A look at abortion polling numbers

Posted: Tuesday, May 19, 2009 6:54 PM by Mark Murray

From NBC's Harry Enten
Per a new CNN/Opinion Research poll, 69% of Americans do not want the Supreme Court to overrule Roe v. Wade. That result comes as other recent polls have suggested that more Americans are pro-life rather than pro-choice on the contentious issue of abortion.

A Fox News/Opinion Dynamics poll released yesterday found more respondents (49%) who consider themselves pro-life than those who see themselves as pro-choice (43%). It confirmed a Gallup poll released last week that found -- for the first time since the organization began asking Americans about abortion in 1995 -- a majority (51%) call themselves pro-life, with 42% calling themselves pro-choice.

Some in the polling community questioned that Gallup poll, due to an unusually high number of Republican respondents. Yet the Fox poll had a party identification breakdown closer to most other recent polls.

On top of these results, recent Pew and Quinnipiac polls also found a decline in the number of Americans who believe that abortion should be always or mostly (usually) legal. In the Pew poll, 46% said that abortion should be always or mostly legal, while 44% said it should be mostly or always illegal. In the Quinnipiac poll, 52% of Americans believed that abortion should be always or usually legal, while 41% of Americans believed that abortion should be always or usually illegal.

In short, these poll numbers suggest that more Americans may consider themselves pro-life than pro-choice, but the majority of them still want abortion to be legal in at least some instances.

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Comments

This is exactly why liberals don't want to put abortion to a vote. Just like with "gay-rights", it would lose badly.

I Vote Conservative (Sent Tuesday, May 19, 2009 7:29 PM)

I hardly think 862 people answering questions by FOX is a bellweather for where the country is on this sensitive topic.

Clara Kansas City, MO (Sent Tuesday, May 19, 2009 7:31 PM)

What's really unusal is that no one trusted the initial poll numbers. Why not? We trust all of Obama's poll numbers even though 650,000 people are losing their jobs every month. The phony Obama polls are excluding all negative responses from people that are suffering under Obama-nomics. But that fact is never even examined by our main stream media.

Poll Watcher (Sent Tuesday, May 19, 2009 7:32 PM)

First Read; In short, these poll numbers suggest that more Americans may consider themselves pro-life than pro-choice, but the majority of them still want abortion to be legal in at least some instances.

Well those pro-lifers are in for a surprise seeing Obama is for abortion up to and including the time the kid starts walking.

Name That Tune (Sent Tuesday, May 19, 2009 7:43 PM)

A FOX NEWS poll? Are you kidding? We're supposed to take that seriously? You MSNBC guys are really stretching credibility here.

Suzanne Miller, Pomona, California (Sent Tuesday, May 19, 2009 7:53 PM)

...ABORTION!! Just the term sends chills, and I'm pro-choice..which makes me beg the question, how are these questions being put to the public? I'm anti abortion, pro choice, and pro life. I suspect most people are all of the above. Is abortion a horrid thing..yes, even if you find out that the infant would have died in it's first year anyway..the decision to abort a fetus is horrible and guilt inducing. The only thing worse would be to have your decision handed to you by the government. Pro life is a stupid and arrogant moniker. Unless you're suicidal or homicidal, you're probably pro-life.
Oversimplicity is a routine right-wing and often over-used tactic. If the answer is simple,it's probably wrong

Collins Rendahl, San Diego (Sent Tuesday, May 19, 2009 7:58 PM)

Gallup Poll May 7-10, 2009: 51% respondents pro-life, 49% pro-choice

Gallup Poll Oct 3-5, 2008: 64% in favor of the death penalty, 30% opposed to the death penalty

It seems that in matters of state-sanctioned life and death, we are a conflicted nation.

Gail, TN (Sent Tuesday, May 19, 2009 8:12 PM)

Sounds like it means that if you are against abortion, don't have one.

Judy in AZ (Sent Tuesday, May 19, 2009 8:18 PM)

Better to be pro-choice than pro-American Idol. Just read some crap about the two finalists.....what in the world is this country coming to? All we need are more self-centered teens front-and-center.

Delores Moore (Sent Tuesday, May 19, 2009 9:11 PM)

MOST Americans, if they're honest with themselves, are against abortion. Sure, those people that do not wish to be responsible for their actions are for abortion, but most Americans DO accept the responsibility. A woman's choice?? Naw... the choice was to have unprotected sex or not. ANYTHING after that, well, they (both woman and man) must live with whatever happens. Think of it like this (and no, you idoits, I don't think one IS the other), if you contract an STD you can't just say, "I don't want it, so just kill it". You have to live with it. You'll ALWAY have it, even if it's cured.

Listen, ask yourself when you go to kill that baby, what did your mom and dad choose?

Sadden American (Sent Tuesday, May 19, 2009 9:43 PM)

hmmmmmm so the murderous Obama is in the minority huh

Democrats kill children, and Nancy Pelosi is on her 35th version of the truth with harry"the war is lost" reid 2nd (Sent Tuesday, May 19, 2009 9:54 PM)

So what's your point? If 65% of Americans were in favor of censoring television news, should we pass a law doing that?

Joe Don, Topeka, KS (Sent Tuesday, May 19, 2009 9:59 PM)

I can still remember some 44years ago when a friend that I graduated from high school with died from a back alley aborotion. Evey women in this nation should be able to make that decision with having to go to the back alleys of this nation to have one. When the wealthy young women got "knocked-up" their parents sent them to a doctor for the procedure. When as a nation should look at the past and not bring it back.

