Monday's CBS Early Show touted a new 60 Minutes/Vanity Fair poll [1] about American cultural attitudes, with CBSNews.com's Cali Carlin asking co-host Maggie Rodriguez one of the survey questions: "Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton, Angelina Jolie or Beyonce...Who would you want to swap lives with for a week?" Rodriguez immediately responded: "Hands down, Michelle Obama."
Carlin happily declared that Rodriguez, who had not yet seen the poll results, was "in step with mainstream America." Carlin further explained: "26% of women we surveyed said they'd want to switch with Michelle Obama. In fact overall, Washington beat out Hollywood, surprisingly. So both Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton beat out Angelina Jolie and Beyonce."
The poll had a similar question for men, as Vanity Fair online editor Michael Hogan asked co-host Harry Smith: "Okay, so the choices are George Clooney, Bruce Springsteen, Barack Obama, or Tom Brady. So what do you think?" Smith went the Hollywood route: "George Clooney... I mean that's who I would switch places with. I mean, I know he wants to switch places with me, obviously." Rodriguez joked: "We could arrange that."
Smith too was declared to be "in the mainstream" by Hogan, who revealed that the poll showed "most people, across all ages, wanted to be like George Clooney, or have his life for a week." Hogan went on to describe President Obama's second place spot: "when it came to Barack Obama, there was an age split. Younger people really wanted to give it a shot. And older people just thought forget it."
In the newly established monthly poll, CBS News chose to collaborate with the Left-wing magazine, whose national editor Todd Purdum said in a June article [2] that former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin's: "life has sometimes played out like an unholy amalgam of Desperate Housewives and Northern Exposure."
Here is a full transcript of the Early Show segment:
8:40AM
HARRY SMITH: We may think we know what Americans are feeling these days, but we've got a good way to actually figure out for sure. That's because a new poll commissioned by 60 Minutes and Vanity Fair has been released and digs deep inside what Americans are really thinking. Here with the results are Cali Carlin from CBSNews.com and Michael Hogan, executive on-line editor for Vanity Fair. Good morning.
MICHAEL HOGAN: Good morning.
CALI CARLIN: Good morning.
SMITH: People are buzzing about this already, all over the country, as it's been released. But I promised not actually look at the results so we get, you know, have some fun with this, this morning, alright?
HOGAN: Well, we can start with you because the first question we want to talk about, we asked men which famous person, if you had a chance, would you like to switch places with for a week. Okay, so the choices are George Clooney, Bruce Springsteen, Barack Obama, or Tom Brady. So what do you think?
SMITH: George Clooney.
HOGAN: George Clooney.
SMITH: I mean that's who I would switch places with. I mean, I know he wants to switch places with me, obviously.
MAGGIE RODRIGUEZ: We could arrange that.
SMITH: I mean, that's - that would be mine. I - I don't know how to guess what people would guess-
HOGAN: Well, you're in the mainstream. That's what most people thought. Clooney just took it away.
RODRIGUEZ: Makes sense.
HOGAN: We knew he was the man, but now we have proof.
SMITH: He is the man.
HOGAN: And the interesting thing, though, is that - is most people, across all ages, wanted to be like George Clooney, or have his life for a week, but when it came to Barack Obama, there was an age split. Younger people really wanted to give it a shot. And older people just thought forget it, give me the Lake Como lifestyle.
SMITH: It's too hard.
CARLIN: Older people really wanted to be the Boss, too.
SMITH: Yeah.
LOGAN: Oh that's true.
SMITH: Well, Springsteen did turn 60 last year.
RODRIGUEZ: I think it's because George Clooney kind of does it all. He's a movie star, he dates hot women, he's an activist-
CARLIN: He's got a full life.
RODRIGUEZ: -he's everything you'd want to be.
HOGAN: He's a Renaissance man.
RODRIGUEZ: Yeah.
CARLIN: Maggie, your turn, though-
SMITH: No, I'm going to switch, because I'm - that's too much like my life.
RODRIGUEZ [LAUGHING]: Okay.
CARLIN: Maggie's turn, though. We also asked the ladies, and the options we gave them were Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton, Angelina Jolie or Beyonce. So what would be your choice? Who would you want to swap lives with for a week?
RODRIGUEZ: Hands down, Michelle Obama.
CARLIN: Well, you are also in step with mainstream America.
RODRIGUEZ: Really?
CARLIN: Yeah, 26% of women we surveyed said they'd want to switch with Michelle Obama. In fact overall, Washington beat out Hollywood, surprisingly. So both Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton beat out Angelina Jolie and Beyonce. In fact-
SMITH: I think you got a little Beyonce in you, though.
RODRIGUEZ: Well, you saw me dancing.
CARLIN: Michelle Obama beat Angelina Jolie by a ratio of 2 to 1, so.
RODRIGUEZ: She did?
SMITH: What else you got?
CARLIN: Twitter. I know you both have heard of Twitter because you're both on Twitter. So what do you think about it? Do you think it's an important new tool or do you think it is a fad that will fade?
RODRIGUEZ: Oh, I know what I think. You want to go first?
SMITH: Go.
RODRIGUEZ: I think it's a fad. Sorry, Twitter.
CARLIN: Harry?
SMITH: I don't care.
CARLIN: Well, more than half-
HOGAN: That wasn't one of the options, I don't think. But it should have been, probably.
CARLIN: It should've been. Well, 15 - only 15% of people we surveyed think it's an important tool. More than half of young people say that it is a fad that will fade.
RODRIGUEZ: Because we hear of so many of these that come in and out all the time.
SMITH: Young people say that?
CARLIN: Young people. But actually more than 90% of those we surveyed have heard it, so that's an upside. That is pretty impressive awareness.
SMITH: We have time for one more.
HOGAN: Well, the question that's getting a lot of buzz is which company symbolizes America? Goldman Sachs, Microsoft, Google, the NFL, or Walmart. So what do you think?
SMITH: I actually heard somebody talking about this one today, so I'm going to recuse myself. However comma, the actual right answer is Goldman Sachs.
HOGAN: That's the right answer?
SMITH: That's the right answer. It's not what - what the survey answer is, but that's the right answer.
RODRIGUEZ: I think it's got to be either Google or Walmart.
HOGAN: Well, Walmart took it with 48%, overpowering. And Goldman Sachs had 3%.
CARLIN: Sorry, Harry.
HOGAN: So even if you're right, you're-
SMITH: I don't think people know who that is. I think the survey people didn't actually - they don't-
HOGAN: They asked the question wrong.
RODRIGUEZ: No.
[LAUGHTER]
SMITH: There you go. Cali, Michael.
RODRIGUEZ: What a great way to take the pulse of the country, right?
HOGAN: Yeah, we'll be back with these every month. We're going to do one a month.
SMITH: There you go. And you can see more of the poll online at 60Minutes.com. And in the upcoming issue of Vanity Fair or VanityFair.com. There you go. And check out Cali and Michael's web show this afternoon on CBSNews.com.
-Kyle Drennen is a news analyst at the Media Research Center.