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Interview with Frank Newport

Aired January 07, 2003 - 14:51   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: Now to our "American Voice" segment. Congress is back in session. Lawmakers face the challenge of setting the nation's priorities. Gallup's Editor-in-Chief, Frank Newport joins us now with the results.
Frank, what do you have?

FRANK NEWPORT, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, GALLUP POLL: Well, it's a democracy, Kyra, and in a democracy, the people should dictate the agenda. And in fact, the economy is right up there, as one of the two top problems facing the country, according to the American public. Therefore, it's good that President Bush was addressing it today and the Democrats did yesterday. It's terrorism, number one. That's been consistent since 9/11. Fifty nine percent say that's extremely important for Congress and the president to deal with. But look at the others -- economy right there at number two, more important even than the situation in Iraq; health care costs, education. And then, Kyra, there are about nine other ones that I didn't have room to list here, but there are the top priorities, and economy right up there. Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Well, what do Americans want included in the economic stimulus package? We've been talking about that all day.

NEWPORT: Well, indeed. And we had an early read on how it's going to play with the public. Now I'm not showing you here whether Americans think it will help the economy. This is will it help you, average Americans. And a couple of the things that George Bush talked about today, in fact, resonate pretty well. The accelerated tax cuts -- 65 percent say that'll help them personally. The idea of the child tax credits being extended from $600 to $1,000, that resonates well.

But look at the right-hand side. The business incentives, tax cuts for businesses doesn't play very well and the much ballyhooed tax cuts for dividends, you can see, just 38 percent of Americans say that's something that they really care about. So the public is going to have to really be educated by the Bush administration on why that matters to them. Kyra.

PHILLIPS: And how is President Bush holding up in public opinion?

NEWPORT: Well, 63 percent -- that's the first official job approval number for 2003 for George W. Bush -- still pretty good. That's above average. In all of our Gallup polls, you'll notice there on how he's handling the economy, however, 14 points lower at 49 percent, so he has a ways to go. Maybe the speech today will help increase this closer to his overall rating. Kyra.

PHILLIPS: And how seriously are Americans taking the North Korean nuclear situation?

NEWPORT: Well, the big question we asked over the weekend, I think, was an important one and that was priorities. Iraq versus North Korea, a lot of people have been debating that. The public, you can see here, absolutely has no question about it -- they're buying into the administration argument -- 51 percent say Iraq is the greater threat to the U.S. at this time. Just 18 percent say North Korea. Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Our Frank Newport. Thanks, Frank. Getting a pulse of the nation there.

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 January 7, 2003 - 14:51   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Now to our "American Voice" segment. Congress is back in session. Lawmakers face the challenge of setting the nation's priorities. Gallup's Editor-in-Chief, Frank Newport joins us now with the results.
Frank, what do you have?

FRANK NEWPORT, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, GALLUP POLL: Well, it's a democracy, Kyra, and in a democracy, the people should dictate the agenda. And in fact, the economy is right up there, as one of the two top problems facing the country, according to the American public. Therefore, it's good that President Bush was addressing it today and the Democrats did yesterday. It's terrorism, number one. That's been consistent since 9/11. Fifty nine percent say that's extremely important for Congress and the president to deal with. But look at the others -- economy right there at number two, more important even than the situation in Iraq; health care costs, education. And then, Kyra, there are about nine other ones that I didn't have room to list here, but there are the top priorities, and economy right up there. Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Well, what do Americans want included in the economic stimulus package? We've been talking about that all day.

NEWPORT: Well, indeed. And we had an early read on how it's going to play with the public. Now I'm not showing you here whether Americans think it will help the economy. This is will it help you, average Americans. And a couple of the things that George Bush talked about today, in fact, resonate pretty well. The accelerated tax cuts -- 65 percent say that'll help them personally. The idea of the child tax credits being extended from $600 to $1,000, that resonates well.

But look at the right-hand side. The business incentives, tax cuts for businesses doesn't play very well and the much ballyhooed tax cuts for dividends, you can see, just 38 percent of Americans say that's something that they really care about. So the public is going to have to really be educated by the Bush administration on why that matters to them. Kyra.

PHILLIPS: And how is President Bush holding up in public opinion?

NEWPORT: Well, 63 percent -- that's the first official job approval number for 2003 for George W. Bush -- still pretty good. That's above average. In all of our Gallup polls, you'll notice there on how he's handling the economy, however, 14 points lower at 49 percent, so he has a ways to go. Maybe the speech today will help increase this closer to his overall rating. Kyra.

PHILLIPS: And how seriously are Americans taking the North Korean nuclear situation?

NEWPORT: Well, the big question we asked over the weekend, I think, was an important one and that was priorities. Iraq versus North Korea, a lot of people have been debating that. The public, you can see here, absolutely has no question about it -- they're buying into the administration argument -- 51 percent say Iraq is the greater threat to the U.S. at this time. Just 18 percent say North Korea. Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Our Frank Newport. Thanks, Frank. Getting a pulse of the nation there.

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