By: E&P Staff A new Gallup poll finds that most Americans, so far, have a generally positive view of John Roberts, President George W. Bush's nominee to replace Sandra Day O'Connor on the Supreme Court. In addition, a majority say he made a good choice, but there could be trouble ahead: most also feel 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,? Gallup reports.
In this week's poll, 51% rated the Roberts choice as excellent or good, and 54% say their initial impression of him is positive, with just 15% taking the opposite view. 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.
Seventy-four percent say it is appropriate to ask general questions about Roberts' overall view of abortion, and 61% say it is also appropriate to ask specific questions about how Roberts "would rule on individual cases involving the abortion issue."
?While Democrats are much less positive than Republicans toward Roberts, Democrats are not intensely opposed,? Gallup says. ?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.?
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