(Angus Reid Consultants – CPOD Global Scan) – Adults in the United States are divided over how lawmakers in the upper house should deal with Supreme Court nominees, according to a poll by Gallup released by CNN and USA Today. 51 per cent of respondents think senators would be justified in voting against a prospective justice if they disagree with the nominee’s stance on current issues such as abor
(Angus Reid Consultants – CPOD Global Scan) – Adults in the United States are divided over how lawmakers in the upper house should deal with Supreme Court nominees, according to a poll by Gallup released by CNN and USA Today. 51 per cent of respondents think senators would be justified in voting against a prospective justice if they disagree with the nominee’s stance on current issues such as abortion, gun control or affirmative action, while 46 per cent disagree.
In October, U.S. Supreme Court chief justice William Rehnquist was hospitalized and treated for thyroid cancer. Eight of the nine current justices are over 65 years of age, and three members—Sandra Day O’Connor, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and John Paul Stevens—have had health problems.
In the U.S., Supreme Court justices are appointed by the president and confirmed by a majority vote in the Senate. In the Oct. 13 presidential debate, George W. Bush said, “I will pick judges who will interpret the Constitution, but I’ll have no litmus test.”
Polling Data
Do you think U.S. senators would be justified or unjustified in voting against a Supreme Court nominee if they disagree with the nominee’s stance on current issues such as abortion, gun control or affirmative action?
Justified | 51% |
Unjustified | 46% |
Source: Gallup / CNN / USA Today
Methodology: Telephone interviews to 1,007 American adults, conducted from Jan. 14 to Jan. 16, 2005. Margin of error is 3 per cent.
