Poll: Americans generally approve of Cabinet appointments

NEW YORK (CNN) -- President-elect George W. Bush's choices for his new administration are viewed favorably by a majority of Americans, but his choice of John Ashcroft for attorney general is opposed by a narrow margin, according to a Newsweek poll released Saturday.

Among those polled, 41 per cent said Congress should reject Ashcroft's nomination, while 37 per cent said his nomination should be approved. Americans polled approved, by a 57-28 per cent margin, of Bush's choices to fill his cabinet-level positions.

The public remains split on its opinion of Bush as a leader, with 38 per cent of those polled saying they have a favorable opinion of him. Thirty-three per cent have a less favorable opinion of him since he became president-elect. Down from a high of 75 per cent, 60 per cent say Bush is intelligent and well -informed, while 56 per cent say he has strong leadership qualities.

Nearly half of those polled, 48 per cent, have a favorable opinion of the future first lady, Laura Bush. Only 11 per cent of those polled said they had an unfavorable opinion of her.

The poll is in the January 22 issue of the magazine.