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CNN Live At Daybreak

America's Voice: The Issue of War

Aired February 11, 2003 - 06:50   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Interesting numbers out of Britain this morning, a country that's been squarely on America's side, only 11 percent of those polled think British troops should be used against Iraq if there is no new U.N. resolution. Also, when asked who is the greatest threat to world peace, opinion is split evenly, 27 percent cite Saddam Hussein, while another 27 percent say it's North Korea. But at the very top of the list the feeling is that the United States is the biggest threat to world peace.
OK, let's get inside your head now here in the United States for a look at what you think about a possible war with Iraq. For that we turn to Gallup Poll Editor-In-Chief Frank Newport.

Good morning -- Frank.

FRANK NEWPORT, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, GALLUP POLL: Good morning, indeed, Carol.

Our United States polling, in fact all the polls that I've reviewed, are showing increasing public support for the idea of military action against Saddam Hussein and Iraq, contrary to what you may have seen from our friends across the ocean.

Here's our basic measure that we've been using, excuse me, for many months now. Do you favor or oppose military action to remove Saddam Hussein from power? It had been down to 52 percent, but this number moving up to 63 there. That's the highest that we have seen since right after the September 11 attacks. That's exemplified by a lot of other questions that are very similar.

For example, has the Bush administration made a convincing case? And this number has gone up, not down. One of the reasons, perhaps, was the Secretary of State Powell's presentation before the U.N. last year, 53 -- last month, last week, 53 percent before Powell's speech and now it's up to 56 percent. Other numbers like this, Carol, but basically support up among the United States public.

COSTELLO: OK, I have a question for you, are -- is the resistance by France and Germany and Belgium affecting public opinion here in the United States at all?

NEWPORT: Well indeed we keep hearing about a lot of polls in Europe about anti-American sentiment being reflected in those polls, but boy we're seeing it here, anti-France sentiment, and to a degree, anti-Germany sentiment.

This is our annual Gallup Poll update on American attitudes towards countries around the world. Great Britain, despite what you just saw, Americans like Britons, 89 percent favorable rating. No change there last year to this year. But look at France, a 20-point drop in favorable rating, from 79 percent favorable last year to 59 this year. The biggest drop we've seen in many, many years. Germany down 12 points. Russia, 66 to 63 on the right hand side there, no change at all.

Americans cognizant of the fact that the U.S. image is hurting, we've asked for a couple of years now, do foreign leaders respect George W. Bush? That number was very high after 9/11. That's the 75 percent there. That's all the way down now to 48 percent. So Americans aware of the fact that Bush, in the American image, is suffering intentionally.

COSTELLO: OK, one more question, I know the terror alert level has been raised to orange. Does that mean Americans are more concerned about terrorism?

NEWPORT: Yes, we tracked a question how worried are you that you and your family are going to be the victims of terrorism? It's up, no question about that. Still not as high, Carol, as it was right after 9/11. That was this peak area right there where is the dark shape is above the light line. But now you can see on the right hand side the dark shape, which is the percent who are worried, is back up again, almost 50 percent worried. So indeed the worry is there, not overwhelming, but Americans are taking notice of the security alerts from the government.

COSTELLO: Frank Newport, thanks for a look at interesting numbers this morning.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired February 11, 2003 - 06:50   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Interesting numbers out of Britain this morning, a country that's been squarely on America's side, only 11 percent of those polled think British troops should be used against Iraq if there is no new U.N. resolution. Also, when asked who is the greatest threat to world peace, opinion is split evenly, 27 percent cite Saddam Hussein, while another 27 percent say it's North Korea. But at the very top of the list the feeling is that the United States is the biggest threat to world peace.
OK, let's get inside your head now here in the United States for a look at what you think about a possible war with Iraq. For that we turn to Gallup Poll Editor-In-Chief Frank Newport.

Good morning -- Frank.

FRANK NEWPORT, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, GALLUP POLL: Good morning, indeed, Carol.

Our United States polling, in fact all the polls that I've reviewed, are showing increasing public support for the idea of military action against Saddam Hussein and Iraq, contrary to what you may have seen from our friends across the ocean.

Here's our basic measure that we've been using, excuse me, for many months now. Do you favor or oppose military action to remove Saddam Hussein from power? It had been down to 52 percent, but this number moving up to 63 there. That's the highest that we have seen since right after the September 11 attacks. That's exemplified by a lot of other questions that are very similar.

For example, has the Bush administration made a convincing case? And this number has gone up, not down. One of the reasons, perhaps, was the Secretary of State Powell's presentation before the U.N. last year, 53 -- last month, last week, 53 percent before Powell's speech and now it's up to 56 percent. Other numbers like this, Carol, but basically support up among the United States public.

COSTELLO: OK, I have a question for you, are -- is the resistance by France and Germany and Belgium affecting public opinion here in the United States at all?

NEWPORT: Well indeed we keep hearing about a lot of polls in Europe about anti-American sentiment being reflected in those polls, but boy we're seeing it here, anti-France sentiment, and to a degree, anti-Germany sentiment.

This is our annual Gallup Poll update on American attitudes towards countries around the world. Great Britain, despite what you just saw, Americans like Britons, 89 percent favorable rating. No change there last year to this year. But look at France, a 20-point drop in favorable rating, from 79 percent favorable last year to 59 this year. The biggest drop we've seen in many, many years. Germany down 12 points. Russia, 66 to 63 on the right hand side there, no change at all.

Americans cognizant of the fact that the U.S. image is hurting, we've asked for a couple of years now, do foreign leaders respect George W. Bush? That number was very high after 9/11. That's the 75 percent there. That's all the way down now to 48 percent. So Americans aware of the fact that Bush, in the American image, is suffering intentionally.

COSTELLO: OK, one more question, I know the terror alert level has been raised to orange. Does that mean Americans are more concerned about terrorism?

NEWPORT: Yes, we tracked a question how worried are you that you and your family are going to be the victims of terrorism? It's up, no question about that. Still not as high, Carol, as it was right after 9/11. That was this peak area right there where is the dark shape is above the light line. But now you can see on the right hand side the dark shape, which is the percent who are worried, is back up again, almost 50 percent worried. So indeed the worry is there, not overwhelming, but Americans are taking notice of the security alerts from the government.

COSTELLO: Frank Newport, thanks for a look at interesting numbers this morning.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com