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CNN Live At Daybreak

America's Voice: Gut Issues

Aired February 17, 2004 - 06:33   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: Wouldn't you know it we have some new numbers for you this morning from our friends at Gallup.
Let's go live to Princeton, New Jersey, now and Gallup Poll editor-in-chief Frank Newport.

Good morning -- Frank.

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

This is that time of the month when we update what is the most important problem facing the country. We ask that every month of Americans, and here are the results. Not a surprise that you heard yesterday President George W. Bush talking about jobs when he visited a small business, and you hear the Democratic candidates talk about jobs. Why is that? Economy and jobs still remain the top problems in Americans' minds at this very moment in time.

Here are the results: 21 percent spontaneously say it's just the economy in general that's the nation's top problem.

But look at this. In second: unemployment. Now, 1 out of 5 Americans spontaneously say jobs or unemployment is the nation's top problem. That's the highest percent spontaneously volunteering unemployment since 1993. So, despite what any of the statistics say, the average American, it looks like he or she is concerned about the whole jobs issue.

Then comes Iraq, terrorism and then health care.

All of these issues, of course, are the ones that you hear the candidates talking about.

By the way, when we updated just a moment -- just a day or two ago our ratings of the economy, look at what's happened. The optimism, up to 66 percent had said it was getting better in January, but, Carol, that's cooled back down again. No real change. Still more optimism than pessimism -- I want to make that point clear -- but not the optimism we were seeing as recently as a month or two ago -- Carol.

COSTELLO: And, Frank, another hot button issue out there is the gay marriage controversy. Has American attitudes on that moderated at all?

NEWPORT: Well, in the longer term, yes. But in the short term over the last six or eight tumultuous months, no. In fact, we still have up to 6 out of 10 Americans who say that they believe that legalization of same-sex marriage should not occur. And that also has spawned now a little over half of Americans who say they support the idea of a constitutional amendment of defining marriage as just a man or a woman.

COSTELLO: And we also found these numbers pretty interesting, you know, in turning our attention to Europe and how Americans feel about the French and the Germans. You have some numbers on those people, and they're pretty interesting actually.

NEWPORT: Indeed they are. What had happened -- this was widely reported in our Gallup Poll -- the image of France had really taken a nosedive last year before the Iraq war, way down from 70 percent down into the 30-percent range. But the good news for Franco-philes (ph), Carol, who are watching this morning, the image is recovering some.

Now, Great Britain, just to show you, year-to-year the image is still very high -- English-speaking. Germany has recovered about 20 points. The German image suffered last year, the same time as France's did because of Iraq, but now that's up to 69.

The image of France: 34, favorable last year; 47, now. So, it's recovering. But remember that 70 percent plus of Americans had a positive image of France a couple of years ago, so it has got a ways to go. But the image is being repaired, is what I would say -- Carol.

COSTELLO: That's probably good news. Frank Newport, many thanks to you.

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 17, 2004 - 06:33   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Wouldn't you know it we have some new numbers for you this morning from our friends at Gallup.
Let's go live to Princeton, New Jersey, now and Gallup Poll editor-in-chief Frank Newport.

Good morning -- Frank.

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

This is that time of the month when we update what is the most important problem facing the country. We ask that every month of Americans, and here are the results. Not a surprise that you heard yesterday President George W. Bush talking about jobs when he visited a small business, and you hear the Democratic candidates talk about jobs. Why is that? Economy and jobs still remain the top problems in Americans' minds at this very moment in time.

Here are the results: 21 percent spontaneously say it's just the economy in general that's the nation's top problem.

But look at this. In second: unemployment. Now, 1 out of 5 Americans spontaneously say jobs or unemployment is the nation's top problem. That's the highest percent spontaneously volunteering unemployment since 1993. So, despite what any of the statistics say, the average American, it looks like he or she is concerned about the whole jobs issue.

Then comes Iraq, terrorism and then health care.

All of these issues, of course, are the ones that you hear the candidates talking about.

By the way, when we updated just a moment -- just a day or two ago our ratings of the economy, look at what's happened. The optimism, up to 66 percent had said it was getting better in January, but, Carol, that's cooled back down again. No real change. Still more optimism than pessimism -- I want to make that point clear -- but not the optimism we were seeing as recently as a month or two ago -- Carol.

COSTELLO: And, Frank, another hot button issue out there is the gay marriage controversy. Has American attitudes on that moderated at all?

NEWPORT: Well, in the longer term, yes. But in the short term over the last six or eight tumultuous months, no. In fact, we still have up to 6 out of 10 Americans who say that they believe that legalization of same-sex marriage should not occur. And that also has spawned now a little over half of Americans who say they support the idea of a constitutional amendment of defining marriage as just a man or a woman.

COSTELLO: And we also found these numbers pretty interesting, you know, in turning our attention to Europe and how Americans feel about the French and the Germans. You have some numbers on those people, and they're pretty interesting actually.

NEWPORT: Indeed they are. What had happened -- this was widely reported in our Gallup Poll -- the image of France had really taken a nosedive last year before the Iraq war, way down from 70 percent down into the 30-percent range. But the good news for Franco-philes (ph), Carol, who are watching this morning, the image is recovering some.

Now, Great Britain, just to show you, year-to-year the image is still very high -- English-speaking. Germany has recovered about 20 points. The German image suffered last year, the same time as France's did because of Iraq, but now that's up to 69.

The image of France: 34, favorable last year; 47, now. So, it's recovering. But remember that 70 percent plus of Americans had a positive image of France a couple of years ago, so it has got a ways to go. But the image is being repaired, is what I would say -- Carol.

COSTELLO: That's probably good news. Frank Newport, many thanks to you.

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