National Catholic Register: "The Slippery Art Of Abortion Polling"

Susan Wills writes in the August 12-18, 2007 issue of the National Catholic Register:

A U.S. senator recently told journalist/author Melinda Henneberger: “Make no mistake: This is a pro-choice country, period.”

Many in the media believe that and cite polls to back it up. But Henneberger disagrees. She offers as evidence a March 2007 CBS News/New York Times poll in which 41% of respondents favored “stricter limits” on abortion and an additional 23% said it should not be permitted at all.

Henneberger goes even further, contending that “Pro-Choice Is a Bad Choice for Democrats” (Op-Ed, The New York Times, June 22, 2007, A21) after having talked with women in 20 states over a period of 18 months. She wanted to learn women’s opinions on major political issues and how their views affect their votes. If They Only Listened to Us (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2007) presents her findings.

As a former reporter for The Times and contributor to the online journal Slate, which favors abortion rights, Henneberger cannot be dismissed as a right-wing anti-choice ideologue. Her book shows her to be an objective journalist, as well as a very good and inquisitive listener. These traits led her to discover much that her colleagues have missed.

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Here’s how we know that Roe is not supported by 66% of Americans: Polls with carefully-worded, neutral questions about allowing abortion in identified circumstances show minority and waning support for the policy of Roe. These are better measures of public opinion on whether abortion law should change.

An April 2005 poll by the polling company inc., offering respondents six choices, found only 10% support for what Roe actually does.

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Previous Pro Ecclesia posts on this subject:
"The Roe Effect"

NY Times Acknowledges "Pro-Choice" a Loser