Poll Shows Support for Abortion Rights

Associated Press ^ | Monday, November 29, 2004

[presidio9]

A majority of Americans say President Bush's next choice for an opening on the Supreme Court should be willing to uphold the landmark court decision protecting abortion rights (search), an Associated Press poll found.

The poll found that 59 percent say Bush should choose a nominee who would uphold the 1973 Roe v. Wade (search) decision that legalized abortion. About three in 10, 31 percent, said they want a nominee who would overturn the decision, according to the poll conducted for the AP by Ipsos-Public Affairs.

"While I don't have a strong feeling about abortions personally, I wouldn't want the law overturned and return to the days of backdoor abortions," said Colleen Dunn, 40, a Republican and community college teacher who lives outside Philadelphia.

The preference for Supreme Court nominees who would uphold Roe v. Wade could be found among both men and women, most age groups, most income groups and people living in urban, suburban and rural areas. Fewer than half of Republicans, evangelicals and those over 65 said they favored a nominee who would uphold the abortion ruling.

Bush has sidestepped questions about whom he would name to an opening, but has indicated he would pick judges like those he picked in his first term — often young and conservative.

While the public is generally divided on the abortion issue, polling consistently has found a clear majority of people who think abortion should be legal in at least some cases.

While there are no current openings on the high court, only one of the nine justices, Clarence Thomas, is under 65 and Chief Justice William Rehnquist, 80, has thyroid cancer.

The AP-Ipsos poll found that six in 10 think justices should face a mandatory retirement age.

[Always Right]

The poll found that 59 percent say Bush should choose a nominee who would uphold the 1973 Roe v. Wade (search) decision that legalized abortion.

********Bogus poll alert*************

People think overturning Roe v. Wade would outlaw abortion. Most people oppose banning all abortion and that is all this poll is showing. When asked specifically about abortion policy, by far more people favor abortion only in cases of life of the mother or rape.

[inquest]

Someone else made an extremely valid point on another thread that if the poll had asked whether the states should be able to determine abortion policy on their own, the numbers would have been drastically different, despite asking essentially the same question.

[smokeyb]

I want to see the wording of the question asked it the poll. I heard the poll asked about abortion in the first three months of pregnancy.

[inquest]

I don't understand why Fox News is hosting this hogwash on their site.

[rellimpank]

---exactly--this "poll" has been done before and in any particular sample, those polled are also about 70% opposed to abortion as birth control or for sex selection purposes--

[alessandrofiaschi]

What a stupid rat-poll! How many of them know what is the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision?
President Bush have to respect his mandate.

[Always Right]

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     Abortion and Birth Control                              See also: Supreme Court

---

Polls listed chronologically. All data are from nationwide surveys of Americans 18 & older.    

.

.

Associated Press-Ipsos poll conducted by Ipsos-Public Affairs. Nov. 19-21, 2004. N=1,000 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.
						.

"Which of these comes closest to your view? Abortion should be generally available to those who want it. OR, Abortion should be available, but under stricter limits than it is now. OR, Abortion should not be permitted."
						.
		Generally Available	Stricter Limits	Not Permitted	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	ALL	34	44	21	1
	Republicans	17	45	37	1
	Democrats	46	43	9	2
	Independents	35	43	20	2
						.
	Trend:
	7/04	34	42	22	2
	1/03	39	38	22	1
						.

CBS News Poll. May 20-23, 2004. N=923 registered voters nationwide. MoE ± 3 (total sample).
						.
"Which of these comes closest to your view? Abortion should be generally available to those who want it. Abortion should be available, but under stricter limits than it is now. OR, Abortion should not be permitted."
						.
		Generally Available	Stricter Limits	Not Permitted	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	ALL	36	37	25	2
	Catholics	34	37	28	1

---

 

CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll. Oct. 24-26, 2003. N=1,006 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.
						.
"Do you think abortions should be legal under any circumstances, legal only under certain circumstances, or illegal in all circumstances?"
		Always Legal	Some- times Legal	Always Illegal	No Opinion
		%	%	%	%
	10/03	26	55	17	2
	5/03	23	57	19	1
	1/03	24	57	18	1
	5/02	25	51	22	2
	3/02	27	53	19	1
	2/02	26	54	18	2
	8/01	26	56	17	1
	5/01	26	58	15	1
	3/01	26	51	18	5
	4/00	28	51	19	2
	1/00	26	56	15	3
	5/99	27	55	16	2
	1/98	23	59	17	1
	11/97	26	55	17	2
	8/97	22	61	15	2
	9/96	24	52	17	7
	7/96	25	58	15	2
	4/90	31	53	12	4
	7/80	25	53	18	4
	4/75	21	54	22	3
						.
"Now I would like to ask your opinion about a specific abortion procedure known as 'late-term' abortion or 'partial-birth' abortion, which is sometimes performed on women during the last few months of pregnancy. Do you think that the government should make this procedure illegal, or do you think that this procedure should be legal?" Options rotated
		Illegal	Legal	No Opinion
		%	%	%
	10/03	68	25	7

