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CNN Sunday Morning
Interview With Regina Lewis
Aired December 15, 2002 - 09:22 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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: From the front page to the Web page, what's making news is getting big hits on the Internet. What topics are the hottest? Let's check in with Regina Lewis from AOL. She joins us today from New York City.
Good morning.
REGINA LEWIS, AOL: Hey, Carol.
COSTELLO: So, tell us what the hottest topic is, online.
LEWIS: Well, far and away the biggest news story was Trent Lott and the surrounding controversy. More than a million people weighed in on related polls. Now, these results are not scientific. I'm sure that both parties are doing their own stealth polling. But it's hard to argue with a base of a million people. Here's what they said.
Early in the week, they were asked if they considered the remarks to be racially charged. And 53 percent said they did. Then, of course, Bush came out and denounced the remarks, and a lot of high- level officials and civic rights groups spoke up.
So, later in the week, another poll was put online saying, Should Senator Lott resign? And 53 percent of people said yes, he has a history of racial insensitive remarks.
Then also we asked, does it deserve the attention it's getting? And, again, 53 percent of people said yeah, this one's absolutely worth talking about. I don't think that the story is over. And certainly, the online crowd thinks, there's stuff to look at here.
COSTELLO: You're not kidding. Do you want to get into the message board excerpts if we have time?
LEWIS: Yes, there were others. Lott's remarks were inexcusable. I think he was just honoring an old man who turned 100. That's somebody coming to his side.
If you have an opinion on the Lott situation, and you want to get in touch with him, his contact information is posted online, on a site called governmentguide.com, which is a joint venture between AOL, CNN and "Time" magazine. I'll give out his e-mail for you. It is senator@lott.senate.gov.
COSTELLO: Ooh, like to take a look at his mailbox. Talk about Cardinal Bernard Law, because I know that has to be a hot topic as well.
LEWIS: It also was. It had a little bit of a different tone. A lot of people writing prayers directly to the cardinal saying, hey, you'll be redeemed, we're praying for you. On the other hand, of course, some cynics as well saying -- I think this is probably an intentional pun -- watch for other cards to fall. And on the bankruptcy side, are they declaring financial or moral bankruptcy here? So, it is a certain -- a very hot topic, particularly in Boston regional web sites.
COSTELLO: I bet. Regina Lewis, thanks so much. We appreciate it.
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 15, 2002 - 09:22 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: From the front page to the Web page, what's making news is getting big hits on the Internet. What topics are the hottest? Let's check in with Regina Lewis from AOL. She joins us today from New York City.
Good morning.
REGINA LEWIS, AOL: Hey, Carol.
COSTELLO: So, tell us what the hottest topic is, online.
LEWIS: Well, far and away the biggest news story was Trent Lott and the surrounding controversy. More than a million people weighed in on related polls. Now, these results are not scientific. I'm sure that both parties are doing their own stealth polling. But it's hard to argue with a base of a million people. Here's what they said.
Early in the week, they were asked if they considered the remarks to be racially charged. And 53 percent said they did. Then, of course, Bush came out and denounced the remarks, and a lot of high- level officials and civic rights groups spoke up.
So, later in the week, another poll was put online saying, Should Senator Lott resign? And 53 percent of people said yes, he has a history of racial insensitive remarks.
Then also we asked, does it deserve the attention it's getting? And, again, 53 percent of people said yeah, this one's absolutely worth talking about. I don't think that the story is over. And certainly, the online crowd thinks, there's stuff to look at here.
COSTELLO: You're not kidding. Do you want to get into the message board excerpts if we have time?
LEWIS: Yes, there were others. Lott's remarks were inexcusable. I think he was just honoring an old man who turned 100. That's somebody coming to his side.
If you have an opinion on the Lott situation, and you want to get in touch with him, his contact information is posted online, on a site called governmentguide.com, which is a joint venture between AOL, CNN and "Time" magazine. I'll give out his e-mail for you. It is senator@lott.senate.gov.
COSTELLO: Ooh, like to take a look at his mailbox. Talk about Cardinal Bernard Law, because I know that has to be a hot topic as well.
LEWIS: It also was. It had a little bit of a different tone. A lot of people writing prayers directly to the cardinal saying, hey, you'll be redeemed, we're praying for you. On the other hand, of course, some cynics as well saying -- I think this is probably an intentional pun -- watch for other cards to fall. And on the bankruptcy side, are they declaring financial or moral bankruptcy here? So, it is a certain -- a very hot topic, particularly in Boston regional web sites.
COSTELLO: I bet. Regina Lewis, thanks so much. We appreciate it.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
