Poll: Fewer support Gore challenge

By CNN Polling Director Keating Holland

November 27, 2000
Web posted at: 11:07 p.m. EST (0407 GMT)

Six in ten Americans now think the battle over the presidential election has gone on too long and a majority of Americans interviewed before Al Gore's prime-time speech on Monday said that he should concede the election, according to a new CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll.

Nonetheless, most Americans say that they would be able to accept either Bush or Gore as the legitimate president -- although, in a sign of growing partisan tensions, a majority of Bush supporters now say that they would not accept a Gore administration as legitimate.

The stakes were high for Gore's Monday night speech, since he had been losing support in interviews conducted before his televised address.

Last week, 46 percent said they thought Gore should concede, but Sunday and Monday, before Gore's speech, that figure had risen to 56 percent -- including 36 percent of those who described themselves as Gore supporters.

Pre-speech interviews give another indication of a drop in Gore's support: Two weeks ago, a majority of Americans said they approved of how Gore's campaign was handling the Florida recount. Last week, that number dipped slightly, and in interviews conducted just before Gore's speech, only 42 percent said they approved of Gore's handling of the current situation.

The number of Americans who approve of how Bush has handled the situation has remained steady, hovering just above the 50 percent mark. In that same time, the number who say they are willing to wait at least a little while longer for a final outcome to the presidential election has dropped from 51 percent to 37 percent.

Only one in 10 say that this is currently a constitutional crisis, and more than six in 10 say that the electoral overtime has not done permanent harm to the country.

The poll was conducted from interviews with 881 adult Americans conducted November 26-27, 2000. All interviews were conducted after the Florida secretary of state officially certified the results and declared Bush the winner and before Gore's nationally televised speech on Monday.

CNN/USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL
November 26-27

Which comes closer to your view -- You are willing to wait at least a little while longer for a final resolution to the presidential election or the presidential election situation has gone on too long already?

                                      Last

                            Now       Week       

Gone on too long already    62%       n/a

Willing to wait longer      37         51

CNN/USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL
November 26-27

In your opinion, should Al Gore concede the election?

                Last

         Now    Week


Yes      56%     46%

No       38      46


Sampling error: +/-4% pts

CNN/USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL
November 26-27

Approval of how Gore campaign is handling recount

Now              42%

November 19      48

November 11-12   52

CNN/USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL
November 26-27

Would you say that you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush/Al Gore and his campaign advisers has handled the situation surrounding the results of the election for president?

             Bush     Gore


Approve       54%      42%

Disapprove    41       54


Sampling error: +/-4% pts

CNN/USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL
November 26-27

Which of these statements do you think best describes the situation that has occurred since the election for president -- it is a constitutional crisis, it is a major problem for the country but is not a crisis, it is a minor problem for the country, or it is not a problem for the country at all?

Crisis             10%

Major problem      50

Minor problem      29

Not a problem       9

CNN/USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL
November 26-27

On another matter, are you concerned or not concerned that Republican vice presidential candidate Dick Cheney's health problems would prevent him from serving effectively as vice president?

Yes     30%

No      68

CNN/USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL
November 26-27

If Al Gore is declared the winner and is inaugurated next January, would you accept him as the legitimate president? If George W. Bush is declared the winner and is inaugurated next January, would you accept him as the legitimate president?

Bush        84%

Gore        74


Sampling error: +/-4% pts

CNN/USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL
November 26-27

TO BUSH SUPPORTERS ONLY: If Al Gore is declared the winner and is inaugurated next January, would you accept him as the legitimate president, or not?

Legitimate        46%

Not legitimate    53


Sampling error: +/-6% pts

CNN/USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL
November 26-27

Al Gore has officially contested the Florida election results that the secretary of state certified last night. Do you approve or disapprove of that action?

Approve       40%

Disapprove    57


Sampling error: +/-4% pts

CNN/USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL
November 26-27

How closely have you been following the news about the current controversy concerning the outcome of the presidential election -- very closely, somewhat closely, not too closely, or not at all closely?

Now             77%

November 11-12  87

CNN/USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL
November 26-27

Would you say that you strongly approve, approve, disapprove, or strongly disapprove of the way the news media have handled the situation surrounding the results of Tuesday's election for president?

              Now    Nov. 11-12


Approve       48%      39%

Disapprove    48       55

CNN/USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL
November 26-27

Do you think the media have been paying too much attention or the right amount of attention to the election situation in Florida?

Yes       47%

No        51

CNN/USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL
November 26-27

Which comes closer to your view -- there has been permanent harm done to the United States as a result of the election process this year, or there has been no permanent harm done to the United States as a result of the election process this year?

Yes      37%

No       62

CNN/USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL
November 26-27

Thinking about the media's coverage of the Florida recount, do you think the media have been -- biased in favor of Al Gore or biased in favor of George W. Bush, or has it not been biased toward either candidate?

Biased toward Gore    23%

Biased toward Bush    10

Not biased            63

CNN/USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL
November 26-27

On another matter, are you concerned or not concerned that Republican vice presidential candidate Dick Cheney's health problems would prevent him from serving effectively as vice president?

Yes     30%

No      68