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Gallup Poll on Today's Issues

Aired November 12, 2002 - 14:49   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.


MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: A new CNN/USA TODAY/Gallup Poll shows that most Americans would support a war against Iraq, but for many of them that support hinges on U.N. approval. A majority of those polled don't think that U.N. weapons inspectors, if they happen, those inspections, will be effective.
Gallup Poll editor-in-chief Frank Newport joins us now from Princeton, New Jersey.

Frank, we've been following this Iraq issue for quite a while.

FRANK NEWPORT, GALLUP POLL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Indeed we have, Martin, and I think you summarized what we've been finding for quite awhile. The American public generally supports the idea of military action with those contingencies, and there is deep-seeded pessimism that military action can be avoided.

Here's the last point right here: We just asked if the United Nations inspectors are allowed in -- and that's iffy: A lot of the public does not think that they will be -- will they be effective? Only 34 percent of Americans say yes. As you can see there, it implies that Americans are anticipating military action may be forthcoming.

Would the public support it? If the U.N. goes along, yes. Forty percent, in fact, of Americans say they would support U.S. involvement, Martin, if the United Nations gives its OK for further authorization from military action; 31 percent in the middle there say they would support it regardless. And 24 percent of Americans -- 1 out of 4 -- are against military action, right over here on the right- hand side (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

You put these two together, if the U.N. OKs it, Martin, 7 out of 10 Americans say yes to military action against Iraq, ultimately -- Martin.

SAVIDGE: Frank, it's been a week since the midterm elections. What is the fallout you're measuring?

NEWPORT: The Democratic Party is suffering, no question about that. We're unclear about how long this is going to last. But their image took a hit. The Republicans now 54 percent favorable -- that's about what it has been -- but for the Democrats, 48 percent favorable -- that's a 10-point drop, Martin, since our poll right before the election. Obviously, a fallout of a lot of the attention that they got negatively after the election. Also, speaking of the Republicans and Democrats, there is a lame duck Congress back in session now. Bush this morning, the president, said number one priority homeland security. The public favors that idea of creating such a department, but there's not a great sense of urgency, interestingly. About half of the public there on the left- hand side says it's either extremely very important, Martin, but you have got almost as many saying it's not important that it be done in this lame duck session. That is a lot of Americans could wait until next year to get that department created -- Martin.

On the flip side, the Republicans high on their agenda: tax cuts. Where do we stand as far as public opinion on that?

NEWPORT: Number one item, the Republicans have said, is to make the tax cuts passed last year permanent. They're due to expire in 2011, a long ways away. Do we make them permanent? Sure, says the public: 2 to 1 ratio. Go ahead, make them permanent.

However, the idea of new tax cuts, Martin, on top of what was passed last year, no excitement at all on the part of the public for that. That's kind of not a Republican-oriented attitude right there. Just 40 percent of Americans say they would support new tax cuts at this point.

SAVIDGE: Flipping back to the Democrats once more, 2004, dare I say it, the presidential election 14 months away. Any front runners, any contenders that the public is talking about, thinking about at this point?

NEWPORT: You put your finger on it, Martin. A mere 14 months until New Hampshire in the January and February in that region of 2004. We asked the public after all the fallout of the last election, on the 5th, we asked Democrats, Here is a list of potential candidates: Who would you support for your party's nominee? And look who is on top. That is the 2000 ticket: Al Gore; then Lieberman; then Daschle -- Senate majority leader, soon to be ex-Senate majority leader; John Kerry of Massachusetts; and then Richard Gephardt. But it's still Gore. That name ID is what's really driving Al Gore, and all of our polling still among Democrats nationwide -- Martin.

SAVIDGE: There is still time. We appreciate it. Frank Newport, thank you for very much for the pulse of the people.

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 12, 2002 - 14:49   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: A new CNN/USA TODAY/Gallup Poll shows that most Americans would support a war against Iraq, but for many of them that support hinges on U.N. approval. A majority of those polled don't think that U.N. weapons inspectors, if they happen, those inspections, will be effective.
Gallup Poll editor-in-chief Frank Newport joins us now from Princeton, New Jersey.

Frank, we've been following this Iraq issue for quite a while.

FRANK NEWPORT, GALLUP POLL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Indeed we have, Martin, and I think you summarized what we've been finding for quite awhile. The American public generally supports the idea of military action with those contingencies, and there is deep-seeded pessimism that military action can be avoided.

Here's the last point right here: We just asked if the United Nations inspectors are allowed in -- and that's iffy: A lot of the public does not think that they will be -- will they be effective? Only 34 percent of Americans say yes. As you can see there, it implies that Americans are anticipating military action may be forthcoming.

Would the public support it? If the U.N. goes along, yes. Forty percent, in fact, of Americans say they would support U.S. involvement, Martin, if the United Nations gives its OK for further authorization from military action; 31 percent in the middle there say they would support it regardless. And 24 percent of Americans -- 1 out of 4 -- are against military action, right over here on the right- hand side (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

You put these two together, if the U.N. OKs it, Martin, 7 out of 10 Americans say yes to military action against Iraq, ultimately -- Martin.

SAVIDGE: Frank, it's been a week since the midterm elections. What is the fallout you're measuring?

NEWPORT: The Democratic Party is suffering, no question about that. We're unclear about how long this is going to last. But their image took a hit. The Republicans now 54 percent favorable -- that's about what it has been -- but for the Democrats, 48 percent favorable -- that's a 10-point drop, Martin, since our poll right before the election. Obviously, a fallout of a lot of the attention that they got negatively after the election. Also, speaking of the Republicans and Democrats, there is a lame duck Congress back in session now. Bush this morning, the president, said number one priority homeland security. The public favors that idea of creating such a department, but there's not a great sense of urgency, interestingly. About half of the public there on the left- hand side says it's either extremely very important, Martin, but you have got almost as many saying it's not important that it be done in this lame duck session. That is a lot of Americans could wait until next year to get that department created -- Martin.

On the flip side, the Republicans high on their agenda: tax cuts. Where do we stand as far as public opinion on that?

NEWPORT: Number one item, the Republicans have said, is to make the tax cuts passed last year permanent. They're due to expire in 2011, a long ways away. Do we make them permanent? Sure, says the public: 2 to 1 ratio. Go ahead, make them permanent.

However, the idea of new tax cuts, Martin, on top of what was passed last year, no excitement at all on the part of the public for that. That's kind of not a Republican-oriented attitude right there. Just 40 percent of Americans say they would support new tax cuts at this point.

SAVIDGE: Flipping back to the Democrats once more, 2004, dare I say it, the presidential election 14 months away. Any front runners, any contenders that the public is talking about, thinking about at this point?

NEWPORT: You put your finger on it, Martin. A mere 14 months until New Hampshire in the January and February in that region of 2004. We asked the public after all the fallout of the last election, on the 5th, we asked Democrats, Here is a list of potential candidates: Who would you support for your party's nominee? And look who is on top. That is the 2000 ticket: Al Gore; then Lieberman; then Daschle -- Senate majority leader, soon to be ex-Senate majority leader; John Kerry of Massachusetts; and then Richard Gephardt. But it's still Gore. That name ID is what's really driving Al Gore, and all of our polling still among Democrats nationwide -- Martin.

SAVIDGE: There is still time. We appreciate it. Frank Newport, thank you for very much for the pulse of the people.

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