41% in Survey Back Rejection of Ashcroft

WASHINGTON — More than 40% of Americans say the Senate should reject President-elect George W. Bush’s choice of John Ashcroft for attorney general because he is too far right on issues like abortion and gun control to be effective, according to a poll issued Saturday.

The Newsweek poll of 1,000 people said respondents were opposed to Ashcroft by a narrow margin of 41% to 37%, although Bush received good marks for his Cabinet selections in general.

The poll, conducted from Wednesday to Friday, said 57% approved of his choices for his new administration and 50% said he had not sacrificed quality and competence in favor of ideology or racial and ethnic diversity.

A Time/CNN poll found that, although most Americans were unfamiliar with Ashcroft, 61% thought the Senate should look carefully at his stance on affirmative action, 53% on his position on abortion rights and 58% on his opposition to a black nominee for a federal judgeship.

Ashcroft, a Christian conservative, has come under attack from civil rights groups over his fight to keep Missouri Supreme Court Judge Ronnie White off the federal bench.