Return to Transcripts main page

Live From...

Gallup: Americans More Concerned With War, Economy Than Corruption

Aired July 15, 2002 - 14:48   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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Most of us wouldn't buy a car or house if we didn't believe what the owners had to say about the conditions. And so it apparently goes with stocks -- same thing. Most Americans think accounting shenanigans are commonplace in the marketplace.

And Gallup Poll editor-in-chief Frank Newport joins us now from the polling place with those facts and figures.

Hi -- Frank.

FRANK NEWPORT, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, GALLUP POLL: Hello, Kyra.

Indeed, you're right, although what I have been sitting here reviewing all to date over the weekend in our latest poll, Americans are still, we should point out, concerned about terrorist and the economy in general, not just corporate responsibility.

Here's our most important problem question which we have been asking, oh, for 50 years. We just finished asking it last week. And notice how terrorism and the war ends up being the number one concern of Americans still: 41 percent mentioned it. Then the economy in general. Then kind of a vague dissatisfaction with government. And the percent who mentioned corruption just 6 percent, so that's a relatively low number, all in all, putting that in a little context.

We also looked at how people are reacting to the president. He made another speech today. Of course, his Wall Street speech was last week with his proposals for reforming corruption in corporation board rooms. The public, 43 percent, say it will be effective, 39 percent not. It is about a wash. Some of the polls this weekend show that about half of Americans say that they don't think those proposals go far enough.

Kyra, just couple of other points. Politically, in terms of corporate corruption, split right down the middle. The TIME/CNN pole over the weekend -- reported over the weekend -- said who can do a better job, Bush, Democrats? You can the numbers there: 43, 41 percent. Really, no edge.

When we asked about the economy, in general, it is also quite close. We don't yet finally see any indication that president's involvement in Harken Energy, way back when he was in the private sector in Texas, some 13 years ago, as having any traction, as the politicos say. So far, Kyra, just 10 percent. In our latest polls say they think that he did something illegal, a big don't know there. A lot of Americans aren't paying attention to it, and those who do simply don't have a opinion -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, Frank Newport, thank 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