Poll: Supreme Court arguments on health law reinforced partisan divide

Last week's Supreme Court arguments over President Obama's healthcare law had little effect on public opinion of the law or the court, according to a new poll.

The latest survey by the Pew Research Center for People and the Press found that most attitudes were unchanged but the arguments had reinforced some partisan opinions about the law.

Sixty-three percent of those surveyed said the arguments did not change their opinion of the healthcare law, and 65 percent said their opinion of the Supreme Court did not change.

But when attitudes did shift, they followed a partisan division. According to the Pew poll, 35 percent of Republicans said they came away with a less favorable impression of the health law, and 32 percent of Democrats reported a more negative view of the Supreme Court.

The findings support conventional wisdom that Obama might be able to benefit politically from a decision striking down the healthcare law. Many pundits believe he could rally his base against a ruling that liberals would see as judicial activism.

Obama said Monday he is confident the court will uphold the healthcare law, including its requirement that almost everyone purchase insurance. The Supreme Court heard three days of arguments last week about whether the mandate is constitutional and, if not, how much of the rest of the law could stand without it.

Overturning the mandate would be "unprecedented," Obama said Monday.