Insiders Predict Justice Kagan
According to this week's National Journal Political Insiders Poll, Elena Kagan's prospects for confirmation to the Supreme Court may be on the rise.
Both Dem Insiders and GOP Insiders were asked: "Would it be politically smart for Republicans to try to block the confirmation of Elena Kagan?" Not surprisingly, 96% of the 99 Dem Insiders who participated in the poll this week said, 'No.' But far more importantly, so did a whopping 76% of the 97 GOP Insiders who participated this week.
Moreover, Kagan's 76% score from Republican Insiders was more positive than the response they gave in May '09 when the Political Insiders Poll asked the identical question about Sonia Sotomayor.
Back then, 64% of the GOP Insiders said it wouldn't be politically smart for their party to block Sotomayor. This week, only 21% of the GOP Insiders said that the party should try to block Kagan and 3% said it depends on the information that comes to light in the confirmation process.
Last year many observers thought the GOP had to be wary about fighting the first Hispanic nominee to the high court because the party had already seen a significant decline in the share of Hispanics voting GOP in the 2006 and 2008 elections. The same political concerns over blocking the ascent of such "a first" to the bench is not at play with Kagan.
So why are GOPers not willing to put up a red light for Obama's second nomination to the Supreme Court? GOP Insiders think the party base is already plenty motivated to go the polls in November and a fight over Kagan could alienate swing voters and become a distraction. As one GOP Insider put it, "The base is plenty motivated even without a fight over a judge that the R's will lose."
Said another: "She may be the most balanced choice we're likely to get from an Obama White House. The smart play is to keep the spotlight on issues that are hurting the president, not to shift it elsewhere."
For complete results and all the Insiders comments, click here.
This article is NOT TRUE. Designed to convert on the fence GOP to their well. DESIGNED by and for Special Interest.
The GOP right now is targeting Senators who disagree on Kagan, and hopefully we will see to it that she doesn't reach the high court.
Anyone listened to Sessions recently that is the GOP apporach to Kagan.
By the way MOST DEMOCRATES especially moderate DEMOCRATES who support Kagan, have a lot more to loose, and they are so nervous about it it's not even funny.