A Low Tolerance For Lying

The majority of Americans think lying can never be justified - be it lying in general or lying about sex.

In the latest CBS News Poll, more than two-thirds of Americans say lying is never justified. And a similar majority think it is never acceptable to lie about sex.

Lying Is Justified . . .

Yes, Sometimes 24% No, Never 69% Depends 5%

While the nation has witnessed the six-month investigation into an alleged affair between President Clinton and former White House intern Monica Lewinsky, public attitudes about lying in general have changed little since a year ago.

LYING AND THE SCANDAL
Nearly six out of 10 Americans think it is important for the public to know if the president has lied. This is consistent with previous public-opinion poll findings that show the public is more concerned about whether the president lied than about whether there was any sexual relationship between him and Lewinsky.

Is It Important For Public To Know If Clinton Lied?

YES 59% NO 36%

In fact, when the public is asked what, if anything, bothers them most about the whole situation, the possibility of Mr. Clinton lying has always ranked at the top.

And Americans do believe that President Clinton has lied about his relationship with Lewinsky. Seventy percent say it's probably true that the president had an affair with her.

However, most Americans continue to believe that public officials should not be held to a higher standard of honesty than they hold for themselves. Sixty percent think public officials should be held to the same standard.

DIFFERENCES IN OPINIONS ABOUT LYING

Seventy-one percent of those under age 30 say that it is never justified. Americans age 65 and over are more ambivalent. Fifty-three percent definitely think lying about sex is never justified.

Lying About Sex Justified?

Yes Age 18-29 20% 65+ 27% No 18-29 71% 65+ 53%

Education also shapes people's attitudes towards lying. The more educated a person is, the more tolerant they are. Among people with a post-graduate education, 41 percent think it's sometimes justifiable to lie, compared with 24 percent of the public overall. And 35 percent of post-graduates say it's okay to lie about sex, compared with only 21 percent overall who believe this.