Americans split on new justice's ideology

WASHINGTON, April 27 (UPI) -- Americans differ about the ideology of U.S. President Barack Obama's next choice for the U.S. Supreme Court, an Angus Reid online poll indicated.

Results released Tuesday indicated 30 percent of the respondents expressed hope that a liberal would be nominated to succeed retiring Justice John Paul Stevens, while 32 percent expressed a preference for a conservative and 15 percent said they want a justice without a specific ideology, the company said in a release.

Three of Obama's Cabinet members who have been periodically mentioned as possible Supreme Court nominees drew weak enthusiasm, Angus Reid said.

Thirty-eight percent of respondents agreed with nominating Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to succeed Stevens. Low levels of support also were expressed for Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano (24 percent) and Attorney General Eric Holder Jr. (27 percent).

Angus Reid Public Opinion polls are conducted using the Angus Reid Forum and Springboard America, the pollster said. Angus Reid Public Opinion conducted its online poll April 14-15 among 1,002 U.S. adults who are Springboard USA panelists. The margin of is 3.1 percentage points.