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Gallup Poll Takes a Look at What Americans Fear
Aired May 13, 2003 - 15:07 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.
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush said again today that the liberation of Iraq would help prevent terrorism. How do Americans view post-war Iraq and their own security? We want to check in now with Frank Newport, who is editor-in-chief of The Gallup Poll.
Frank, the U.S. just replaced the top administrator in Iraq, widely seen as a suggestion that it's not going very well. How do the American people think it's going?
FRANK NEWPORT, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, THE GALLUP POLL: They think it's going pretty well indeed. All of the changes that we've seen, the reports some places that there's chaos, anarchy in Baghdad, not seen by the American public.
We asked them, how well do you think things are going, Candy, since the conclusion of the war, and you can see the majority at least moderately well. We've got 30 percent who say very well. All that goes with a general sense, of course, prior to last night's attacks of pretty positive sentiment on the part of the American public, and that includes Iraq -- Candy.
CROWLEY: Frank, they're carrying on the sort of large-scale terrorism drills in Seattle and in Chicago. And so on to another sort of terrorist related point, and that is, do Americans fear a bioterrorism attack or has that sort of receded?
NEWPORT: Well, it indeed has receded. It's a good question. We're seeing all of the, as you mentioned, trial heat, so to speak, today, where people are going through the paces if there was an attack.
SARS we thought might increase fear of bioterrorism, even though that's not bioterrorism per se. It brings up the whole specter of that. But we've not seen it at all.
Last time we asked, just six percent are very worried about bioterrorism, 29 somewhat worried. And, Candy, put this in context. This is actually lower fear than the fear of terrorism in general. So right now it's not a big deal to the American public.
CROWLEY: So let's move on to what we think they are worried about, which is the economy. The president is traveling around talking mostly about the economy. Is he saying -- talking about what they need to have talked about?
NEWPORT: Oh, indeed he is. The president doesn't pay attention to polls, but his staff, no doubt, are looking at numbers which show that the American public overwhelmingly says the number one problem facing America today is the economy. In fact, when we asked that -- we've been asking this question, Candy, since World War II, believe it or not. We just asked it again.
Thirty-three percent said it's the economy, the number one problem, 15 percent unemployment, eight percent terrorism. And even lower numbers for things like war and education and healthcare. So, absolutely, the public says it's the economy.
CROWLEY: Frank, thanks very much for keeping your hand on the polls. We'll talk to you later.
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 May 13, 2003 - 15:07 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush said again today that the liberation of Iraq would help prevent terrorism. How do Americans view post-war Iraq and their own security? We want to check in now with Frank Newport, who is editor-in-chief of The Gallup Poll.
Frank, the U.S. just replaced the top administrator in Iraq, widely seen as a suggestion that it's not going very well. How do the American people think it's going?
FRANK NEWPORT, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, THE GALLUP POLL: They think it's going pretty well indeed. All of the changes that we've seen, the reports some places that there's chaos, anarchy in Baghdad, not seen by the American public.
We asked them, how well do you think things are going, Candy, since the conclusion of the war, and you can see the majority at least moderately well. We've got 30 percent who say very well. All that goes with a general sense, of course, prior to last night's attacks of pretty positive sentiment on the part of the American public, and that includes Iraq -- Candy.
CROWLEY: Frank, they're carrying on the sort of large-scale terrorism drills in Seattle and in Chicago. And so on to another sort of terrorist related point, and that is, do Americans fear a bioterrorism attack or has that sort of receded?
NEWPORT: Well, it indeed has receded. It's a good question. We're seeing all of the, as you mentioned, trial heat, so to speak, today, where people are going through the paces if there was an attack.
SARS we thought might increase fear of bioterrorism, even though that's not bioterrorism per se. It brings up the whole specter of that. But we've not seen it at all.
Last time we asked, just six percent are very worried about bioterrorism, 29 somewhat worried. And, Candy, put this in context. This is actually lower fear than the fear of terrorism in general. So right now it's not a big deal to the American public.
CROWLEY: So let's move on to what we think they are worried about, which is the economy. The president is traveling around talking mostly about the economy. Is he saying -- talking about what they need to have talked about?
NEWPORT: Oh, indeed he is. The president doesn't pay attention to polls, but his staff, no doubt, are looking at numbers which show that the American public overwhelmingly says the number one problem facing America today is the economy. In fact, when we asked that -- we've been asking this question, Candy, since World War II, believe it or not. We just asked it again.
Thirty-three percent said it's the economy, the number one problem, 15 percent unemployment, eight percent terrorism. And even lower numbers for things like war and education and healthcare. So, absolutely, the public says it's the economy.
CROWLEY: Frank, thanks very much for keeping your hand on the polls. We'll talk to you later.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
