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Gallup Poll: 55 Percent Want Iraq Congressional Resolution Before Elections

Aired September 18, 2002 - 14:33   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.


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Where does American opinion stand on the issue of military action against Iraq? A new CNN/USA TODAY/Gallup Poll checks the nation's pulse.
Gallup Poll editor-in-chief Frank Newport joins us from Princeton, New Jersey, with more on this.

Frank, I'm curious does public really understand the role of Congress in all of this?

FRANK NEWPORT, GALLUP POLL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: I think so. All of our polling has shown, actually, Kyra, going all the way back to 1990, that the public wants Congress involved, wants them to pass a resolution.

The timing involved, well, it looks like you -- you just saw the photo there of Bush meeting with the Senate and congressional leaders -- the timing looks like Congress is going to vote on it pretty quickly. The public says, about 55 percent say they want the congressional resolution to be voted on one way or the other before the elections -- not a huge majority, but a majority -- most of the rest say they want it sometime by the end of year.

Kyra, the real issue looks like not the timing, but what should be in the resolution. This is a key here. Just about 37 percent of the public says that that resolution should say the U.S. should go ahead even if opposed by United Nations. Generally speaking, the public wants Congress, I think, to pass a resolution that says something about the United Nations or allied support before the U.S. goes ahead -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Does the public understand the UN's role? We have been talking a lot about what's happening at the United Nations right now.

NEWPORT: Oh, indeed, indeed, that has been the centerpiece of discussion. I think Bush's speech at the United Nations was well received. That is our interpretation looking at the numbers. For one thing, Bush was telling the UN to get tough. We asked the American public has the UN been tough enough on Iraq, and look at this: 80 percent of Americans say no, the United Nations has not been tough enough. And that is right down the line of what I think the president was saying to the United Nations, no question about that. Ninety- three percent want a resolution passed by the United Nations, and if that resolution isn't paid attention to by Iraq, you've got here 61 percent of the public who says the UN should authorize military action, Kyra, even as opposed to more diplomatic action.

So the public clearly saying to United Nations -- the U.S. public, at any rate, Kyra -- they want them to get tough on Iraq.

PHILLIPS: So I guess that means they back president and they understand what he is saying here.

NEWPORT: I think so. One measure we have been asking since Franklin Roosevelt is presidential job approval, and George Bush's job approval at this point back up 4 points, to 70 percent. Four points isn't a huge jump, but nevertheless, you see the trend is back up again. This is the first time that Bush, Kyra, has been at 70 percent or higher since late July. So the downward trend that had been going on since his high point after 9/11 now has reversed itself, at least in the short term. We think this is the measure, generally speaking, of support on the part of the public for what Bush has been doing at least so far -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: 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




Before Elections>


Aired September 18, 2002 - 14:33   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Where does American opinion stand on the issue of military action against Iraq? A new CNN/USA TODAY/Gallup Poll checks the nation's pulse.
Gallup Poll editor-in-chief Frank Newport joins us from Princeton, New Jersey, with more on this.

Frank, I'm curious does public really understand the role of Congress in all of this?

FRANK NEWPORT, GALLUP POLL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: I think so. All of our polling has shown, actually, Kyra, going all the way back to 1990, that the public wants Congress involved, wants them to pass a resolution.

The timing involved, well, it looks like you -- you just saw the photo there of Bush meeting with the Senate and congressional leaders -- the timing looks like Congress is going to vote on it pretty quickly. The public says, about 55 percent say they want the congressional resolution to be voted on one way or the other before the elections -- not a huge majority, but a majority -- most of the rest say they want it sometime by the end of year.

Kyra, the real issue looks like not the timing, but what should be in the resolution. This is a key here. Just about 37 percent of the public says that that resolution should say the U.S. should go ahead even if opposed by United Nations. Generally speaking, the public wants Congress, I think, to pass a resolution that says something about the United Nations or allied support before the U.S. goes ahead -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Does the public understand the UN's role? We have been talking a lot about what's happening at the United Nations right now.

NEWPORT: Oh, indeed, indeed, that has been the centerpiece of discussion. I think Bush's speech at the United Nations was well received. That is our interpretation looking at the numbers. For one thing, Bush was telling the UN to get tough. We asked the American public has the UN been tough enough on Iraq, and look at this: 80 percent of Americans say no, the United Nations has not been tough enough. And that is right down the line of what I think the president was saying to the United Nations, no question about that. Ninety- three percent want a resolution passed by the United Nations, and if that resolution isn't paid attention to by Iraq, you've got here 61 percent of the public who says the UN should authorize military action, Kyra, even as opposed to more diplomatic action.

So the public clearly saying to United Nations -- the U.S. public, at any rate, Kyra -- they want them to get tough on Iraq.

PHILLIPS: So I guess that means they back president and they understand what he is saying here.

NEWPORT: I think so. One measure we have been asking since Franklin Roosevelt is presidential job approval, and George Bush's job approval at this point back up 4 points, to 70 percent. Four points isn't a huge jump, but nevertheless, you see the trend is back up again. This is the first time that Bush, Kyra, has been at 70 percent or higher since late July. So the downward trend that had been going on since his high point after 9/11 now has reversed itself, at least in the short term. We think this is the measure, generally speaking, of support on the part of the public for what Bush has been doing at least so far -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: 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




Before Elections>