---

CBS News/New York Times Poll. Jan. 19-21, 2003. N=814 adults nationwide. MoE ± 4 (total sample).
					.
		ALL	Repub- licans	Demo- crats	Indepen- dents
		%	%	%	%
"Over the next two years, do you think abortion will remain generally available, or abortion will be available but under stricter limits than it is now, or abortion will not be permitted?"
	Generally available	41	41	37	45
	Available, but under stricter limits	43	48	47	37
	Will not be permitted	11	8	10	14
	Don't know/No answer	5	3	6	4

 

ABC News/Washington Post Poll. Jan. 16-20, 2003. N=1,133 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3. Field work by TNS Intersearch.
						.
"Would you like to see the government and the courts make it harder to get an abortion than it is now, make it easier to get an abortion than it is now, or leave the ability to get an abortion the same as it is now?" Options rotated
		Harder	Easier	Same	No Opinion
		%	%	%	%
	1/03	42	15	41	2
						.

 

Time/CNN Poll conducted by Harris Interactive. Jan. 15-16, 2003. N=1,010 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.1.
						.
"Which of these positions best represents your views about abortion? A woman should be able to get an abortion if she decides she wants one no matter what the reason. Abortion should only be legal in certain circumstances, such as when a woman's health is endangered or when the pregnancy results from rape or incest. Abortion should be illegal in all circumstances."
		Always Legal	Some- times Legal	Always Illegal	Not Sure
		%	%	%	%
	1/03	39	42	15	4
	7/01	39	40	17	4
	1/01	35	50	12	3
	3/99	38	46	12	4
	1/98	38	43	16	3
	5/96	40	46	11	3
						.
"Thinking about abortion: If you had to choose, would you describe yourself as being more pro-choice -- supporting a woman's right to have an abortion -- or more pro-life -- protecting the rights of unborn children?"
		Pro- Choice	Pro- Life	Mixed/ Neither (vol.)	Not Sure
		%	%	%	%
	1/03	49	45	-	6
	7/01	46	47	4	3
	1/00	46	48	3	3
	3/99	46	43	5	6
						.

[alessandrofiaschi]

"Fewer than half of Republicans, evangelicals and those over 65 said they favored a nominee who would uphold the abortion ruling.

Another stupid big lie. Dear FReepers, keep your eyes open !

[Always Right]

See the polls in the post above. The first shows that 65% favor stricter limits or a total ban.

[alessandrofiaschi]

"Fewer than half of Republicans, evangelicals and those over 65 said they favored a nominee who would uphold the abortion ruling."

Another stupid big lie. Dear FReepers, keep your eyes open !

[FrankR]

"...), an Associated Press poll found. "

The media will NEVER get it...it was the clinton administration that governed by the latest Polls. But, polls don't trump laws, and regardless of what the left thinks, this is Republic, not a democracy.

[mike182d]

What makes the whole debate over this issue bogus is the fact that most Americans do object to abortion...but a large portion of these people always reply: "I don't want to force my beliefs upon anyone."

If everyone who was personally opposed to abortion didn't hide like scared rats in public about it, and actually came out against it, outlawing abortion would be a clear decision.

[MHGinTN]

"Most people oppose banning all abortion and that is all this poll is showing pushing to promote. The mischaracterizations of the polling questions proves the bias the agenda laden societal engineering pollsters wish to advance.

[Do not dub me shapka broham]

The AP-Ipsos poll found that six in 10 think justices should face a mandatory retirement age.

I guess there are still some people with an ounce of common sense left.

[Sacajaweau]

You're absolutely right. Ask these folks: "Would you have an abortion? What would you say to your daughter if she was going to abort YOUR grandchild". Let's see the real truth.

THE MEDIA CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!! NOR WILL THEY EVER ASK THE RIGHT QUESTION!

[robertpaulsen]

"I heard the poll asked about abortion in the first three months of pregnancy."

Actually, if the people say they support the original 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, then they support abortion limited only to the first three months.

[Luke]

I wonder how they would present the results if they polled Jesus Christ?

[conservative blonde]

This poll was bogus as it said that Roe legalized abortion only in the first three months. The Roe v. Wade decision and its companion, the Doe v. Bolton case allowed legal abortions throughout all nine months of pregnancy and for virtually any reason. Please see Lifenews.com for complete particulars.

[Question_Assumptions]

Most people believe that Roe v. Wade legalized abortion. Four states had legalized abortion before Roe. What Roe did was make it impossible for states to make abortion illegal or to regulate it in any substantial way. Let's tell people that and then see what they say about supporting Roe. Perhaps they should also point out that (A) the lawyers pushing for legalized abortion lied in their filings and (B) the woman referred to as "Roe" in the case has since recanted and come out against abortion.