Initial Public Reaction to Roberts' Nomination Positive

GALLUP NEWS SERVICE

PRINCETON, NJ -- A flash CNN/USA Today/Gallup reaction poll last night finds most Americans generally positive about John Roberts, President George W. Bush's nominee to replace Sandra Day O'Connor on the Supreme Court.

Still, more than three-quarters of the people have no idea whether Roberts should be considered an extreme or a mainstream candidate.

Most say the confirmation process matters to them, and that it would be appropriate for U.S. Senators to ask Roberts both general questions on his views about abortion as well as specific questions on how he might rule should a case on that issue come before the Supreme Court.

Also, a majority of Americans say Bush made a good choice, and few people say it bothers them that Bush did not nominate a woman to replace O'Connor.

The poll was conducted last night and includes interviews with 625 respondents nationwide. The major findings of the poll:

• Fifty-one percent rate Bush's choice of Roberts as excellent or good, 20% as only fair, and 14% as poor. Another 15% have no opinion.
• Fifty-four percent say their initial impression of Roberts is positive, while only 15% say negative. Another 31% are neutral or have no opinion.
• About three-quarters of Americans, 76%, say it is too soon to judge whether Roberts' views on important issues are in the mainstream or are too extreme. Fourteen percent say his views are mainstream and 7% say too extreme.
• Though Americans may not know what Roberts' views are now, most say the confirmation itself matters to them -- 66% say it matters either a great deal or a moderate amount, while 31% say it matters either not much or not at all.
• Although there is intense debate on Capitol Hill about how detailed senators might get when asking Roberts his views of abortion, most Americans seem to support both general and detailed questions.
• • Seventy-four percent say it is appropriate to ask general questions about Roberts' overall view of abortion.
  • Sixty-one percent say it is also appropriate to ask specific questions about how Roberts "would rule on individual cases involving the abortion issue."
• Most Americans, 77%, are not bothered that O'Connor's replacement on the Supreme Court could be a man instead of a woman. Just 21% are bothered that Bush did not nominate a woman.

While Democrats are much less positive than Republicans toward Roberts, Democrats are not intensely opposed. Only 24% of Democrats say their initial impression of Roberts is negative, and only 14% say his views are too extreme. Even a majority of Democrats, 58%, say they are not bothered that Bush did not nominate a woman to replace O'Connor.

Survey Methods

Results are based on telephone interviews with 625 national adults, aged 18 and older, conducted July 20, 2005. For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum margin of sampling error is ±4 percentage points.

In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.

Polls conducted entirely in one day, such as this one, are subject to additional error or bias not found in polls conducted over several days.

1. Generally speaking, how would you rate Bush's choice of John Roberts as a nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court -- as excellent, good, only fair, or poor?

2. How would you describe your first impressions of him? Would you say they are -- [ROTATED: very positive, somewhat positive, neither positive nor negative, somewhat negative, (or) very negative]?

3. Based on what you have heard or read about him, do you think Roberts' views on important issues are in the mainstream, are too extreme, or do you need to know more before you can say?

As you may know, the Senate will soon hold hearings and vote on whether to confirm Bush's appointment of Roberts to the Supreme Court.

4. How much does it matter to you whether or not John Roberts is confirmed by the Senate -- a great deal, a moderate amount, not much, or not at all?

Q.5-6 ROTATED

5. Do you think it would be appropriate or inappropriate for senators to ask Roberts general questions about his overall views on the abortion issue?

6. Do you think it would be appropriate or inappropriate for senators to ask Roberts specific questions about how he would rule on individual cases involving the abortion issue?

7. As you may know, Roberts was nominated to replace Sandra Day O'Connor. Does it bother you that President Bush did not nominate a woman to replace O'Connor, or does it not bother you?