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'American Voices'
Aired November 04, 2003 - 14:39 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.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: The Democrats have their work cut out for them on tonight's Rock the Vote, especially among those youngsters. That's the lesson of today's edition of "American Voices."
The man with the numbers, our youngster at the Gallup Poll, Frank Newport joining us from Princeton, New Jersey. Got some kids there, too.
Frank, what are voters looking for -- young voters, in particular, looking for this Election Day?
FRANK NEWPORT, GALLUP POLL EDITOR IN CHIEF: Well, it's quite interesting.
You know, the soothsayers are going to be looking (UNINTELLIGIBLE) say, Oh, do the Republicans do better than Democrats? Did Bush's coattails help in Kentucky (UNINTELLIGIBLE)? Here in New Jersey are the Democrats going to hold the legislature and what have you?
But I think the Schwarzenegger effect is important among both old and young voters, Miles. We asked Americans recently: What do you want from the people you elect? Shake things up or promote stability in government? Look at this. This is everybody. Young people as well. Seventy percent say they think things should be shaken up.
Now, Miles, I'll tell you where young people stand in terms of their political leanings. We just heard from your guests there in Boston about anybody that will get Bush out of office. But actually, that's not the case. When we look at 18 to 29-year-olds, they're a little more supportive of Bush than those who are older. This flies in the face of conventional wisdom. A lot of us think back maybe to the Vietnam era, where the young people were the ones protesting, more Democratic in orientation.
But now, Bush over the Democratic candidate, it's a 10-point spread among 18 to 29. That's on the left-hand side there. That's a bigger spread than among those that are 30 and over.
Also, in terms of tonight's eight Democratic candidates, one will be missing, I believe in Boston on the CNN Rock the Vote. The young people out there who are Democrats simply don't have a preference at this point. Clark slightly ahead. Howard Dean comes in at 14. But Lieberman 13. Sharpton actually does better. Dick Gephardt, who I believe will be missing tonight, does less well among young voters. Maybe that's why he's not going to be there.
But no frontrunner among young Democrats, Miles.
O'BRIEN: Perhaps so. Perhaps so. That's interesting numbers for Al Sharpton there.
What about the president and his big aid package for Iraq and Afghanistan? Finally got passage, an historic aid package of $87.5 billion. Congress went along, but the public is not quite so sure, is it?
NEWPORT: That's absolutely correct. This is a clear instance, Miles, of where Congress has just passed something that Bush will sign into law that is against the will of the people. That's why the Senate, I think, did it on a voice vote yesterday so nobody had to be on record of voting for it.
I've seen five different polls now, at least, which have asked the same question. Here's our latest CNN/"USA Today" Gallup poll asking, favor or oppose it. Only 41 percent say yes. The majority of the people say they didn't want Congress to pass the $87 billion. We're going to see what the fallout is from this, of course.
O'BRIEN: All right. Frank Newport, our youngster in Princeton, New Jersey there with the Gallup organization. Always appreciate your view of the numbers there. Thanks much -- Kyra.
NEWPORT: You bet.
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 4, 2003 - 14:39 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: The Democrats have their work cut out for them on tonight's Rock the Vote, especially among those youngsters. That's the lesson of today's edition of "American Voices."
The man with the numbers, our youngster at the Gallup Poll, Frank Newport joining us from Princeton, New Jersey. Got some kids there, too.
Frank, what are voters looking for -- young voters, in particular, looking for this Election Day?
FRANK NEWPORT, GALLUP POLL EDITOR IN CHIEF: Well, it's quite interesting.
You know, the soothsayers are going to be looking (UNINTELLIGIBLE) say, Oh, do the Republicans do better than Democrats? Did Bush's coattails help in Kentucky (UNINTELLIGIBLE)? Here in New Jersey are the Democrats going to hold the legislature and what have you?
But I think the Schwarzenegger effect is important among both old and young voters, Miles. We asked Americans recently: What do you want from the people you elect? Shake things up or promote stability in government? Look at this. This is everybody. Young people as well. Seventy percent say they think things should be shaken up.
Now, Miles, I'll tell you where young people stand in terms of their political leanings. We just heard from your guests there in Boston about anybody that will get Bush out of office. But actually, that's not the case. When we look at 18 to 29-year-olds, they're a little more supportive of Bush than those who are older. This flies in the face of conventional wisdom. A lot of us think back maybe to the Vietnam era, where the young people were the ones protesting, more Democratic in orientation.
But now, Bush over the Democratic candidate, it's a 10-point spread among 18 to 29. That's on the left-hand side there. That's a bigger spread than among those that are 30 and over.
Also, in terms of tonight's eight Democratic candidates, one will be missing, I believe in Boston on the CNN Rock the Vote. The young people out there who are Democrats simply don't have a preference at this point. Clark slightly ahead. Howard Dean comes in at 14. But Lieberman 13. Sharpton actually does better. Dick Gephardt, who I believe will be missing tonight, does less well among young voters. Maybe that's why he's not going to be there.
But no frontrunner among young Democrats, Miles.
O'BRIEN: Perhaps so. Perhaps so. That's interesting numbers for Al Sharpton there.
What about the president and his big aid package for Iraq and Afghanistan? Finally got passage, an historic aid package of $87.5 billion. Congress went along, but the public is not quite so sure, is it?
NEWPORT: That's absolutely correct. This is a clear instance, Miles, of where Congress has just passed something that Bush will sign into law that is against the will of the people. That's why the Senate, I think, did it on a voice vote yesterday so nobody had to be on record of voting for it.
I've seen five different polls now, at least, which have asked the same question. Here's our latest CNN/"USA Today" Gallup poll asking, favor or oppose it. Only 41 percent say yes. The majority of the people say they didn't want Congress to pass the $87 billion. We're going to see what the fallout is from this, of course.
O'BRIEN: All right. Frank Newport, our youngster in Princeton, New Jersey there with the Gallup organization. Always appreciate your view of the numbers there. Thanks much -- Kyra.
NEWPORT: You bet.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
