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American Voices
Aired December 16, 2003 - 14:41 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.
PHILLIPS: Well, financial news leads off our "American Voices" segment today. Investors have a lot of new figures to pour over as U.S. factories ramp up production. Are they telling signs the economy is on the mend?
Gallup Poll editor in chief Frank Newport live in Princeton, New Jersey. What do Americans say, Frank? It's the start of an economic turn around?
FRANK NEWPORT, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, GALLUP POLL: Indeed, we're getting some quite positive feedback from the public, of course that's what matters for a lot of what happens economically because the retail spending is at the core of any kind of recovery.
Two questions that we track month by month, the trajectory of both is up, Kyra. Rate the current economy, this is the percent of Americans who say it's excellent or good. Thirty-eight percent now. Goes up each month. That's not tremendous. It was well above 50 percent (UNINTELLIGIBLE) years, but nevertheless you can see the progress (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
This is the one where we've seen the most change. Is the economy getting better or is it getting worse? Expectations measure, you couldn't see a more dramatic picture than this graph. This is a key graph. Stare at it carefully. Look at that. Back in September 50 percent of the public said the economy was getting worse. That line's gone all of the way down to 32. The getting better line, up to 60 percent now.
Kyra, this is as optimistic that we've seen Americans since August of 2000, the tail end of the economic boom.
PHILLIPS: Many people are seeing things pick up. Is there any improvement on the job front?
NEWPORT: That's the fly in the ointment. A little improvement here. This is the question. Is now a good time to be look for a quality job? Back in August, 81 percent said no, that's down to 68 percent saying no. So it's a little bitter.
But still you can see the majority of Americans saying it's not. We're not see a great pick up here yet. Clearly, Americans are not convinced it's hiring time again across the country.
PHILLIPS: Secretary of State Colin Powell is recover recovering from his prostate cancer surgery. Is it fair to say he's the most admired member of the Bush administration right now?
NEWPORT: I would say he's the most admired politician of any type. Generally speaking, one of the most admired people in America no matter what the profession. Tremendously well-regarded individual.
Our last favorable rating on him, 83 percent. This is important because he's a politician, Republican administration but it doesn't matter. Democrats as well as Republicans say they really admire Secretary of State Colin Powell. I'm sure they're all wishing him well today in his recovery.
PHILLIPS: Michael Jackson is going to be charged with molestation on Thursday. How do they view him right now.
NEWPORT: Unfavorable opinion. It's been unfavorable. We've measured him before. We asked, are the charges probably true or probably not true? There is a racial divide in the country on Michael Jackson just like on O.J. Simpson.
White Americans, six out of ten say the charges are probably true. That's just their guess, of course. Black Americans, six out of ten say the charges are probably not true. The same phenomenon here, black Americans pulling behind Michael Jackson. Whites assume guilt right off the bat.
PHILLIPS: Frank Newport giving us the pulse of Americans there. Thank you.
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 December 16, 2003 - 14:41 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PHILLIPS: Well, financial news leads off our "American Voices" segment today. Investors have a lot of new figures to pour over as U.S. factories ramp up production. Are they telling signs the economy is on the mend?
Gallup Poll editor in chief Frank Newport live in Princeton, New Jersey. What do Americans say, Frank? It's the start of an economic turn around?
FRANK NEWPORT, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, GALLUP POLL: Indeed, we're getting some quite positive feedback from the public, of course that's what matters for a lot of what happens economically because the retail spending is at the core of any kind of recovery.
Two questions that we track month by month, the trajectory of both is up, Kyra. Rate the current economy, this is the percent of Americans who say it's excellent or good. Thirty-eight percent now. Goes up each month. That's not tremendous. It was well above 50 percent (UNINTELLIGIBLE) years, but nevertheless you can see the progress (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
This is the one where we've seen the most change. Is the economy getting better or is it getting worse? Expectations measure, you couldn't see a more dramatic picture than this graph. This is a key graph. Stare at it carefully. Look at that. Back in September 50 percent of the public said the economy was getting worse. That line's gone all of the way down to 32. The getting better line, up to 60 percent now.
Kyra, this is as optimistic that we've seen Americans since August of 2000, the tail end of the economic boom.
PHILLIPS: Many people are seeing things pick up. Is there any improvement on the job front?
NEWPORT: That's the fly in the ointment. A little improvement here. This is the question. Is now a good time to be look for a quality job? Back in August, 81 percent said no, that's down to 68 percent saying no. So it's a little bitter.
But still you can see the majority of Americans saying it's not. We're not see a great pick up here yet. Clearly, Americans are not convinced it's hiring time again across the country.
PHILLIPS: Secretary of State Colin Powell is recover recovering from his prostate cancer surgery. Is it fair to say he's the most admired member of the Bush administration right now?
NEWPORT: I would say he's the most admired politician of any type. Generally speaking, one of the most admired people in America no matter what the profession. Tremendously well-regarded individual.
Our last favorable rating on him, 83 percent. This is important because he's a politician, Republican administration but it doesn't matter. Democrats as well as Republicans say they really admire Secretary of State Colin Powell. I'm sure they're all wishing him well today in his recovery.
PHILLIPS: Michael Jackson is going to be charged with molestation on Thursday. How do they view him right now.
NEWPORT: Unfavorable opinion. It's been unfavorable. We've measured him before. We asked, are the charges probably true or probably not true? There is a racial divide in the country on Michael Jackson just like on O.J. Simpson.
White Americans, six out of ten say the charges are probably true. That's just their guess, of course. Black Americans, six out of ten say the charges are probably not true. The same phenomenon here, black Americans pulling behind Michael Jackson. Whites assume guilt right off the bat.
PHILLIPS: Frank Newport giving us the pulse of Americans there. Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
