Poll: Most don't care if Obama replaces Souter with a woman or not

Just 6% of Americans say it is “essential” that Obama appoint a woman, while another 26% say it would be “a good idea, but not essential.” This combined percentage of 32% is smaller than the 43% and 47%, respectively, who responded in similar fashion in the Gallup Polls conducted in September and October 2005 about O’Connor’s prospective replacement…

Thirty-eight percent of women say it is essential or a good idea for the next Supreme Court justice to be a woman, compared with 24% of men. However, even with this gender difference, a majority of women (as well as a larger majority of men) say it doesn’t matter to them.