Polls: Gut check on affirmative action

So what do Americans really believe about whether a candidate's race, ethnicity or gender should play a role in getting a job -- say for Supreme Court Justice? Like so many things in American public opinion, the answer is complicated.

Polls show that people generally agree that policies should be enacted to help women and minority groups gain equal status in society. For example, an AP-GfK Poll in May found 56 percent of Americans saying they favored affirmative action for racial and ethnic minorities. But a Quinnipiac University Poll taken around the same time asked Americans if they favor or oppose giving preference to certain groups for government jobs to increase diversity. On that, there was clear opposition, with about 6-7 out of every 10 opposed, depending on the circumstance.

Aren't those contradictory views?  Not necessarily. Part of the issue is that the words "affirmative action" mean different things to different people.  Many, even most, people agree that there are some inequalities in American society that should somehow be rectified. But there is a streak of individualism in American culture that runs deep, and Americans see the decision to hire for a particular job as a very individual-level decision.

AP polling last year showed that there are still deep levels of racism in America, and many people may not even be aware that they have prejudices. But that doesn't mean most Americans think it's OK for racial, ethnic or gender inequality to continue. Some argue that preferences are needed to correct existing inequalities, but framed that way most people are opposed to them. Idealistically, Americans think when it comes to hiring, the best person should get the job regardless of race, gender or disability. Though many certainly agree that in practice it often doesn't turn out that way.

-Trevor Tompson, AP polling director, Washington