(CPOD) Nov. 30, 2004 - Many adults in the United States believe their president should appoint judges to the Supreme Court who would sustain abortion rights, according to a poll by Ipsos released by the Associated Press. 59 per cent of respondents say George W. Bush should nominate justices who would uphold the Roe v. Wade ruling.

Last month, 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 1973, the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court ruling gave American women the right to an abortion in the first trimester of pregnancy. 61 per cent of respondents believe the person nominated to join the Supreme Court should publicly state his or her position on abortion before being approved by the U.S. Senate for the position.

Polling Data

As you may know, President Bush may have the opportunity to appoint several new justices to the U.S. Supreme Court during his second term. The 1973 Supreme Court ruling called Roe v. Wade made abortion in the first three months of pregnancy legal. Do you think President Bush should nominate Supreme Court justices who would uphold the Roe v. Wade decision, or nominate justices who would overturn the Roe v. Wade decision?

Do you think the person nominated to join the Supreme Court should or should not publicly state his or her position on abortion before being approved by the U.S. Senate for the job?

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