Prolife edges prochoice in polls

And Roe is a no-go with most prochoicers.

Let's look at the polls, courtesy of the Susan B. Anthony List.

Gallup Poll Conducted 5/2-4/04; surveyed 1,000 adults: "Regardless of whether or not you think each of these issues should be legal, do you personally believe that in general it is morally acceptable or morally wrong?" Abortion is morally acceptable: 40%. Abortion is morally wrong: 50%

Fox News / Opinion Dynamics Poll Conducted 4/21-4/22 2004: "On the issue of abortion, would you say you are more pro-life or more pro-choice?" Prochoice: 44%. Prolife: 47%.

This may sound like a pretty even split, but then we can start looking more closely.

Wirthlin Worldwide November 2004 post-election poll. This one came down 40% prochoice, 55% prolife. But what's particularly telling is how the prochoice split. 25% of people surveyed -- 62% of prochoicers -- said they wanted abortion to be legal for any reason only for the first three months of pregnancy. That's not a ringing endorsement of Roe, or of the status quo, which allows abortion for any reason for the first six months and pretty much if the woman is able to find a willing doctor in the third trimester.

So much for the idea that Americans back Roe.