For first time in 15 years of Gallup polling, ‘pro-choice’ is overtaken

NEW YORK - The Gallup Poll reported Friday that 51 percent of Americans now call themselves "pro-life" rather than "pro-choice" on the issue of abortion, the first time a majority gave that answer in the 15 years that Gallup has asked the question.

The findings, obtained in an annual survey on values and beliefs conducted May 7-10, marked a significant shift from a year ago. A year ago, 50 percent said they were pro-choice and 44 percent pro-life — in the new poll, 42 percent said they were pro-choice.

The new survey showed that Americans remained deeply divided on the legality of abortion — with 23 percent saying it should be illegal in all circumstances, 22 percent saying it should be legal under any circumstances, and 53 percent saying it should be legal only under certain circumstances.

The findings echoed a recent national survey by the Pew Research Center, which reported a sharp decline since last August in those saying abortion should be legal in all or most cases — from 54 percent to 46 percent.

Taken together, the two polls have elated anti-abortion activists, who had been stung by the November election results that placed President Barack Obama and other abortion-rights supporters in power in Washington.

Obama factor?

"Ironically, Obama's radical abortion policies and nominees may have helped make America more pro-life," said Wendy Wright, president of the conservative advocacy group Concerned Women for America.

The Rev. Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, said the poll findings demonstrate that the anti-abortion cause "is a vibrant, growing, youthful movement."

"We are winning the battle for hearts and minds in our culture on the life issue," he said.

The president of a leading abortion-rights group, Nancy Keenan of NARAL Pro-Choice America, said the Gallup findings "do not square with the voting patterns in the last two elections cycles."

"It would be a mistake for anti-choice groups to interpret this one poll as a signal that Americans want even more interference from politicians in their personal, private decisions, including a woman's right to choose safe, legal abortion," Keenan said.

Another abortion-rights leader, Planned Parenthood Federation of America president Cecile Richards, questioned the terminology in the Gallup questions.

"The terms pro-choice and pro-life no longer define the parameters of the debate, witnessed by the fact that in the Gallup Poll, a majority of people say they are both pro-life and that abortion should be legal," Richards said.

She added that most Americans share Obama's stated goal of reducing the number of unintended pregnancies.

Planned Parenthood also noted that another recent national survey, a CNN/Opinion Research Corp., poll in April, reported 49 percent of respondents identifying as pro-choice and 45 percent as pro-life.

Across religious affiliations

The Gallup poll's release came just ahead of Obama's scheduled commencement speech Sunday at the University of Notre Dame, where he also is to receive an honorary degree. Those plans by the Roman Catholic university have sparked a wave of protests by anti-abortion activists, who contend Notre Dame should not honor a such a prominent supporter of abortion rights.

Gallup said its new poll showed an increase in the pro-life position across Christian religious affiliations, including an eight-point gain among Protestants and a seven-point gain among Catholics. It also reported a 10-point shift toward the pro-life category among Republicans but said there was no significant change among Democrats.

In the new poll, men identify as pro-life, 54 percent to 39 percent, while women also tilt pro-life 49 percent to 44 percent. A year ago, Gallup found more women calling themselves pro-choice than pro-life, by 50 percent to 43 percent, while men were more closely divided: 49 percent pro-choice, 46 percent pro-life.

"It is possible that, through his abortion policies, Obama has pushed the public's understanding of what it means to be 'pro-choice' slightly to the left, politically," according to the Gallup analysis. "While Democrats may support that, as they generally support everything Obama is doing as president, it may be driving others in the opposite direction."

The Gallup survey was based on telephone interviews with 1,015 adults nationwide. Its margin of sampling error was plus or minus 3 percentage points.

First of all, this makes me extremely happy for the future. Now, with that being said, Nancy Keenan is an idiot. Very few people, relatively speaking, are single-issue voters. It's insulting to the intelligence of the average person to insinuate as much. I voted for Obama, but totally oppose abortion. Just because I voted for the guy, doesn't mean I 100% support him on everything. Lastly, Planned Parenthood needs to go die (Figuratively speaking). If the only thing they've got to say is, "Well, look at the CNN poll conducted in April", when both the Gallup and Pew Center polls show trends to the contrary, then they're still just about as disingenuous as ever. CNN, much like any news source, tilts to one side of the political spectrum, so it would be no surprise of the results. Neither the Gallup Poll nor the Pew Center hold any discernable political affiliation or have any stake in the matter, so I'd trust their polls over a CNN poll.

And in case anyone is interested, here's the link to the Pew Research center find on the matter (Done in April).

Linky

Anywho, discuss :)

May 16, 2009 -- 2:39AM, Bei1052 wrote:

First of all, this makes me extremely happy for the future.

That was sad news for the future of women.... but the poll was biased and it's methodology was flawed. That wouldn't be so bad, but the methodology was flawed on purpose. It was a dishonest survey ment to come up with dishonest results.

May 16, 2009 -- 7:24AM, Tmarie64 wrote:

1015 people.... Yeah... THAT's enough to say "All Americans"...

I mean, there's only millions of us.   Gallup should actually poll AMERICA.  1000 people in EACH STATE.... but, can't do that... the right wing might lose their footing if a survey of ACTUAL Americans was done.

Yes, it is. You're not very good with statistics and the like, are you? The average sample size for all national polls is around 1,000. But, anyway, read this. It's a little old but it explains Gallups polling procedures.

May 16, 2009 -- 9:27AM, mountain_man wrote:

That was sad news for the future of women.... but the poll was biased and it's methodology was flawed. That wouldn't be so bad, but the methodology was flawed on purpose. It was a dishonest survey ment to come up with dishonest results.

Wait wait wait. So both the Gallup Poll and the Pew Research Center are not only using, in your own words, "biased and flawed methodology" (Which doesn't even make sense, considering the methodology hasn't been changed since they began polling), but you're also saying that the polling was dishonest to pander to a certain group of persons even though neither Gallup nor the PRC has any political or ideological affiliation? Really? It sounds to me that you're simply unwilling to acknowledge shifting public attitudes regarding abortion, instead choosing to denounce any findings which don't suit you as being "biased" or "flawed".

Wondering how the results would pan out if the questions were posed much more directly to reflect the individual "self" and the "public-at-large"?
To simplify it ....

Are you "pro-life" for "your own individual self"?

Are you "pro-life" for women in the "public sphere"?

******

Are you "pro-choice" for "your own individual self"?

Are you "pro-choice" for women in the "public sphere"?

******

That's only a start but maybe then the numbers would be more telling.

May 16, 2009 -- 12:00PM, Marysara722 wrote:

Wondering how the results would pan out if the questions were posed much more directly to reflect the individual "self" and the "public-at-large"?
To simplify it ....

Are you "pro-life" for "your own individual self"?

Are you "pro-life" for women in the "public sphere"?

******

Are you "pro-choice" for "your own individual self"?

Are you "pro-choice" for women in the "public sphere"?

******

That's only a start but maybe then the numbers would be more telling.

I think those questions have already been answered by the fact that fewer people believe abortion should legal as when compared to those who believe it should be illegal. In fact, there's been a slight decrease in the number of people who believe abortion should always be legal and a slight increase in the number of people who believe that abortion should always be illegal. The support for abortion is mostly conditional.