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CNN Live At Daybreak

America's Voice

Aired November 18, 2003 - 06:34   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: We have some new Gallup Poll numbers out, and we wanted to see how President Bush is faring in the light of all of these protestors in Great Britain and the sentiment here in the United States as to the new strategies under way now in Iraq.
So, let's head live to Princeton, New Jersey, and Gallup Poll editor-in-chief Frank Newport.

Frank -- what do you have for us?

FRANK NEWPORT, GALLUP POLL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Well, Carol, Bush is not faring so well here at home -- 50 percent, that's his job approval rating over the weekend. That ties him for the lowest of the administration. He was at 50 percent once before, and that was in September of this year.

More recently, Bush has been a little higher. Here's the trend line from October to our weekend CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup Poll. You can see the numbers going down to 50 percent. For an incumbent that's very, very important.

By the way, Carol, it's quite interesting to note, we asked: "Do you like Tony Blair?" Seventy-six percent of Americans like Blair. So, Blair is better liked here at home than is Bush himself, which is quite interesting.

Here are some characteristics of Bush that we asked the public to rate. He still gets his strongest marks for being a strong leader. Now, you care about people like you, just about the same as his approval rating: 49 percent. Admiration: the same. Honest: 59. All of that is down from where he has been.

Sixty-six percent say Bush is a strong leader. That's also down, but still, that's the strongest characteristic that people attribute to Bush, at least at this point -- Carol.

COSTELLO: The other big story, Arnold Schwarzenegger sworn in as California's governor yesterday. We were just wondering, do people believe that he can be an effective leader, an effective governor?

NEWPORT: Indeed they do. These are national numbers from all Americans. It's the honeymoon period. I think Americans like the idea. It was fascinating to watch, that some citizen became governor, and that's Arnold Schwarzenegger. Sixty-two percent say they think he will be successful.

This is probably the best time that Arnold Schwarzenegger will have. Now, all of a sudden, he has to do things. And, of course, for any politician, that's tough. So, right now, he goes in with positive sentiment from the American public.

COSTELLO: OK, let's talk about Rush Limbaugh for just a little bit, because he's back on the airwaves right now. Do people still like him?

NEWPORT: Well, no. Fifty-one percent of all Americans have an unfavorable opinion. He's very well-known, Carol. This is quite interesting. We tested him over the weekend. You know, 85-90 percent of Americans know who he is. Look at this. Now, this is no great shock. People say, well, we knew that, but we need polling to confirm it. If you're a Democrat, 74 percent unfavorable opinion of Rush Limbaugh. That's not shocking.

What's interesting is, although 60 percent of Republicans -- after all, he's a conservative talk show host -- 60 percent of Republicans say they have a favorable opinion. Look at the numbers, 29 percent have an unfavorable.

So, he's not universally loved even in the GOP ranks, based on our data.

COSTELLO: Interesting. Frank Newport, many thanks -- 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 November 18, 2003 - 06:34   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: We have some new Gallup Poll numbers out, and we wanted to see how President Bush is faring in the light of all of these protestors in Great Britain and the sentiment here in the United States as to the new strategies under way now in Iraq.
So, let's head live to Princeton, New Jersey, and Gallup Poll editor-in-chief Frank Newport.

Frank -- what do you have for us?

FRANK NEWPORT, GALLUP POLL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Well, Carol, Bush is not faring so well here at home -- 50 percent, that's his job approval rating over the weekend. That ties him for the lowest of the administration. He was at 50 percent once before, and that was in September of this year.

More recently, Bush has been a little higher. Here's the trend line from October to our weekend CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup Poll. You can see the numbers going down to 50 percent. For an incumbent that's very, very important.

By the way, Carol, it's quite interesting to note, we asked: "Do you like Tony Blair?" Seventy-six percent of Americans like Blair. So, Blair is better liked here at home than is Bush himself, which is quite interesting.

Here are some characteristics of Bush that we asked the public to rate. He still gets his strongest marks for being a strong leader. Now, you care about people like you, just about the same as his approval rating: 49 percent. Admiration: the same. Honest: 59. All of that is down from where he has been.

Sixty-six percent say Bush is a strong leader. That's also down, but still, that's the strongest characteristic that people attribute to Bush, at least at this point -- Carol.

COSTELLO: The other big story, Arnold Schwarzenegger sworn in as California's governor yesterday. We were just wondering, do people believe that he can be an effective leader, an effective governor?

NEWPORT: Indeed they do. These are national numbers from all Americans. It's the honeymoon period. I think Americans like the idea. It was fascinating to watch, that some citizen became governor, and that's Arnold Schwarzenegger. Sixty-two percent say they think he will be successful.

This is probably the best time that Arnold Schwarzenegger will have. Now, all of a sudden, he has to do things. And, of course, for any politician, that's tough. So, right now, he goes in with positive sentiment from the American public.

COSTELLO: OK, let's talk about Rush Limbaugh for just a little bit, because he's back on the airwaves right now. Do people still like him?

NEWPORT: Well, no. Fifty-one percent of all Americans have an unfavorable opinion. He's very well-known, Carol. This is quite interesting. We tested him over the weekend. You know, 85-90 percent of Americans know who he is. Look at this. Now, this is no great shock. People say, well, we knew that, but we need polling to confirm it. If you're a Democrat, 74 percent unfavorable opinion of Rush Limbaugh. That's not shocking.

What's interesting is, although 60 percent of Republicans -- after all, he's a conservative talk show host -- 60 percent of Republicans say they have a favorable opinion. Look at the numbers, 29 percent have an unfavorable.

So, he's not universally loved even in the GOP ranks, based on our data.

COSTELLO: Interesting. Frank Newport, many thanks -- 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.