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CNN Live At Daybreak
America's Voice: First Lady's Popularity
Aired September 30, 2003 - 06:35 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: President Bush may be struggling in recent polls, and we were wondering if his wife, Laura, was slipping, too.
So, let's head live now to Princeton, New Jersey, and Gallup Poll editor-in-chief Frank Newport.
You have all the numbers for us. So, how does the public view the first lady?
FRANK NEWPORT, GALLUP POLL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Pretty good, Carol. Pretty good. She's been very low key compared to previous first ladies, but when we tested her last job approval as a first lady, Laura Bush has one of the highest that we have in our Gallup Poll history.
This is fascinating, and I thought I'd put it in perspective. This is as of this summer, Mrs. Bush, 74 percent job approval of how she's handling her job as first lady, a lot higher than her husband was at the same time this summer.
Look by comparison. The highest, Hillary Clinton, but notice this came right as her husband was being impeached. That's when she got a sympathy wave and scored high in all of our polls. Nancy Reagan, her highest of her husband, Ronald Reagan, only 58 percent. And go all the way back to Franklin Delano Roosevelt, his wife, very high visibility, Eleanor Roosevelt. That's her high point just at 68 percent.
So, Laura Bush -- and this is before this trip where she's getting more visibility -- is doing pretty well in the eyes of the American public -- Carol.
COSTELLO: It seems so. So, we know the first lady is popular, but that gender gap is still operating when it comes to President Bush, isn't it?
NEWPORT: Well, actually it has been, but now that's leveled out. In fact, we were surprised, our last poll, he's at 50 percent job approval, the lowest of his administration. Lo and behold, Carol, when we looked, 50/50, men and women exactly identical.
Now, that could be good news in that he's doing better among women. Typically, Republicans do worse among women. Or, Carol, it could be bad news he's coming down among men.
Nevertheless, right now, he's steady with men and women.
COSTELLO: OK. And talking about Republicans and the gender liking or disliking, let's talk about Arnold Schwarzenegger. Does he have admirers among women?
NEWPORT: He does. You know, that became controversial in the debate last week. Arianna Huffington said, oh, this is how you treat women, and he came back with that retort, that I have a role for you in my new movie, "Terminator 4," which she defined as being a sexist comment later, Arianna Huffington did.
He's developed a modest gender gap. How's that, Carol?
Back in August, his favorable rating was identical, men and women, that's on the left there. Now, we just finished asking -- these are California residents. Just asked again, favorable or unfavorable, and notice the seven point gap there. So, it's not big, but Arnold the Terminator is doing a little better among the male of the species right now than among women.
COSTELLO: Understand. Frank Newport live from Princeton, New Jersey 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 September 30, 2003 - 06:35 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush may be struggling in recent polls, and we were wondering if his wife, Laura, was slipping, too.
So, let's head live now to Princeton, New Jersey, and Gallup Poll editor-in-chief Frank Newport.
You have all the numbers for us. So, how does the public view the first lady?
FRANK NEWPORT, GALLUP POLL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Pretty good, Carol. Pretty good. She's been very low key compared to previous first ladies, but when we tested her last job approval as a first lady, Laura Bush has one of the highest that we have in our Gallup Poll history.
This is fascinating, and I thought I'd put it in perspective. This is as of this summer, Mrs. Bush, 74 percent job approval of how she's handling her job as first lady, a lot higher than her husband was at the same time this summer.
Look by comparison. The highest, Hillary Clinton, but notice this came right as her husband was being impeached. That's when she got a sympathy wave and scored high in all of our polls. Nancy Reagan, her highest of her husband, Ronald Reagan, only 58 percent. And go all the way back to Franklin Delano Roosevelt, his wife, very high visibility, Eleanor Roosevelt. That's her high point just at 68 percent.
So, Laura Bush -- and this is before this trip where she's getting more visibility -- is doing pretty well in the eyes of the American public -- Carol.
COSTELLO: It seems so. So, we know the first lady is popular, but that gender gap is still operating when it comes to President Bush, isn't it?
NEWPORT: Well, actually it has been, but now that's leveled out. In fact, we were surprised, our last poll, he's at 50 percent job approval, the lowest of his administration. Lo and behold, Carol, when we looked, 50/50, men and women exactly identical.
Now, that could be good news in that he's doing better among women. Typically, Republicans do worse among women. Or, Carol, it could be bad news he's coming down among men.
Nevertheless, right now, he's steady with men and women.
COSTELLO: OK. And talking about Republicans and the gender liking or disliking, let's talk about Arnold Schwarzenegger. Does he have admirers among women?
NEWPORT: He does. You know, that became controversial in the debate last week. Arianna Huffington said, oh, this is how you treat women, and he came back with that retort, that I have a role for you in my new movie, "Terminator 4," which she defined as being a sexist comment later, Arianna Huffington did.
He's developed a modest gender gap. How's that, Carol?
Back in August, his favorable rating was identical, men and women, that's on the left there. Now, we just finished asking -- these are California residents. Just asked again, favorable or unfavorable, and notice the seven point gap there. So, it's not big, but Arnold the Terminator is doing a little better among the male of the species right now than among women.
COSTELLO: Understand. Frank Newport live from Princeton, New Jersey 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.
