A recent CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll finds a majority, 52 percent, of Americans favor confirmation of Judge Roberts, while 26% are opposed and another 22% have no opinion. according to Gallup, these results are in line with two earlier polls on Roberts, conducted after Bush nominated him to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, though his support was slightly higher immediately his nomination was announced.
The poll was conducted August 28-30, 2005 and has a margin of error of ±3 percent.
The fact that the polling numbers have stabilized with over 50 percent favoring Roberts's confirmation, along with The Hill reporting that as many as 25 Democrats will vote to confirm John Roberts as chief justice of the United States, make me optimistic that judge Roberts will indeed be confirmed. Unfortunately, there are indications the proceedings won't be as civil as one would hope. According to the Journal News, Senator Charles Schumer is firing up to grill Roberts:
For the past four years, Schumer has crusaded to give ideology — a nominee's personal or political views — a more open role in confirmation grilling. He has been "especially good" at articulating the stakes in the Supreme Court fight as an "extraordinary battle between competing and radically different judicial philosophies," said Ralph Neas, president of People for the American Way, one of the liberal groups opposed to Roberts.
Some conservatives say Schumer, who crafted Democratic strategy that blocked the most conservative of Bush's appellate court nominees for several years, may be the most crucial Democrat in the confirmation process.
"He's both the smartest and nastiest senator on the Democratic side," said Todd Gaziano, director of the Center for Legal and Judicial Studies at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. "And that is a potent combination if it doesn't turn too many people off. If you want someone to ruthlessly savage and beat up a nominee, then he is your man."
The Boston Globe reports that Robert's confirmation hearings scheduled to begin today, have been delayed until after Rehnquist's funeral tomorrow.
The Boston Globe also reports that President Bush's nomination of Judge Roberts to be the chief justice means that Sandra Day O'Connor, will continue to serve on the court, since her resignation was contingent on the confirmation of a successor.
UPDATE: The Associated Press reports the Senate will begin confirmation hearings next Monday for John Roberts to be Supreme Court chief justice.
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