Taegan Goddard's Political Wire

November 02, 2005

Alito Reaction is Mixed

Americans greet the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Samuel Alito "with about the same degree of enthusiasm they had for Harriet Miers, but less than they had for John Roberts," a new Gallup Poll shows.

Three very important findings:

• If it becomes clear Alito would vote to reverse Roe v. Wade, Americans would not want the Senate to confirm him, by 53% to 37%.
• If most Senate Democrats oppose the nomination and decide to filibuster against Alito, 50% of Americans believe they would be justified, while 40% say they would not.
• If the Republicans pursue the "nuclear option" and eliminate the filibuster on judicial nominations, Americans would be evenly divided as to whether that tactic was justified -- 45% say it would be, 47% say it would not.

This is not good news for the Bush administration and reflects the president's current political weakness and unpopularity. As we explained yesterday, Republicans cannot let this nomination be focused on the abortion issue. If they do -- and even if Alito is eventually confirmed by the Senate -- Democrats will have a solid campaign issue for the 2006 midterm elections.

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Taegan D. Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites.

Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.

Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country, including the Washington Post, USA Today, Boston Globe, San Francisco Chronicle, Chicago Tribune, Philadelphia Inquirer and Christian Science Monitor.

Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.

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