Top Court, Abortion Seen as 2008 Campaign Issue

From Reuters:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The next U.S. president could reshape the Supreme Court, where the two oldest members are liberals and volatile decisions like abortion now hinge on a single swing vote.

The possible sea change has already surfaced 18 months before the November 2008 election and could develop into a major campaign issue for Democrats who want to move the court to the left and Republicans who hope to plant it firmly in the conservative camp.

The U.S. high court is now evenly split between conservative and liberal justices, who have been divided by 5-4 votes on abortion rights, the death penalty and the environment.

Duke University law professor Erwin Chemerinsky predicts the next president probably will get two or three Supreme Court appointments. "They will determine the results in countless issues, like abortion rights," he said.

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A Washington lawyer who closely tracks the high court says the decisions on major social issues like abortion, affirmative action, gay rights and the death penalty will likely motivate voters more in this upcoming election than in the past.

"Interest in the court will be even higher given its recent turn further to the right," said attorney Tom Goldstein.

Abortion is already a campaign issue, with the top Republican presidential contenders supporting last month's Supreme Court ruling that banned certain kinds of abortions while leading Democratic candidates denounced it.

"This decision by the Supreme Court is actually a perfect example of what will be at stake in this election," former Sen. John Edwards said at the first Democratic debate.

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My Comments:
Top Court, Abortion Seen as 2008 Campaign Issue

I should hope so.