CNN/TIME poll: 55 percent of Americans consider election impasse serious
By CNN Polling Director Keating Holland
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A CNN/TIME poll Saturday indicates many Americans are anxious about the stability of the country because of the presidential election impasse between GOP candidate Texas Gov. George W. Bush and Democratic Vice President Al Gore.
Fifty-five percent of Americans surveyed said the situation was a "serious problem," 28 percent said it was "not a problem," and 15 percent said it was a "crisis."
Only about a quarter of respondents said they believed that Gore should concede immediately; another 27 percent said he should concede if he is behind Bush in the official Florida vote count scheduled to be released next week.
Thirty-nine percent said Gore should hold his concession until any court decisions on contested ballots in Florida are made.
The poll was conducted from interviews with 1,154 adult Americans on November 10.
The public thinks there were serious problems with the voting in Florida but are split on whether any fraud exists in the Sunshine State's voting procedures.
Americans are also split on whether a new election should be held in Palm Beach County, but they reject the notion of holding a new election throughout Florida or nationwide.
A large number of respondents also said they believe the Bush campaign should not ask for recounts in other states with close results. Americans think both campaigns have acted responsibly so far.
Who will be the next president of the United States? Sixty-nine percent of all Americans -- and a majority of Gore voters -- think it will be Bush.
According to the survey, the public thinks Gore would have won the election if Green Party candidate Ralph Nader had not run for president, and 58 percent said that Gore should run in 2004 if he does not win this year.
But the big losers this year are the media -- nearly eight in ten said the TV news media acted irresponsibly on election night by broadcasting winner projections based on exit polls.
Eighty-seven percent said the media were more interested in getting the results out first, rather than in getting them right.
CNN/TIME POLL
November 10
Current Status of Presidential Election
Crisis 15%
Serious problem 55
Not a problem 28
Sampling error: +/-3% pts
Anxious About the Stability of the Country?
Yes 47%
No 50
Sampling error: +/-3% pts
Angry About Current Situation?
Yes 37%
No 62
Sampling error: +/-3% pts
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