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Majority of Americans Still Favor Military Action in Iraq

Aired October 01, 2002 - 14:41   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: The folks at Gallup are keeping their fingers on the pulse of America.
Editor-in-chief Frank Newport joins us now from Princeton, New Jersey with more on what Americans are talking about.

Hi, Frank.

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

This is our Tuesday briefing to bring you up-to-date on how Americans are thinking. Indeed, there's a lot in the news. There's Iraq, there's the economy, there's the elections.

I think three key points we need to keep in mind after reviewing all of our data are as follows: first of all, no question about it, majority support for military action in Iraq still there. I've reviewed all the polling that's gone on now, and it's still anywhere from like 57 to 68 percent, that basic question.

However, we have a very negative view, Kyra, of the economy that's persisting in all of our measures.

Finally, the administration, George W. Bush, I think it's important to point out, still doing very well. Sixty-eight percent his latest job approval rating and that's historically remains very high, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: So when you look at Iraq and the economy, what do Americans care more about, Frank?

NEWPORT: Well, that's a mixed picture. There's little doubt that Iraq has come on now as something that's really occupying cognitive space up there in the minds of Americans. This trend question shows that we asked just a trade-off between Iraq and the economy, it was the economy. Now more recently, Iraq's come back up. Some polls show about equal.

It really depends on who you talk to. Republicans think that Iraq is more important. Democrats are much more mixed and that reflects, Kyra, the very politicized nature of this whole Iraq question, more so than we've seen in quite awhile. If you're a Republican, 75 percent favor military action, as an example. With Democrats, Kyra, it breaks even. You've actually got a slight majority opposing it and this really typifies why the public stands on these priorities, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: And Congress is debating a resolution on Iraq this week. How is that going to affect voters?

NEWPORT: Strangely enough, despite the all importance that's been put on it, voters tell us, Maybe not all that much.

We said, Would you be more likely to vote somebody who votes for it or against it? You can see the numbers here, but we've got a majority of Americans saying it doesn't make a difference either way how Congress votes. We'll wait and see how that plays out.

PHILLIPS: All right. Now, another big story talking about. I mean, this is the 40th anniversary since James Meredith integrated Old Miss. Have things changed dramatically since then?

I sure hope so.

NEWPORT: Well, they have and they haven't. We went back in our Gallup poll vault, Kyra, this was quite interesting. John Kennedy was president, he sent the federal troops in there in Oxford, Mississippi, some 40 years ago. Right before that, in May of '62, a third of Americans already said Kennedy was pushing too hard on integration and look what happened to Kennedy.

After it, in October of '62, that jumped 10 points to 42 percent. So way back then, the Kennedy administration really took it with suffering because of that press for integration.

Now, you ask if things changed. Well just recently, we said, Are you satisfied with how blacks are treated in this country? Whites, 68 percent, said yes.

But look at this, Kyra: black Americans, as of today, just 43 percent said they're satisfied with how they're treated in society. Still, 40 years later, this big racial gulf out there in perceptions of the world -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Wow, interesting stuff.

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







Aired October 1, 2002 - 14:41   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: The folks at Gallup are keeping their fingers on the pulse of America.
Editor-in-chief Frank Newport joins us now from Princeton, New Jersey with more on what Americans are talking about.

Hi, Frank.

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

This is our Tuesday briefing to bring you up-to-date on how Americans are thinking. Indeed, there's a lot in the news. There's Iraq, there's the economy, there's the elections.

I think three key points we need to keep in mind after reviewing all of our data are as follows: first of all, no question about it, majority support for military action in Iraq still there. I've reviewed all the polling that's gone on now, and it's still anywhere from like 57 to 68 percent, that basic question.

However, we have a very negative view, Kyra, of the economy that's persisting in all of our measures.

Finally, the administration, George W. Bush, I think it's important to point out, still doing very well. Sixty-eight percent his latest job approval rating and that's historically remains very high, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: So when you look at Iraq and the economy, what do Americans care more about, Frank?

NEWPORT: Well, that's a mixed picture. There's little doubt that Iraq has come on now as something that's really occupying cognitive space up there in the minds of Americans. This trend question shows that we asked just a trade-off between Iraq and the economy, it was the economy. Now more recently, Iraq's come back up. Some polls show about equal.

It really depends on who you talk to. Republicans think that Iraq is more important. Democrats are much more mixed and that reflects, Kyra, the very politicized nature of this whole Iraq question, more so than we've seen in quite awhile. If you're a Republican, 75 percent favor military action, as an example. With Democrats, Kyra, it breaks even. You've actually got a slight majority opposing it and this really typifies why the public stands on these priorities, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: And Congress is debating a resolution on Iraq this week. How is that going to affect voters?

NEWPORT: Strangely enough, despite the all importance that's been put on it, voters tell us, Maybe not all that much.

We said, Would you be more likely to vote somebody who votes for it or against it? You can see the numbers here, but we've got a majority of Americans saying it doesn't make a difference either way how Congress votes. We'll wait and see how that plays out.

PHILLIPS: All right. Now, another big story talking about. I mean, this is the 40th anniversary since James Meredith integrated Old Miss. Have things changed dramatically since then?

I sure hope so.

NEWPORT: Well, they have and they haven't. We went back in our Gallup poll vault, Kyra, this was quite interesting. John Kennedy was president, he sent the federal troops in there in Oxford, Mississippi, some 40 years ago. Right before that, in May of '62, a third of Americans already said Kennedy was pushing too hard on integration and look what happened to Kennedy.

After it, in October of '62, that jumped 10 points to 42 percent. So way back then, the Kennedy administration really took it with suffering because of that press for integration.

Now, you ask if things changed. Well just recently, we said, Are you satisfied with how blacks are treated in this country? Whites, 68 percent, said yes.

But look at this, Kyra: black Americans, as of today, just 43 percent said they're satisfied with how they're treated in society. Still, 40 years later, this big racial gulf out there in perceptions of the world -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Wow, interesting stuff.

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