] [3] [OA/ID 7776]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 3] [4] [OA/ID 7776]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 3] [5] [OA/ID 7776]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 3] [6] [OA/ID 7776]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 4] [1] [OA/ID 7776]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 4] [2] [OA/ID 7776]
BOX 7
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 4] [3] [OA/ID 7776]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 4] [4] [OA/ID 7776]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 4] [5] [OA/ID 7776]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 4] [6] [OA/ID 7776]
 Issue Sample Mail---Daily August---1993 [1] [OA/ID 7776]
 Issue Sample Mail---Daily August---1993 [2] [OA/ID 7776]
 Issue Sample Mail---Daily August---1993 [3] [OA/ID 7776]
 Issue Sample Mail---Daily August---1993 [4] [OA/ID 7776]
 Issue Sample Mail---Daily August---1993 [5] [OA/ID 7776]
 Issue Sample Mail---Daily August---1993 [6] [OA/ID 7776]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 1] [1] [OA/ID 7777]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 1] [2] [OA/ID 7777]
BOX 8
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 1] [3] [OA/ID 7777]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 1] [4] [OA/ID 7777]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 1] [5] [OA/ID 7777]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 1] [6] [OA/ID 7777]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 1] [7] [OA/ID 7777]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 1] [8] [OA/ID 7777]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 1] [9] [OA/ID 7777]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 1] [10] [OA/ID 7777]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 1] [11] [OA/ID 7777]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 1] [12] [OA/ID 7777]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 2] [1] [OA/ID 7777]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 2] [2] [OA/ID 7777]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 2] [3] [OA/ID 7777]
BOX 9
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 2] [4] [OA/ID 7777]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 2] [5] [OA/ID 7777]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 2] [6] [OA/ID 7777]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 3] [1] [OA/ID 7777]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 3] [2] [OA/ID 7777]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 3] [3] [OA/ID 7777]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 3] [4] [OA/ID 7777]
Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 3] [5] [OA/ID 7777]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 3] [6] [OA/ID 7777]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 3] [7] [OA/ID 7777]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 3] [8] [OA/ID 7777]
BOX 10
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 4] [1] [OA/ID 7777]
 [Presidential Mail Statistics on Incoming Issues Mail] [Folder 4] [2] [OA/ID 7777]
 Email Stats Reports [1] [OA/ID 20064]
 Email Stats Reports [2] [OA/ID 20064]
 Email Stats Reports [3] [OA/ID 20064]
 Email Stats Reports [4] [OA/ID 20064]
 Email Stats Reports [5] [OA/ID 20064]
 Email Stats Reports [6] [OA/ID 20064]
 Email Stats Reports [7] [OA/ID 20064]
 Email Stats Reports [8] [OA/ID 20064]
 Email Stats Reports [9] [OA/ID 20064]
 Electronic Mail [OA/ID 20523]
 E-Mail [OA/ID 20523]
BOX 11
Clinton Presidential Records: Automated Records Management System [Email]
OPD [OA/ID 250000]
 [To President: Welfare, Public Opinion]
 [07/17/1999]
POTUS [OA/ID 450000]
 [To President: Welfare, Public Opinion]
 [12/06/1995]
WHO [OA/ID 500000]
 [To President: Welfare, Public Opinion]
 [01/06/1995-06/07/1995]
[07/30/1996-08/27/1999]
Default [OA/ID 1100000]
[To President: Welfare, Public Opinion]
 [01/25/2000-12/18/2000]
OPD [OA/ID 250000]
 [To President: Health Care, Public Opinion]
[09/20/2000]
WHO [OA/ID 500000]
 [To President: Health Care, Public Opinion]
[01/09/1995-09/21/2000]
[09/21/2000-10/07/2000]
Default [OA/ID 1100000]
[To President: Health Care, Public Opinion]
[03/27/1994-01/27/2000]
[01/27/2000-01/28/2000]
[01/28/2000-12/15/2000]
WHO [OA/ID 500000]
 [To President: Brady Bill, Gun Control, Public Opinion]
[01/11/1995-05/27/1999]
Clinton Presidential Records: Automated Records Management System [Email]
Default [OA/ID 1100000]
[To President: Brady Bill, Gun Control, Public Opinion]
[01/25/2000-11/02/2000]
BOX 12
WHO [OA/ID 500000]
 [To President: Gay Marriage, Public Opinion]
[05/23/1996]
POTUS [OA/ID 450000]
 [To President: Bosnia, Serbia, Croatia, Public Opinion]
[12/07/1995]
WHO [OA/ID 500000]
 [To President: Bosnia, Serbs, Serbia, Public Opinion]
[01/09/1995-06/08/1995]
[04/11/1999-05/27/1999]
Default [OA/ID 1100000]
[To President: Bosnia, Serbs, Serbia, Public Opinion]
[04/18/1994-01/11/2001]
WHO [OA/ID 500000]
 [To President: Haiti, Aristide, Cedras, Public Opinion]
[01/09/1995-06/08/1995]
Default [OA/ID 1100000]
[To President: Haiti, Aristide, Cedras, Public Opinion]
[04/18/1994]
OPD [OA/ID 250000]
[Public Opinion]
[08/02/1999]
WHO [OA/ID 500000]
 [Public Opinion]
[01/19/1995-12/13/1999]
Default [OA/ID 1100000]
[Public Opinion]
[01/19/1995-04/23/1997]