Here is what America's favorite talking head Cokie Roberts (23%) says about the year's most valuable politician (Bill Clinton: 67%) (George Magazine survey, January 1997):

"The majority of people came out of the polls saying that they didn't trust the President. I think that some of it is because the Cold War is over...You know: You were trying to save humanity. Since that's no longer a central dynamic, it has made Washington less important in some ways" (Cokie Roberts, interviewed by John Kennedy, George Magazine, January 1997).

"So many people came out of the polls saying they didn't trust (Bill Clinton). I think it is also the sense that he will say one thing one day and one thing another day...Now, I personally think his changing course was both politically smart and better policy. But I also think it adds to the perception that he'll say anything, anywhere, to anybody" (Cokie Roberts, interviewed by John Kennedy, George Magazine, January 1997).