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Gallup Poll on Today's Issues

Aired November 19, 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.


MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: From homeland security to the hunt for weapons in Iraq, there is no shortage for issues of Americans to debate.
Gallup Poll editor-in-chief Frank Newport joins us now from Princeton, New Jersey.

First off, Frank, just how many are Americans thinking about homeland security?

FRANK NEWPORT, GALLUP POLL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Martin, it's interesting. There's no question about it. Americans support the concept of a new department of Homeland Security, being debated in the Senate eve as we speak, but it's really not as urgent an issue as people might think. In fact, only about half in our latest poll said they thought it's necessary to even get that bill passed before the end of the year. Looks like it probably will be.

Look at this: We just asked, What's the most important problem facing the country today? Terrorism used to be up at 30 percent -- even last month. You can see it's economy number one -- they're at 28 percent -- then terrorism comes in, but only 19 percent of Americans say that's the top problem facing the country. Then you can see war, national security, jobs/health care come in below that.

So Martin, right now, terrorism is not the high top-of-mind issue that some might think it is for the average American.

SAVIDGE: Moving on now, the weapons inspectors, first batch on the ground in Baghdad. Do Americans, meaning us, think we have averted war now?

NEWPORT: There are three points that again and again we come back to when we look at American public opinion on Iraq. First of all, there is support there for the concept of military action, if the U.N. approves. Second, Americans want the inspectors to be there; that's a necessary step, Americans say. But there's a lot of pessimism out there on the part of the public: They don't think the inspections will work in terms of deterring the use of weapons of mass destruction. Look at this: From the weekend, the CNN/TIME Poll just released, 63 percent -- almost 2/3 of Americans -- think that despite all that's going on now, Martin, war probably is inevitable.

SAVIDGE: Here's one I haven't you thought of really. President going to Russia later. What do Americans think about that?

NEWPORT: What a different a few decades make. It's fascinating when we go back in our Gallup Poll vault. Believe it or not, back in the '50s, Eisenhower in office, we asking the public what do you think about Russia? No great shock: 88 percent of Americans unfavorable opinion. It was the Soviet Union. Then you can see even in '87, it was 71 percent. But look at the huge change there with the coming down of the Berlin Wall, the change in Russia, jumped all the way up to 66 percent by the early '90s. And we just finished asking it earlier this year, Martin, same idea: Russia has suddenly back a real ally of the United States. Two-thirds of Americans have favorable opinions. It will be a meeting of two friends with Putin and Bush in St. Petersburg later this week.

SAVIDGE: My, oh, my.

Finally, the holiday season upon us. What can retailers expect from customers spending?

NEWPORT: We don't think it's going to be an extremely merry Christmas for retailers. We ask each year how much are you going to spend, Martin, and this year the percent of Americans who say they are going to spend more is less. About $174 that the average Americans are going to spend -- that's down from last year. Interesting fact, Martin: Men tell us they are going to spend more than women -- I thought you'd be interested in this: $835 is what the average man says he's going to spend -- says he's going to spend; women $655. So there's a big gender gap there in favor of men when it comes to Christmas spending this year.

SAVIDGE: That is kind of interesting.

Frank Newport, thanks very much, as always. We like the insights on what we are thinking.

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 19, 2002 - 14:48   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: From homeland security to the hunt for weapons in Iraq, there is no shortage for issues of Americans to debate.
Gallup Poll editor-in-chief Frank Newport joins us now from Princeton, New Jersey.

First off, Frank, just how many are Americans thinking about homeland security?

FRANK NEWPORT, GALLUP POLL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Martin, it's interesting. There's no question about it. Americans support the concept of a new department of Homeland Security, being debated in the Senate eve as we speak, but it's really not as urgent an issue as people might think. In fact, only about half in our latest poll said they thought it's necessary to even get that bill passed before the end of the year. Looks like it probably will be.

Look at this: We just asked, What's the most important problem facing the country today? Terrorism used to be up at 30 percent -- even last month. You can see it's economy number one -- they're at 28 percent -- then terrorism comes in, but only 19 percent of Americans say that's the top problem facing the country. Then you can see war, national security, jobs/health care come in below that.

So Martin, right now, terrorism is not the high top-of-mind issue that some might think it is for the average American.

SAVIDGE: Moving on now, the weapons inspectors, first batch on the ground in Baghdad. Do Americans, meaning us, think we have averted war now?

NEWPORT: There are three points that again and again we come back to when we look at American public opinion on Iraq. First of all, there is support there for the concept of military action, if the U.N. approves. Second, Americans want the inspectors to be there; that's a necessary step, Americans say. But there's a lot of pessimism out there on the part of the public: They don't think the inspections will work in terms of deterring the use of weapons of mass destruction. Look at this: From the weekend, the CNN/TIME Poll just released, 63 percent -- almost 2/3 of Americans -- think that despite all that's going on now, Martin, war probably is inevitable.

SAVIDGE: Here's one I haven't you thought of really. President going to Russia later. What do Americans think about that?

NEWPORT: What a different a few decades make. It's fascinating when we go back in our Gallup Poll vault. Believe it or not, back in the '50s, Eisenhower in office, we asking the public what do you think about Russia? No great shock: 88 percent of Americans unfavorable opinion. It was the Soviet Union. Then you can see even in '87, it was 71 percent. But look at the huge change there with the coming down of the Berlin Wall, the change in Russia, jumped all the way up to 66 percent by the early '90s. And we just finished asking it earlier this year, Martin, same idea: Russia has suddenly back a real ally of the United States. Two-thirds of Americans have favorable opinions. It will be a meeting of two friends with Putin and Bush in St. Petersburg later this week.

SAVIDGE: My, oh, my.

Finally, the holiday season upon us. What can retailers expect from customers spending?

NEWPORT: We don't think it's going to be an extremely merry Christmas for retailers. We ask each year how much are you going to spend, Martin, and this year the percent of Americans who say they are going to spend more is less. About $174 that the average Americans are going to spend -- that's down from last year. Interesting fact, Martin: Men tell us they are going to spend more than women -- I thought you'd be interested in this: $835 is what the average man says he's going to spend -- says he's going to spend; women $655. So there's a big gender gap there in favor of men when it comes to Christmas spending this year.

SAVIDGE: That is kind of interesting.

Frank Newport, thanks very much, as always. We like the insights on what we are thinking.

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