Poll: Alito should sit on high court (filibuster unjustified, Roe safe)

[DeepModem Mom]

CNN: Poll: Alito should sit on high court
Supreme Court nominee expected to win panel support Tuesday
Monday, January 23, 2006


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A majority of Americans said the Senate should confirm federal appellate judge Samuel Alito's nomination to the Supreme Court, with just 30 percent opposing his confirmation, according to a poll released Monday.

Only 38 percent of respondents said they think a filibuster by Democratic senators would be justified, and about a third said they believe Alito would vote to overturn the 1973 Supreme Court decision that struck down state laws against abortion.

The CNN/USA Today/Gallup survey of 1,006 U.S. adults was conducted Friday through Sunday and had a sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Support for Alito's confirmation grew after widely televised confirmation hearings, the poll found. Before the Senate Judiciary Committee hearings, held January 11-13, 49 percent of respondents backed his nomination. In the poll released Monday, 54 percent expressed support.

The percentage of people who opposed his confirmation remained unchanged after the hearings, Monday's poll found....


http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/01/23/alito/index.html

[NashVegas]

1. I Think 30% Is Nothing to Sneeze At

But that's just me.

[mom cat]

22. I agree..and the Dems MUST use the filibuster to explain why.

[BillZBubb]

2. This poll means nothing.

70% of the country know NOTHING about Alito. The number saying Roe isn't in danger shows that clearly. This is a fight the Democrats could easily win during a televised filibuster effort.

[WI_DEM]

4. Exactly

I would guess that of those who actually have been paying attention--a firm majority actually oppose Alito. But naturally the press and the pundits will use this as "evidence" that the people want him confirmed. If Roe is, God forbid, ever over-turned I wonder what the know-nothings will do then? We'll be back to back street abortions and the rich can travel to some foreign country to get their abortions.

[CAcyclist]

9. Only 11% of people read the newspapers

and even the newspapers aren't covering this thoroughly. It's amazing even 30% are opposed.

I'll bet if the Democrats did filibuster, the public would decide maybe there is a good reason.

[regnaD kciN]

6. Unfortunately, it will likely mean everything...

...to certain Democrats deciding whether or not to filibuster. :-(

We have 44 Senate Dems -- we need 41 to filibuster. Nelson has already said he supports Alito, and Feinstein won't filbuster. That means we can only afford to lose one more Democrat, or it's all over.

[MetaTrope]

20. Yes, the media whores have given out as much info on Alito as they did on

John Kerry. :puke:

[depakid]

3. CNN- Gallup- Liars

That's all I have to say- other than TURN THEM OFF.

Anyone who believes this is major league sucker.

[regnaD kciN]

5. More like...

Support for Alito's confirmation grew after widely televised confirmation hearings, the poll found.

...support grew after the steady media drumbeat of "Alito's confirmation a certainty" from the first day of the hearings onward.

:grr:

[Sleepless In NY]

7. Poll: Majority would oppose Alito if he would overturn Roe

ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- A majority of Americans say President Bush's pick to fill Sandra Day O'Connor's seat on the U.S. Supreme Court should not be confirmed if his confirmation hearings reveal that he would vote to overturn a woman's right to have an abortion, according to a CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll released Monday.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/01/09/alito.poll/index.html This poll not on CNN home page, but in the Politics section. Talk about confusing!

[DeepModem Mom]

12. Hearings during which MRS. ALITO CRIED. nt

[LibDemAlways]

8. Ask 100 people at random who Samuel Alito is and

I guarantee less than 20 would be able to ID him. Ask those same 100 people to name any member of the Supreme Court, and be prepared to explain that Diana Ross is a wrong answer.

Americans know practically nothing about their government officials. Laci Peterson has a much higher recognition factor, and no one outide her family and friends knew who she was until she was already deceased. The US media is a joke. Millions of Americans are too lazy to educate themselves about current events beyond the crap presented as "news" by the corporate whores. That CNN poll is just plain ridiculous and illustrates that people will answer "yes" to a question because they think it's what the pollster wants to hear.

[CAcyclist]

10. And a majority of Americans will be pissed,pissed,pissed

when Alito allows Roe to be overturned and those Americans will be enraged at the Democrats for not seeing it coming and not standing up to stop it. It could be the end of the Democratic party.

[AX10]

11. Most people are not paying attention.

[0007]

14. The day will come when it bites em in the ass.

[laylah]

21. However; more frightening

is when it bites US in the ass!

[0007]

25. Yes, we'll all feel the pain irregardless, eh?

Perhaps then we can get our act together if it's not to late!

[uppityperson]

13. Wrong. A majority of votes on this poll, NOT a majority of Americans

people who vote on polls determine the outcome, the results of the poll. This does not translate into accurate numbers often. Lies, damned lies and statistics. And polls.

[Wordie]

27. The story gives no info on how they selected their sample, nor on the

questions the respondents were asked.

Remember that oft-quoted (by Republicans) poll a while ago that said that 64% of Americans weren't concerned about the wiretapping? It was debunked by Media Matters; the questions were poor, so they led to misleading data. This poll could easily have some similar problems.

If anyone has a Gallup subscription (it's a CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll), or wants to sign up for the free trial they offer, I'd love to see the raw data and what questions were asked in this Alito poll. Something just doesn't smell right. I wrote to Media Matters already, asking them to take a look at it.

It wouldn't be the first time that scientifically questionable data was used to prop up a political goal, if this poll has problems.

[Straight Shooter]

15. Poll: Americans weary of democracy's responsibilities; crave dictatorship

:banghead:

[hang a left]

16. What was that post I was reading a couple of days ago

Something like 70% of the American public can't even name one Supreme Court justice. So the 30% that participated in this "poll" probably are the ones that can name a justice or two.

[hang a left]

17. I was wrong it's 43%

http://public.findlaw.com/ussc/122005survey.html

FindLaw's US Supreme Court Awareness Survey

According to a December 2005 national survey conducted by FindLaw, only 43 percent of American adults can name at least one justice who is currently serving on the nation's highest court. Fifty-seven percent of Americans can't name any current U.S. Supreme Court justices.

[yorkiemommie1]

18. craving father figures

the constant beating of 'terra ' ' 9-11 ' have produced need for stern, authoritarian figures and *co is all to glad to provide them.

( then we won't have to think for ourselves ! )

[54anickel]

19. Wow, and barely a mention through the entire article about his stance

on presidential power, the use of "signing statements" (which, incidentally, Bush has issued more than any of his predecessors - wonder if Alito advised him to do so), or the 2001 speech in support of "the theory of the unitary executive. Nope, nary a word throughout the entire article, gotta keep the focus on that wedge-issue. :eyes:

[progressivebydesign]

23. You stupid fucking majority!!! Bush says "we will prevail"

He said it to ANTI-ABORTION activists!! He sent a fucking message to the very people that blow up clinics and shoot doctors.. and you ignorant morans think that Roe is safe?? WTF are you smoking? Cuz, really.. I don't want any. But you keep on watching Skating with the Stars and American Idol, k? That's about all you can handle, apparently.

[leesa]

24. CNN/USA TodayGallup...may as well poll the RNC

[tirechewer]

26. You got that right...

Especially CNN. Ever since one of Bush's major contributors bought into Time Warner, CNN has made themselves into the official house organ for the Bush administration. They should just come out and say they're officially on his payroll and join their brothers at Faux News.

[Wordie]

28. kick (I hope somebody gets that Gallup raw data)