CNN Poll: Will Obama name a liberal to Supreme Court?
Washington (CNN) - A majority of Americans expect President Obama to appoint a liberal to the Supreme Court, but only one in four want that to happen, according to a new national poll.
A CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Wednesday indicates that 61 percent of the public expect the president to nominate a liberal to replace John Paul Stevens on the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, 21 percent said the president will name a moderate and 16 percent predicted that Obama will nominate a conservative.
But only a quarter of those questioned said the president should nominate a liberal, with 37 percent saying they want Obama to name a moderate and 36 percent pulling for a conservative candidate.
The poll's release comes one day before the president hosts Senate Democratic and Republican leaders at the White House to discuss the vacancy on the high court. Among the participants in the meeting will be the top Democrat and Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which will most likely hold confirmation hearings this summer.
Stevens, who turns 90 Tuesday, announced earlier this month that he would retire from the high court at the end of this session. Stevens is considered the leader of the liberal block of the court.
"If Obama appoints a liberal, that is likely to be seen as a way to shore up support in his own party," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "But only 46 percent of Democrats want him to choose a liberal; 34 percent of Democrats want a moderate nominee and one in five want a conservative."
Not surprisingly, more than six in ten Republicans questioned in the survey want a conservative nominee, with three in ten saying they want the president to nominate at moderate and only 9 percent calling for Obama to choose a liberal.
One issue that is certain to come up at confirmation hearings is abortion. The survey indicates that 21 percent now say abortion should be legal in all circumstances.
"That's the lowest that number has been since 1985," Holland said.
Another 13 percent said abortion should be legal in most circumstances, and 42 percent said that should be the case in only a few circumstances. Just over one in five indicate abortion should be illegal in all circumstances.
The CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll was conducted April 9-11, with 1,008 adult Americans questioned by telephone. The survey's overall sampling error is plus or minus three percentage points.
- CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report
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The President will pick the right person for the job and we should stop telling him who he should or should not pick. I have confidence that he will pick the person who is needed to balance out the court.
He should appoint a liberal,because cant you guys see what is going on in this country,the Gop is turning so far to the right its unbelievable,Arizonia is proving that,so is Virginia,can anyone sayJim Crow
Will Obama name a liberal to the Supreme Court.....are you kidding ? Of course he will. Despite the fact that 60 to 70 % of the US population are moderate he absolutely will do so. He hasn't cared yet about the middle Americans why should he start now? He needs such an appointment to work on his social agenda. This would impact the court long after he is voted out of office in 2012..
In the context of Washington's current political climate, even a right-leaning moderate is considered a screaming liberal, so unless the president nominates Darth Vader - and even /if/ he does - the Rs will paint him as a screaming liberal and add it to their midterm election year posturing.
So a "liberal" justice retires and real Americans want to get another batsh!t crazy conservative justice in there? Sorry, man, but balance must be maintained. Unfortunately Americans have such a short memory that anyone left of Reagan is perceived as a "socialist" these days. Thanks, corporate soundbite media, for giving us a three second attention span. Have a nice day!
Just shows how divided this country is. The court needs to be representative of the country so that means it must be a liberal and a woman .. preferrably one of color.
He has to nominate a liberal. When is the last time a conservative nominated a liberal? Its just another field of partisanship. As long as there are rich people and poor people, there will be partisan politics in Washington. People usually vote in their economic interest. This nomination is nothing but a referendum on Roe vs. Wade. Why can't we just accept a woman's right to choice with respect to her own body? A woman risks her life every time she gives birth. Thats forcing someone to have a life-endangering surgery. You can either have safe abortions in doctors offices or unsafe ones in gas station bathrooms and basements, endangering two lives instead of just one. If LIFE is the real issue, then you have to be supportive a woman's right to choose whether or not to give up her's for a baby. They've been happening for thousands of years, and they will happen from now on. Its just a fact of life.
We all know that the conservatives on the Supreme Court put G.W. Bush in power. Now look where we are from that decision.
Will Obama name a liberal to SC? Is the sky blue?! Of course he will...
73% don't want a liberal. Do you get the message Obozo?
I certainly hope so.
When a Supreme Court favors big business on the American people there has to be a change!!
Politicians rarely "represent" their constituents views and vote/appoint however they want...feeling that they know better. Why would this be any different? My congressman voted against 70% of the voters in my district and voted for the Health Care bill...even though an add on to the bill would cost 700 jobs in the district. That's why I refer to them as politicians and not representatives or statesmen. So I expect Pres Obama to appoint a liberal even though the vast majority of the American people want a moderate or conservative.
CNN how about news of Republicans GOVERNMENT MOTORS paid loans again to became General motors, and saved 250000 union jobs.
it is another slap on the face of republican for doing disservice to this country criticizing just for sake of political game.
Soulnd like the Liberals are more realistic than Conservatives, but that doesn't surprise me. They stick to that line no matter what.
How about a good, qualified open-minded judge that will vote the case and nort a party?
According to this poll, 16% of the people surveyed believe the President will nominate a conservative for the Supreme Court. I never thought I would say this given the way literacy tests were abused during Reconstruction, but perhaps we need a test of some kind before people can vote.
Only 1 in 4 expect want him to appoint a liberal...pshhhaww...as if that will stop him. We already know how he views public opinion when he wants do do something (ref. Healthcare). ha.
There needs to be a somewhat liberal replacement for Stevens to counter the arch-conservatives Roberts & Alito that Bush appointed.
What CNN political hack put up this ticker article? There's no name. Could it be someone who works for the Republicans, or someone embarrassed by what they were told to write by a pro-Republican editor?
CNN, the road to your salvation is not trying to imitate Faux Spews. You'll do better if you don't try to stir up hostility.
Where did they poll this at a Tea Party rally?
How do you conclude that a poll "warns" President Obama on a Supreme Court nomination, when 25% want a liberal, and 37% want a moderate?
That's 62% for a center-left justice, and only 36% for a conservative.
If you ask me, the poll indicates the President has a free rein to pick whomever he wants. Some warning.
When will CNN commit to real, objective journalism and provide a counterweight to the right wing and corporate propaganda machine? Oh, that's right, I forgot you're corporate.
What passes for journalism these days is disgusting.
It is time to test Obama's promise again if he is truly not partisan. If he is appointing a liberal, I think that is pure political and partisan. I voted for him, believing he will change Washington from politics as usual. I give him credit for good attention but he doesn't seem to be able to control his party from being infested by special interests.
I trust a CNN pole about as much as I trust Sarah Palin to tell the truth about anything. What we do not need is any more right wing conservatives that will tell us what church we will go to "right wing evangelicals only, " and who can vote, literacy test based on your knowledge of the Bible. (or rather your interpretation of the Bible, and it must be consistent with the ring-wing's interpretation). Sound familiar, try German History another party had the same mind-set.
The Republicans will say NO no matter who he picks. I sure didn't see Bush pick any liberals or moderates.
We need balance in the court and President Obama needs to pick a liberal and I am sure he will.
Somebody who can find the right balance. Don't go for extremism either way. Find the middle of the road.
Since when did President's pick Supreme Court justices based on polls? The President should appoint a justice who is QUALIFIED to be on the court and whose judicial posture he agrees with. Enough with the ideological picks like Roberts and Alito. We can see what that has gotten us.
This was a very stupid and polarizing issue to poll.