NBC/WSJ poll: Majority, for first time, want abortion to be legal
By Mark Murray, NBC News Senior Political Editor

As the 40th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision takes
place on Tuesday, a majority of Americans – for the first time – believe
abortion should be legal in all or most cases, according to a new NBC
News/Wall Street Journal poll.

What’s more, seven in 10 respondents oppose Roe v. Wade being
overturned, which is the highest percentage on this question since 1989.

“These are profound changes,” says Republican pollster Bill McInturff,
who conducted this survey with Democratic pollster Peter D. Hart and his
colleagues.

McInturff adds that the abortion-related events and rhetoric over the
past year – which included controversial remarks on abortion and rape by
two Republican Senate candidates, as well as a highly charged debate
over contraception – helped shaped these changing poll numbers.

“The dialogue we have had in the last year has contributed … to inform
and shift attitudes.”

The 1973 Roe v. Wade decision established a woman’s constitutional right
to an abortion, at least in the first three months of pregnancy.

According to the poll, 54 percent of adults say that abortion should be
legal either always or most of the time, while a combined 44 percent
said it should be illegal – either with or without exceptions.