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CNN Live At Daybreak

America's Voice: Colin Powell's Popularity

Aired August 05, 2003 - 06:38   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: Secretary of State Colin Powell dismissing a report that he will not serve a second term. He calls the report utter gossip and nonsense.
"The Washington Post" had reported that Powell's deputy, Richard Armitage, said neither he nor Powell would serve in a second term if President Bush won re-election.

Here is what Powell had to say during a radio interview.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: It's nonsense. I don't know what they're talking about. I serve at the pleasure of the president, and the president and I have not discussed anything other than my continuing to do my job for him. And this is just one of those stories that emerge in Washington that reflects nothing more than gossip, and the gossip leads to a rash of speculation about who might fill a vacancy that does not exist.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

COSTELLO: The White House is expressing President Bush's support for Mr. Powell.

So, will he stay or will he go? Let's find out what you think about Colin Powell's future. We've got some interesting numbers this morning. Gallup Poll editor-in-chief Frank Newport is joining us live with those numbers.

So, Frank, how popular is Powell?

FRANK NEWPORT, GALLUP POLL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: He's immensely popular, Carol. In fact, Colin Powell is one of the most popular individuals, particularly in the political arena, that we have ever measured at Gallup. So, it would be a blow to the Bush administration, we think based on everything we see, if he goes. In fact, he's running now in our latest poll, Carol, about 20 points higher than his boss, George W. Bush. This is favorable rating, Colin Powell, 83 percent. And that's symptomatic of what we've seen. Bush's favorable rating is down in the 60, maybe even high 50-percent range.

Carol, this 83 percent comes in June, late June our last asking of the question, and note that's after all of the discussion about Iraq and weapons of mass destruction that the secretary of state was involved in. Despite all of that, still these immensely high favorable ratings. The public just loves Colin Powell.

COSTELLO: They certainly do. Let's talk about gays and the clergy, because we've talked a lot about that in the past several days. How do people feel about that?

NEWPORT: Well, this is a time of real turmoil. You were telling us a few moments ago about the Gene Robinson case. Last -- through May that we measured, exactly that, gays in the clergy, we had at last moved to above a majority saying yes to that idea. Do you approve or disapprove of it? You can see it had moved from 43 percent, oh, about 11 years ago up to 56 percent now.

But more recently, we've been reporting a real kind of backlash, probably after the Supreme Court decision. Should homosexual relations be legal between consenting adults? That had been as high as 60, and 59 percent in May. But in a couple of different measures in July -- that is after the Supreme Court decision -- Carol, that had fallen like 10 points.

So, our best interpretation is Americans' attitudes towards a lot of things having to do with gays and lesbians are now in a real time of turmoil and a lot of change is going on out there in terms -- as Americans look at stories like this one about then New Hampshire bishop-to-be.

COSTELLO: Yes, yes, we think at least. That vote has now been put on indefinite hold. Frank Newport live with some interesting numbers for us this morning. Many thanks.

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 August 5, 2003 - 06:38   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Secretary of State Colin Powell dismissing a report that he will not serve a second term. He calls the report utter gossip and nonsense.
"The Washington Post" had reported that Powell's deputy, Richard Armitage, said neither he nor Powell would serve in a second term if President Bush won re-election.

Here is what Powell had to say during a radio interview.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: It's nonsense. I don't know what they're talking about. I serve at the pleasure of the president, and the president and I have not discussed anything other than my continuing to do my job for him. And this is just one of those stories that emerge in Washington that reflects nothing more than gossip, and the gossip leads to a rash of speculation about who might fill a vacancy that does not exist.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

COSTELLO: The White House is expressing President Bush's support for Mr. Powell.

So, will he stay or will he go? Let's find out what you think about Colin Powell's future. We've got some interesting numbers this morning. Gallup Poll editor-in-chief Frank Newport is joining us live with those numbers.

So, Frank, how popular is Powell?

FRANK NEWPORT, GALLUP POLL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: He's immensely popular, Carol. In fact, Colin Powell is one of the most popular individuals, particularly in the political arena, that we have ever measured at Gallup. So, it would be a blow to the Bush administration, we think based on everything we see, if he goes. In fact, he's running now in our latest poll, Carol, about 20 points higher than his boss, George W. Bush. This is favorable rating, Colin Powell, 83 percent. And that's symptomatic of what we've seen. Bush's favorable rating is down in the 60, maybe even high 50-percent range.

Carol, this 83 percent comes in June, late June our last asking of the question, and note that's after all of the discussion about Iraq and weapons of mass destruction that the secretary of state was involved in. Despite all of that, still these immensely high favorable ratings. The public just loves Colin Powell.

COSTELLO: They certainly do. Let's talk about gays and the clergy, because we've talked a lot about that in the past several days. How do people feel about that?

NEWPORT: Well, this is a time of real turmoil. You were telling us a few moments ago about the Gene Robinson case. Last -- through May that we measured, exactly that, gays in the clergy, we had at last moved to above a majority saying yes to that idea. Do you approve or disapprove of it? You can see it had moved from 43 percent, oh, about 11 years ago up to 56 percent now.

But more recently, we've been reporting a real kind of backlash, probably after the Supreme Court decision. Should homosexual relations be legal between consenting adults? That had been as high as 60, and 59 percent in May. But in a couple of different measures in July -- that is after the Supreme Court decision -- Carol, that had fallen like 10 points.

So, our best interpretation is Americans' attitudes towards a lot of things having to do with gays and lesbians are now in a real time of turmoil and a lot of change is going on out there in terms -- as Americans look at stories like this one about then New Hampshire bishop-to-be.

COSTELLO: Yes, yes, we think at least. That vote has now been put on indefinite hold. Frank Newport live with some interesting numbers for us this morning. Many thanks.

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