Poll: Just 31 Percent of Americans Agree With Barack Obama on Abortion
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
September 19, 2008
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — A new poll conducted jointly by CBS News and the New York Times finds just 31 percent agree with Barack Obama’s position in favor of abortion throughout pregnancy. A majority of Americans say they support John McCain’s pro-life position or want greater limits on abortions.
The poll asked respondents two abortion questions.
The first asked if they believe abortions "should be generally available to those who want it," "under stricter limits than it is now," or if abortions should "not be permitted."
Just 37 percent sided with Obama’s position that unlimited abortions should be generally available where as 61 percent said abortions should not be permitted or subject to greater limits.
A second question broke down the abortion views further and just 31 percent agreed with Obama that abortions should be "permitted in all cases."
A much higher 47 percent sided with McCain’s pro-life views and said abortions should only be allowed in cases of rape, incest or to pro-life the life of the mother; in only the latter case, or not at all.
Another 19 percent disagreed with Obama and said abortions should be subjected to greater restrictions than they are now.
Douglas Johnson, of National Right to Life, responded to the poll.
"So: Sixty-six percent want more restrictions, but Obama wants to sweep away virtually all impediments to abortion on demand. Who is out of step with public opinion?" he said.
"The mainstream media, of course, generally prefer not to spell out the ways in which Obama has made commitments to change the status quo in the pro-abortion direction — usually preferring to stick with general statements like ‘Obama supports abortion rights,’" he said.
The latest CBS News poll is actually an aberration as its polls covering the last eight years all show a majority of Americans take a pro-life position and an even higher number breaking with Obama on abortion.
In August, CBS News found just 26 percent of respondents siding with Obama in favor of legal abortions for any reason throughout pregnancy, which was the position of the Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade.
The August survey found 53 percent taking one of the three pro-life positions to side with McCain and another 16 percent disagreeing with Obama and wanting more limits on abortions.
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