GALLUP: Positive Initial Reaction to Sotomayor Nomination - 47% say excellent or good.

Positive Initial Reaction to Sotomayor Nomination
Americans believe intellect, experience most important in Obama’s choice
by Frank Newport

PRINCETON, NJ -- Americans' first reactions to the news of President Obama's nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court are decidedly more positive than negative, with 47% rating the nomination as "excellent" or "good," 20% rating it "only fair," and 13% rating it "poor."



These results are based on a one-night poll conducted Tuesday, the same day Obama officially announced Sotomayor as his choice to replace the retiring Justice David Souter on the Supreme Court.

Gallup conducted similar reaction polls immediately after former President George W. Bush's nominations of John Roberts, Samuel Alito, and Harriet Miers for the Supreme Court in 2005. Although in all instances, the reactions were more positive than negative, the net positive rating (the percentage excellent or good minus the percentage only fair or poor) was highest for Roberts and Sotomayor, and lowest for Alito and Miers.



Given that Sotomayor's nomination was made by a Democratic president, it is not surprising to find reactions to her selection that are much more positive among Democrats than among Republicans.



<SNIP>

http://www.gallup.com/poll/118886/Positive-Initial-Reaction-Sotomayor-Nomination.aspx?CSTS=alert

Mainstream outlets often repeat right-wing falsehoods about her that we would only see debunked in Media Matters and other progressive websites. There's a lot of disinformation out there that is clouding people's judgment.