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American Morning

Polls Demonstrate Public Support for President Bush's Actions in China Standoff

Aired April 10, 2001 - 11:33   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: The reconnaissance plane standoff between the U.S. and China has been going on now for 10 days; more than long enough for some Americans to have reached opinions about it. So, let's find out what they think.

To Princeton, New Jersey we go now to Gallup editor-in-chief Frank Newport. Hi, Frank.

FRANK NEWPORT, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, GALLUP POLL: Hello, Kyra. In fact, our summary from our latest poll just taken over the weekend, is the public behind of what is the administration is doing, at least to do this point?

Let's show you the numbers. The overall job approval rating for Bush is up, President Bush, by about six points from the last time we did it. That's a rally affect. See, it was down to 53 percent. Now up to 59. Interestingly, Jimmy Carter's went up by about the same amount when those hostages were taken back in late '79 in Iran. That's what we kind of expect.

We did ask how well do you think Bush is handling this specific situation with the spy plane. Sixty-one percent approve of how he's doing that, about the same number. So generally, the public is behind where the president is. Who's fault was the crash? That's at issue, of course. Americans overwhelmingly saying it was not the United States' fault that the plane crashed, that the fighter jet from China. Only 13 percent said the U.S. is at fault.

And that leads us to that key question about apologize, not apologize. Here are the numbers: 40 percent of Americans, roughly, say the U.S. should apologize, but 54 percent, no, the U.S. should not. So, the majority right night now, but not a huge majority, say don't apologize. One of the reasons this number is so high, Kyra, is there's a big gender gap, 20-point gender gap. Women, 51 percent say go ahead and apologize to get the crew back. Men, however, much more hard-lined. Just 31 percent of men say apologize here. Not atypical from what we typically find.

That's where Americans stand on this very important issue. Kyra, Daryn, back to you.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Frank, thank you very much.

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