Despite all the media hype around her nomination to the Supreme Court, most still can't identify Elena Kagan as President Obama's pick to replace retiring Justice John Paul Stevens. What's more, says a new C-SPAN poll, over 60 percent say the gender of the judges is irrelevant.
The poll, provided to Whispers, bolsters C-SPAN's claim that having court hearings televised would bring greater public respect to the court. In fact, 49 percent said that televised oral arguments would "increase respect," while just 16 percent say it would "decrease respect." Among the arguments against TV coverage has been concerns that judges and lawyers will play for the cameras, turning the sessions into a circus. See the full poll here.
Among the other findings in the poll done by Penn Schoen Berland on June 18:
- 49 percent said the judicial branch is doing the best at serving the public interest.
- Of the 33 percent who could name a case that the court has weighed in on, most cited Roe V. Wade.
- When it comes to Senate confirmation hearings, the public isn't wowed by their representatives. Some 52 percent said they do an "okay job" questioning the nominees, with another 36 percent saying they don't do a very good job.
The Supreme Court has recently been a hot topic in the hallowed halls of C-SPAN. The public affairs cable network recently published The Supreme Court, a collection of rare interviews with all the sitting judges.
- See a slide show of the members of the Supreme Court.
- Check out our editorial cartoons on Elena Kagan's Supreme Court nomination.
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Muser of NM 11:20PM June 25, 2010