Deployment Rates Close Attention : News survey: Americans found troops in Saudi Arabia more interesting than the Panama invasion.

WASHINGTON — Roughly two-thirds of Americans said they are paying “very close” attention to news about the deployment of American troops to Saudi Arabia, according to a survey to be released today.

That is more people than paid close attention to the invasion of Panama last January, but fewer than closely watched some other major news events, including the ordeal of Jessica McClure, the little girl who was trapped in a Texas well three years ago.

The findings are included in the Times Mirror News Interest Index, a monthly survey that examines public reaction to the news. The latest poll, which interviewed 1,213 adults Aug. 9-12, has a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points. Survey organizers also warn that the wording of questions could introduce bias or error in the results.

While the Middle East crisis riveted Americans’ attention compared to most news stories, the poll suggests that it was less intently tracked than the 1986 space shuttle Challenger explosion, which was “very closely” followed by 80% of Americans; last year’s San Francisco earthquake, at 73%, or the 1987 Jessica McClure story, 69%.

Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait and the deployment of U.S. troops to neighboring Saudi Arabia, however, attracted more attention than the 60% who closely followed the Panama invasion or Hurricane Hugo last year, or the 58% who followed U.S. air strikes against Libya in 1986.

Nonetheless, the survey found unprecedented agreement among Americans about the importance of the Middle East situation: 85% said it is the most important news of the month. While the figure may not seem surprising, the previous high mark was 56% for the Panama invasion.

The public also appears unusually well informed about the Iraqi situation. Significant majorities said they knew that the Soviet Union is supporting American efforts to have Iraq withdraw from Kuwait (66%) and that other countries will be sending forces to Saudi Arabia along with the United States (64%). The findings suggest that the Bush Administration has succeeded in getting its message across to the American people.

Similarly, the poll suggests that Americans have grasped the significance of the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, even in the absence of an elaborate explanation by the Administration.

In addition, 57% of those surveyed said they are very closely following news about gasoline price increases, making the price changes one of the 10 most-followed news stories in the three years the poll has been conducted.

The public also is increasingly worried about the economy, the poll indicates. Roughly 30% of Americans said they have been following very closely news about the economy over the last four weeks. In May, by contrast, just 18% said that they were following economic news so closely.

But one element of the economic story seems to strike Americans as less significant. Only 18% said they are very closely following budget-cutting negotiations between Congress and the White House.

The Supreme Court nomination of David Souter attracted the very close attention of just 16% of Americans, about the same percentage as followed the controversial nomination of Robert Bork in 1987. The nomination also failed to reflect the intensity of interest usually devoted to stories that might affect abortion policy.

Among other stories, celebrity Roseanne Barr’s rendition of the national anthem attracted more close attention among the public (21%) than the apparent banishment of direct involvement in baseball of Yankee owner George Steinbrenner (12%). The difference, according to poll results, is that women generally do not care about Steinbrenner.

AWARENESS OF THE NEWS Percentage of Americans who paid very close attention to the following news stories. U.S. into Persian Gulf: 66% Gasoline prices increase: 57 Condition of U.S. economy: 30 U.S. Marines in Liberia: 27 Roseanne Barr’s anthem: 21 Budget deficit talks: 18 Mayor Barry’ mistrial: 16 Souter nomination: 16 Country club race bias, golf: 15 ANC folds armed struggle: 12 Steinbrenner strikes out: 12 Pakistan’s Bhutto fired: 4

The margin of error is plus or minus three percentage points.