CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, legislation to establish permanent normal trade relations with China, as we've been referring to it as PNTR, is supported by the business community and opposed by organized labor; and it presents an election year dilemma for lawmakers. So how does the American public feel about it? Frank Newport, editor-in-chief of the Gallup Poll, joins us now from Princeton, New Jersey with more on that -- Frank.</s>FRANK NEWPORT, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, GALLUP POLL: Good morning, Carol. Some strange political bedfellows have come out of all this trade bill legislation. Let's look at what the political implications might be. First point we should say is: The bill is now favored by the American public as of our weekend poll. It's right over here, it's 56 to 37, everybody in America put together in this thing. We compared that to NAFTA, right before that vote on November of 1993 and you could see NAFTA really broke even. So this bill is more favored than that controversial bill was then. Interestingly enough, when we look at rank and file Republicans and Democrats nationally, we find a majority of both favor the bill; even though generally speaking it's been Democrats who have been somewhat more recalcitrant in Congress to vote for it. Republicans have been more in favor of it. You can see actually there's a slight tilt in the other direction nationally: people who call themselves Democrats are actually a little more supportive as you can see here than Republicans. That's not the case in Congress. I think the key take away here is majorities of both Democrats and Republicans nationally say they favor the bill. Now this has really been a centerpiece of Bill Clinton's efforts over the last year. But look here: his economy ratings are very high; his overall rating is pretty high; but foreign trade, he gets pretty low ratings. So Clinton may need a boost. If he can get this bill passed, these ratings may go back up. That's where the public stands on the eve of this vote. Carol and Leon, back to you.</s>LIN: Thanks, Frank.
Gallup Poll: Majority of Americans Favor PNTR