Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live At Daybreak

Gallup Poll Numbers

Aired April 29, 2003 - 06:40   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: On the subject of taxes, we've got poll numbers for you. Want to find out what you think about some very hot topics like the economy, taxes and presidential politics.
For that we check in with Gallup Poll Editor-in-Chief Frank Newport.

Where do you want to start -- Frank?

FRANK NEWPORT, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, GALLUP POLL: Well I think it's very apropos that we start with tax cuts, Carol. Not only does the president have a problem with moderate Republics and Democrats -- Republicans and Democrats, as we just heard, he's got a problem with the U.S. public. We've never been able to find in our polling that Americans get wildly excited about tax cuts. I think we told you that before. That's the case this year based on new polling.

What would be the impact of the Bush tax cut plan if it were implement? That's the question we asked. The left-hand side is probably key, just 36 percent of Americans say it would help the economy. That means the majority say either it would have no impact, that's in the middle, or actually would hurt the economy.

Same kind of thing when we say is the Bush tax cut a good idea or a bad idea? We get more people saying a bad idea than a good idea.

It's good, however, a good idea that the president is focusing on the economy, as we heard he is. Is Bush paying enough attention to the economy or not, is the question we asked, and 54 percent said not enough.

Carol, also we say what's going to be behind your vote next year in the election, we just asked that. Americans are more likely to say the economy than even national security. So everybody's interested in the economy, no question about it.

COSTELLO: No question, but let's talk about the war in Iraq, shall we, for just a moment. I was just wondering how Americans felt, you know, since the government hasn't found weapons of mass destruction as of yet. Do they think that the war objectives were accomplished?

NEWPORT: Well, Carol, it's a good question about Iraq. Clearly Americans are less likely to think that weapons of mass destruction will be found than they have in the past. We did find, however, that Americans are fairer, I would say, than used the word in something I wrote spectacularly as interested in the fact that terrorism is no longer as prevalent as it was and also that the U.S. and its allies are winning the war on terrorism. Look at this big change, that's why I used the word spectacular.

Who's winning the war on terrorism? It had been tracking right in the 30s. Now up to 65 percent say the U.S. and its allies are winning the war on terrorism.

Carol, the interesting thing is this question did not refer to Iraq, per se, but there's no question that the reason we got this big jump up is because of the war in Iraq. So I think in terms of that objective, making the world safer from terrorism, Americans are saying the war in Iraq did accomplish that.

COSTELLO: Very interesting. Frank Newport, many thanks, as always, very interesting.

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 April 29, 2003 - 06:40   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: On the subject of taxes, we've got poll numbers for you. Want to find out what you think about some very hot topics like the economy, taxes and presidential politics.
For that we check in with Gallup Poll Editor-in-Chief Frank Newport.

Where do you want to start -- Frank?

FRANK NEWPORT, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, GALLUP POLL: Well I think it's very apropos that we start with tax cuts, Carol. Not only does the president have a problem with moderate Republics and Democrats -- Republicans and Democrats, as we just heard, he's got a problem with the U.S. public. We've never been able to find in our polling that Americans get wildly excited about tax cuts. I think we told you that before. That's the case this year based on new polling.

What would be the impact of the Bush tax cut plan if it were implement? That's the question we asked. The left-hand side is probably key, just 36 percent of Americans say it would help the economy. That means the majority say either it would have no impact, that's in the middle, or actually would hurt the economy.

Same kind of thing when we say is the Bush tax cut a good idea or a bad idea? We get more people saying a bad idea than a good idea.

It's good, however, a good idea that the president is focusing on the economy, as we heard he is. Is Bush paying enough attention to the economy or not, is the question we asked, and 54 percent said not enough.

Carol, also we say what's going to be behind your vote next year in the election, we just asked that. Americans are more likely to say the economy than even national security. So everybody's interested in the economy, no question about it.

COSTELLO: No question, but let's talk about the war in Iraq, shall we, for just a moment. I was just wondering how Americans felt, you know, since the government hasn't found weapons of mass destruction as of yet. Do they think that the war objectives were accomplished?

NEWPORT: Well, Carol, it's a good question about Iraq. Clearly Americans are less likely to think that weapons of mass destruction will be found than they have in the past. We did find, however, that Americans are fairer, I would say, than used the word in something I wrote spectacularly as interested in the fact that terrorism is no longer as prevalent as it was and also that the U.S. and its allies are winning the war on terrorism. Look at this big change, that's why I used the word spectacular.

Who's winning the war on terrorism? It had been tracking right in the 30s. Now up to 65 percent say the U.S. and its allies are winning the war on terrorism.

Carol, the interesting thing is this question did not refer to Iraq, per se, but there's no question that the reason we got this big jump up is because of the war in Iraq. So I think in terms of that objective, making the world safer from terrorism, Americans are saying the war in Iraq did accomplish that.

COSTELLO: Very interesting. Frank Newport, many thanks, as always, very interesting.

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