The Images Are Crisper Than Issues

TIME Citizens' Panel

BOTH Richard Nixon and George McGovern insist that this year's election poses an unusually clear choice. The voters of the TIME Citizens' Panel agree, though so far their choices seem based more on perception of the candidates than of the issues. The 312 panelists were randomly chosen from those participating in an earlier, scientifically selected sampling of 2,320 voters in 16 key electoral states; they were interviewed by telephone from Aug. 25 through Sept. 7 by Daniel Yankelovich Inc. By 2 to 1 they prefer the President over McGovern, expressing their preferences with unusual vigor for so early in a presidential campaign.

McGovern's image appears responsible for the panel's emphatic reactions to the campaign--and that image is detrimental. Almost half of the Democrats and independents who now plan to vote for Nixon say that it would have been much harder for them to do so had a Democrat other than McGovern been nominated. Moreover, half the panelists who until recently were not sure how they would vote now indicate that they have made up their minds, and three out of four of these have decided to vote for Nixon. Says Judy Johnstin, a teacher in Lansing, Mich., who voted for McGovern in her state's primary: "McGovern had to go back on so many things." Mrs. Elaine Daubner, a San Francisco librarian, says of McGovern: "Though I am a loyal Democrat, I don't trust him." Edward Sessa, a retired court clerk in Philadelphia, has shifted from McGovern to Nixon because "I don't approve of the people he's surrounded himself with."

The President, too, turns people off by his manner, but in far fewer numbers. One is John Archea, who is working on his doctorate at Penn State. He moved from undecided to McGovern because "Nixon handles his office as his personal domain; he seems to take unprecedented personal advantage of Government resources."

On the specific campaign issues, the survey indicates that as challenger, McGovern has yet to make a persuasive impact with his attack on the Nixon record in three significant areas:

THE WATERGATE AFFAIR. While almost all of the panelists say they do not condone the actions of the seven men now indicted on charges of attempting to bug the Democratic National Committee headquarters, the Watergate incident has done little to affect their votes. Even among those who say they support McGovern, less than half thought the President personally responsible in the affair.

Nixon supporters contend that Nixon should not be blamed, and some charged that the Democrats had blown the whole thing far out of proportion. Says Frank Moisio, a Bridgeport, Conn., Republican: "It's a lot of malarkey; I think it's propaganda. I don't think Nixon would do a stupid thing like that --he's not that dumb." Ross Graber, a Canton, Ohio, journalist and an independent, said the President should indeed share some of the blame and responsibility for what happened. "He should know what's going on, and on something that important he should have his finger on it."

THE WAR. Six out of ten panelists reject the idea that Nixon is playing politics with the Viet Nam War by increasing hopes for a peace settlement to aid his re-election campaign. They call the charges themselves cynical campaign tactics, and some say they believe the President has done a commendable job and is sincerely pushing for a negotiated settlement. Says Stephen Moorhead, a Northbrook, Ill., lawyer: "Nixon's done the best job he could with the situation he inherited and without losing face. McGovern would negotiate in weakness." Rex Stevens, an Indianapolis salesman, believes the McGovern campaign has actually endangered chances for a negotiated settlement: "Hanoi now will hold off negotiations until after the election."

THE ECONOMY. The panel splits almost evenly on the success or failure of Nixon's economic policies. Among McGovern supporters, two-thirds criticize Nixonomics. Surprisingly more than half the panel sees little basic difference between the two political parties on economic matters. The Democrats are attacked for advocating "giveaway programs" and for planning cuts in defense spending that might cost jobs. The Republicans are assailed for their relation to big business. Though he plans to vote for Nixon, Richard Close of Royal Oak, Mich., contends that the President's wage-and-price-control scheme to halt inflation has not worked for the little man. "Nixon controls wages, but not prices. He helps big business, but he's screwing everyone else." Mrs. Virginia Carson, a Norwalk, Conn., registered nurse, says that despite Nixon controls, inflation still eats into her income, but she adds: "McGovern's ideas are unrealistic in the light of inflation, and Nixon has the confidence of the business world. The more confident the stock market is, the better off we are."

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