LSharpley Spring Hill, Fl (Sent Tuesday, May 19, 2009 10:04 PM)

I am highly against abortion. What I don't want in our country that still condemns people to death on a regular basis and promotes gun sales and has a tendancy to get into wars, is a criminalized system for those women who choose abortion. How odd that we would use the state (which kills) to possibly put women who abort to death for their action. When we get the whole package together and do something more to really support women I may move to a position where I would support some legal action against abortion. Until that time I fully support the law as it is.

mexed, san antonio, texas (Sent Tuesday, May 19, 2009 10:59 PM)

Perhaps the Gallup questions should be restated in a balanced fashion instead of being couched in such hyperbolic language. Pro-life? What the hell is that supposed to imply? The alternative is pro-death? Are you Pro-foetus-mincing or Pro-miserable-squalid-unwanted-pregnancy?

John Doe, Seattle, Wash (Sent Tuesday, May 19, 2009 11:46 PM)

How long do we bury our head in the sand and let pro abortion people sugar coat their actions? Call it what it is. It's NOT pro choice--it's anti accountability for choice.

Whala (Sent Wednesday, May 20, 2009 12:46 AM)

Education goes quite a long way in stopping unwanted pregnancies. The abortion issue is a tired old "wedge" used to divide us during election years. Right now, it's being used to try to re-gain footing for the Republican Party.

Teach women to educate themselves, to be responsible for themselves, to use any of the abstinence, condom,or any other birth control measures they feel is correct for THEM, without bunched-up restriction for religious or any other reasons...and you'll drastically reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies.

My 23 year old, and recently married, daughter has had all of the correct information since she was 11 years old. So far, she hasn't decided to have any children. But I put her in control of her own health and welfare...with information.

How interesting it is that people who stand and protest women's rights don't appear to be adopting any unwanted children. It seems that "every sperm is sacred" but once you're born...you're on your own...and so is your mother.

America has become quite backwards in our dealings with these social issues since the 1970's. Abstinence alone is a great idea...but just ask Bristol Palin or any mother under the age of 18...if it works.

Michelle, military wife in Germany (Sent Wednesday, May 20, 2009 4:24 AM)

Wasn't the main mindset in this country a separation of church and state? The religious influence is starting to overextend it's visit in our laws, for example the gay rights movement is progressing. Americans are starting to questions and think for themselves again, i have confidence that there will be a lot of different changes when it comes to freedom to control one's own morality.

Heather Wiik, Rice Lake, WI (Sent Wednesday, May 20, 2009 7:02 AM)

And Obama is the surgical scrub nurse ready with the rusty scissors to jab into the brain of a baby in the process of being born. Cannibal Lecter of the U.S. Gotta love this monster, not.

Your scissors, doctor. Bethesda, MD (Sent Wednesday, May 20, 2009 7:32 AM)

I think most people don't want partial birth abortions and want it some what legal because of the more than 10% of women who say fetal complications are why they are there.It's cheaper and less dangerous to go to clinic when having a threatened pregnancy than waiting to have to use emergency room because of miscarriage.As for the other reasons they vary from person to person.

elenore,warren,michigan (Sent Wednesday, May 20, 2009 8:03 AM)

Did any of the questions ask women (men shouldn't be asked this unless they are in a committed relationship with a woman) if they oppose abortion for themselves, but don't object to other women having it done? That would change some of the dynamic of who is pro-birth (or "pro-life").

S.B. Stein E.B. NJ (Sent Wednesday, May 20, 2009 8:30 AM)

It seems that as the years go by, the trend is up for the pro-life side. Young people are more pro-life than older people. What will the numbers show in 10 years? It seems that yound people are aware that they had no legal protection when they were in the womb, which is something that older people never experienced. At the rate of about a million abortions per year, many know they had siblings who were aborted. That also is something that most older people have not experienced.

Mary (Sent Wednesday, May 20, 2009 8:51 AM)

Well, "no joe, no bo", we eagerly await your Rasmussen Poll numbers that refute this report.

Pete - Albany, NY (Sent Wednesday, May 20, 2009 8:53 AM)

Oh wait, Fox never lied about anything. They're fair and balanced. BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Louis J (Sent Wednesday, May 20, 2009 9:13 AM)

These stats make about as much sense as Japanese Arithmetic. It just goes to show you that you can poke, prod, and skew numbers to get them to do whatever you wish them to.

J. Ellis, Virginia (Sent Wednesday, May 20, 2009 9:23 AM)

The American people apparently hold more nuanced opinions than their elected representatives. Shocking.

Andy George, West Saint Paul, MN (Sent Wednesday, May 20, 2009 9:25 AM)

The poll proves that even those who believe abortion should be legal would not necessarily choose that option. It is a mistake to think that if abortion was illegal that it would just go away. It won't. It will simply force women once again into the back alleys with quacks pretending to be doctors and in unsanitary conditions for exorbitant prices. I'm old enough to remember the horror stories before Roe v Wade, and I believe there was a movie that touched on illegal abortion with Natalie Wood and ?Steve McQueen. It won't just go away no matter what the law says; to think that it will is naive. I agree with Pres Obama that we must work to reduce the numbers, better educate children (abstinence only doesn't work and never did), and provide birth control to the poor who need it most yet cannot afford the cost.

Jody, Iowa (Sent Wednesday, May 20, 2009 9:33 AM)

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