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America's Voices: Terror Alert
Aired December 23, 2003 - 14:32 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: Well, here with more on how Americans are dealing with the heightened terror alert is Frank Newport, editor- in-chief of the Gallup Poll. Franks, are the Americans now more concerned about what they're dealing with this Orange alert level?
FRANK NEWPORT, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, GALLUP POLL: Indeed, it's a little paradoxical because Bush and Ridge have said go about your holiday festivities as you would otherwise but clearly one of the purposes of the heightened alert was to make Americans more conscious of terrorism.
And that's why I thought I would give you on context. Every month we ask Americans what's the most important problem facing the country? It's open-ended. Here's the percent who say terrorism.
Notice how it's gone down since 9/11. Right after 9/11, 46 percent, then 24 percent in December 2001, 18 percent last December and now this month, only 9 percent. The data before, of course, Sunday's alert. But only 9 percent of Americans spontaneously said terrorism.
So clearly, if that was the purpose of the Orange alert, it was needed because most Americans don't think of terrorism right now when they think of problems facing the country.
PHILLIPS: Frank, let's talk about economic rally. What do you think, 2004 looking good?
NEWPORT: Indeed. Front page of "The Washington Post" today with their latest poling. Every poll that I looked at recently, barring one exception, has shown remarkable recovery in terms of attitudes about the economy.
Look at this. Our UBS/Gallup index of investor optimism, these are investors. That big high point there, Kyra, the mountain range there, that's back in the boom years. Notice how it fell down and came back up in the spring of 2002. It's been way down in the basement. Look at that.
But notice the right-hand side, this month now we continued to climb this high point on investor optimism. It's about as good as we've seen it in 21 months. And things are looking good from the eyes of the average American. No question about that, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: How about some fun stuff here. Two days before Christmas. Kids are exploring every nook and cranny, hoping to uncover those holiday presents. When do those gifts get opened, Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
PHILLIPS: That's the fascination question that George Gallup who founded our company was asking Americans back in 1954. We went back and found it, so we said let's ask it again.
Here's the results are in. We get the envelopes, please. It is Christmas Day, 65 percent of Americans. Just 21 percent on Christmas Eve and 12 percent both.
By the way, Kyra, that is higher than it was in the early '50s. It was just a little over 50 percent. A lot more opened them on Christmas Eve.
Also in a fascinating additional fact from the American public for you I thought you would be interested in, do you like to be surprised or do you like to ask specifically for a gift and get what you want? Americans like the idea of being surprised.
Well over 2 to 1 ratio, 68 percent of the Americans say even if it doesn't fit or not the color I wanted, surprise me on Christmas Day -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right. Frank, don't call me mom because she'll tell you how I used to open the presents up, wrap them back up and put them under the tree. I was never surprised, unfortunately.
NEWPORT: Happy holidays to you, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Happy Holidays to you too, Frank. Thanks.
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 23, 2003 - 14:32 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, here with more on how Americans are dealing with the heightened terror alert is Frank Newport, editor- in-chief of the Gallup Poll. Franks, are the Americans now more concerned about what they're dealing with this Orange alert level?
FRANK NEWPORT, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, GALLUP POLL: Indeed, it's a little paradoxical because Bush and Ridge have said go about your holiday festivities as you would otherwise but clearly one of the purposes of the heightened alert was to make Americans more conscious of terrorism.
And that's why I thought I would give you on context. Every month we ask Americans what's the most important problem facing the country? It's open-ended. Here's the percent who say terrorism.
Notice how it's gone down since 9/11. Right after 9/11, 46 percent, then 24 percent in December 2001, 18 percent last December and now this month, only 9 percent. The data before, of course, Sunday's alert. But only 9 percent of Americans spontaneously said terrorism.
So clearly, if that was the purpose of the Orange alert, it was needed because most Americans don't think of terrorism right now when they think of problems facing the country.
PHILLIPS: Frank, let's talk about economic rally. What do you think, 2004 looking good?
NEWPORT: Indeed. Front page of "The Washington Post" today with their latest poling. Every poll that I looked at recently, barring one exception, has shown remarkable recovery in terms of attitudes about the economy.
Look at this. Our UBS/Gallup index of investor optimism, these are investors. That big high point there, Kyra, the mountain range there, that's back in the boom years. Notice how it fell down and came back up in the spring of 2002. It's been way down in the basement. Look at that.
But notice the right-hand side, this month now we continued to climb this high point on investor optimism. It's about as good as we've seen it in 21 months. And things are looking good from the eyes of the average American. No question about that, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: How about some fun stuff here. Two days before Christmas. Kids are exploring every nook and cranny, hoping to uncover those holiday presents. When do those gifts get opened, Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
PHILLIPS: That's the fascination question that George Gallup who founded our company was asking Americans back in 1954. We went back and found it, so we said let's ask it again.
Here's the results are in. We get the envelopes, please. It is Christmas Day, 65 percent of Americans. Just 21 percent on Christmas Eve and 12 percent both.
By the way, Kyra, that is higher than it was in the early '50s. It was just a little over 50 percent. A lot more opened them on Christmas Eve.
Also in a fascinating additional fact from the American public for you I thought you would be interested in, do you like to be surprised or do you like to ask specifically for a gift and get what you want? Americans like the idea of being surprised.
Well over 2 to 1 ratio, 68 percent of the Americans say even if it doesn't fit or not the color I wanted, surprise me on Christmas Day -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right. Frank, don't call me mom because she'll tell you how I used to open the presents up, wrap them back up and put them under the tree. I was never surprised, unfortunately.
NEWPORT: Happy holidays to you, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Happy Holidays to you too, Frank. Thanks.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
