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American Morning

Poll: Americans Want Bush Gone

Aired November 10, 2003 - 09:08   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.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: New poll numbers on the president. Here now from Washington to break it all down for us, our senior political analyst Bill Schneider back with us here on -- great to see you, Bill.
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Good morning.

HEMMER: Good morning to you also.

"Newsweek" magazine has a poll out. Let's look at it for our viewers. Fifty percent of those surveyed would prefer someone else other than George Bush as president next year. Also on the economy, 44 approve, 48 percent disapprove. Put the numbers together. What do you make of it?

SCHNEIDER: What I make of it is that President Bush is vulnerable next year, but it may not be on the economy.

That poll shows for the first time ever President Bush's ratings on the economy are lower than his ratings -- sorry, are higher than his ratings on Iraq. His ratings on Iraq have been going down.

This election may end up being about Iraq. And that's a tougher issue for Democrats. They start out with less credibility on national security. The public has a fairly nuanced view of the war on Iraq. They think it was a worthwhile thing to do, but they are troubled by the way the post-war situation is going.

And of course, on Iraq, the president has far more influence over the issue than over the economy. A month before the election next year, Saddam Hussein could suddenly be taken. And where would that put the Democrats?

HEMMER: Let's talk more about the Democrats and Howard Dean. He's going to forgo the matching funds, which essentially means during the primary season he can raise more money. A reversal of his statement from many months ago. Does he pay a price for that reversal? Or do you find Democrats are just hungry for a lead horse in this case?

SCHNEIDER: Yes, I think the latter. He is taking some criticism. He'd be the first Democrat ever to refuse matching funds, public financing in the primaries. President Bush has already done that.

President Bush is going to raise $200 million. He doesn't even have a primary opponent. What's he going to do with all that money? Throw it at the eventual Democratic nominee.

If Howard Dean were the nominee and he were to accept public financing, he'd have a spending limit of $45 million. So what he said to justify his position is a Democratic nominee with no money is exactly what the Bush campaign is hoping for.

And my feeling is Democrats will probably say he's right about that.

HEMMER: And we'll see id others follow his lead.

Past three day, Bill, there have been a lot of talk about the Democrats shaping the race for the White House, patterned after George McGovern in the 1970s, about 1972, in fact. Do you a agree with those comparisons at this point?

SCHNEIDER: Well, it does look more and more, as I said, that this race could be about Iraq.

In 1972, the country had turned against the Vietnam War. They thought it was a mistake. But yet when the Democrats nominated George McGovern, they couldn't really make any headway because people thought that his views were too extreme.

A lot of the Democratic establishment is worried that Howard Dean could be another McGovern. But there is one important difference. The country is more evenly divided and Howard Dean is a tough guy. He won't be pushed around. And what Democrats see in him that quality of resilience and toughness that they didn't see in a lot of the other nominees, including George McGovern.

When Bush pushes him they say Dean will push back, if he's the nominee.

HEMMER: Another political ripple to talk about this morning. CNN confirming John Kerry firing his campaign manager. You make of this what at this point in the game?

SCHNEIDER: Kerry needs to restart his campaign. He's got to win New Hampshire to stay in this race. It's a neighboring state, and he's been doing worse and worse in New Hampshire, where he now trails Dean by double digits.

So what he's doing is what you would expect him to do. If he's in trouble, he shakes the campaign up, because he needs a fresh start in New Hampshire. Democrats are looking for someone -- the Democratic establishment is looking for someone to stop Howard Dean. Kerry wants to be the guy to do it, and he's got to do did in New Hampshire.

HEMMER: Thanks, bill. Come back any time. Bill Schneider in D.C.

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 10, 2003 - 09:08   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: New poll numbers on the president. Here now from Washington to break it all down for us, our senior political analyst Bill Schneider back with us here on -- great to see you, Bill.
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Good morning.

HEMMER: Good morning to you also.

"Newsweek" magazine has a poll out. Let's look at it for our viewers. Fifty percent of those surveyed would prefer someone else other than George Bush as president next year. Also on the economy, 44 approve, 48 percent disapprove. Put the numbers together. What do you make of it?

SCHNEIDER: What I make of it is that President Bush is vulnerable next year, but it may not be on the economy.

That poll shows for the first time ever President Bush's ratings on the economy are lower than his ratings -- sorry, are higher than his ratings on Iraq. His ratings on Iraq have been going down.

This election may end up being about Iraq. And that's a tougher issue for Democrats. They start out with less credibility on national security. The public has a fairly nuanced view of the war on Iraq. They think it was a worthwhile thing to do, but they are troubled by the way the post-war situation is going.

And of course, on Iraq, the president has far more influence over the issue than over the economy. A month before the election next year, Saddam Hussein could suddenly be taken. And where would that put the Democrats?

HEMMER: Let's talk more about the Democrats and Howard Dean. He's going to forgo the matching funds, which essentially means during the primary season he can raise more money. A reversal of his statement from many months ago. Does he pay a price for that reversal? Or do you find Democrats are just hungry for a lead horse in this case?

SCHNEIDER: Yes, I think the latter. He is taking some criticism. He'd be the first Democrat ever to refuse matching funds, public financing in the primaries. President Bush has already done that.

President Bush is going to raise $200 million. He doesn't even have a primary opponent. What's he going to do with all that money? Throw it at the eventual Democratic nominee.

If Howard Dean were the nominee and he were to accept public financing, he'd have a spending limit of $45 million. So what he said to justify his position is a Democratic nominee with no money is exactly what the Bush campaign is hoping for.

And my feeling is Democrats will probably say he's right about that.

HEMMER: And we'll see id others follow his lead.

Past three day, Bill, there have been a lot of talk about the Democrats shaping the race for the White House, patterned after George McGovern in the 1970s, about 1972, in fact. Do you a agree with those comparisons at this point?

SCHNEIDER: Well, it does look more and more, as I said, that this race could be about Iraq.

In 1972, the country had turned against the Vietnam War. They thought it was a mistake. But yet when the Democrats nominated George McGovern, they couldn't really make any headway because people thought that his views were too extreme.

A lot of the Democratic establishment is worried that Howard Dean could be another McGovern. But there is one important difference. The country is more evenly divided and Howard Dean is a tough guy. He won't be pushed around. And what Democrats see in him that quality of resilience and toughness that they didn't see in a lot of the other nominees, including George McGovern.

When Bush pushes him they say Dean will push back, if he's the nominee.

HEMMER: Another political ripple to talk about this morning. CNN confirming John Kerry firing his campaign manager. You make of this what at this point in the game?

SCHNEIDER: Kerry needs to restart his campaign. He's got to win New Hampshire to stay in this race. It's a neighboring state, and he's been doing worse and worse in New Hampshire, where he now trails Dean by double digits.

So what he's doing is what you would expect him to do. If he's in trouble, he shakes the campaign up, because he needs a fresh start in New Hampshire. Democrats are looking for someone -- the Democratic establishment is looking for someone to stop Howard Dean. Kerry wants to be the guy to do it, and he's got to do did in New Hampshire.

HEMMER: Thanks, bill. Come back any time. Bill Schneider in D.C.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com