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Ebbing Support For Abortion On Demand

CNN/TIME poll finds fewer Americans support unrestricted access

By Keating Holland/CNN

Poll

WASHINGTON (Jan. 16) -- In a significant shift, fewer Americans today support unrestricted access to abortion than six years ago, according to a new CNN/TIME poll.

In 1992, nearly half the country believed a woman should be able to get an abortion if she wanted one no matter what the reason. Today, only 38 percent favor abortion on demand.

Now, 43 percent of people surveyed believe that abortion should only be legal in certain circumstances, such as when the woman's health in endangered or when the pregnancy results from rape or incest.

Sixteen percent believe abortion should be illegal in all circumstances. And nearly three-quarters of Americans think that the government should ban the procedure sometimes called "late-term" or "partial-birth" abortion except in cases where the mother's life is in danger.

The Republican National Committee is considering a proposal which would withdraw party support from any Republican candidate who does not support a ban on the abortion procedure known as "partial-birth" or "late-term" abortion.

Most Republicans nationwide support that proposal, and oppose party funding for candidates who do not support the ban. Only a third of rank-and-file Republicans nationwide believe that the party should continue to provide financial support to candidates who oppose a ban on partial-birth abortion.

The poll's results are based on interviews with 1,020 adults on Jan. 14-15. The survey has a margin of sampling error of +/- 3 percentage points to +/- 7.5 percentage points, depending on the question.

Here are the numbers:

Abortion Should Be...
Always legal
Legal in some circumstances
Always illegal
Not sure

38%
43
16
3
Abortion Should Be Legal In All Circumstances
1987
1989
1991
1992
1994
1996
NOW

34%
38%
44%
49%
47%
40%
38%
Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Should Be...
Legal
Illegal
Not sure

19%
74
7
GOP Money To Candidate Who Oppose Abortion Ban
Favor
Oppose

35%
51

The Jones case

With Bill Clinton's deposition in the Paula Jones lawsuit scheduled for this weekend, how does the public view the case?

Half the public thinks that Paula Jones' description of the incident which took place in a Little Rock, Ark., hotel room is false; only about a third of the country thinks her description is true.

Most Americans, including those who think she is telling the truth, have an unfavorable impression of Paula Jones. Overall, 61 percent of all Americans have an unfavorable impression of her. Even people who believe that her description of the incident is true feel unfavorably toward her; 46 percent of people who believe her story have an unfavorable opinion of her. Just a quarter feel favorably toward her.

Paula Jones' Description Of Incident With Clinton
True
False

32%
50
Those Who Believe Paula Jones' Description of Incident is True
Favorable opinion of her
Unfavorable opinion of her

25%
46
[Sampling error: +/-7.5% pts]
Opinion of Paula Jones [All Americans]
Favorable
Unfavorable

11%
61

Clinton's approval rating

Bill Clinton's approval rating, currently at 59 percent, is about as high as Ronald Reagan's was in January 1986, six years into his presidency. But there are big differences in the public's view of Clinton and the last president to win a second term.

The public has the same rosy view of life under Clinton that they had about the Reagan years; 58 percent say the country is better off now than it was six years ago when Clinton became president. Sixty percent said the same thing in 1986 about Reagan's first six years in office.

But 48 percent say Clinton is an average president; a majority say that Reagan was a good president or a great president.

Only 37 percent feel that Clinton is a leader who can be trusted; 61 percent have doubts and reservations about Clinton. In comparison, only 41 percent had doubts and reservations about Reagan during his presidency. Reagan's standing with the public, it should be noted, has undergone a revival. Four years ago a bare majority had a favorable view of the California Republican. Today, two-thirds feel favorably toward him.

Approval Ratings
Clinton now
Reagan, 1986
59%
64
Is Country Better Off Than Six Years Ago?
Now
1986
58%
60
Presidential Ratings

Great
Good
Average
Poor

Clinton
5%
29
48
18
Reagan
14%
38
33
14
Doubts and Reservations About the President
Clinton now
Reagan, 1984
61%
41
Opinion of Reagan

Favorable
Unfavorable

Now
66%
27
1994
51%
42
In Other News

Friday Jan. 16, 1998

Independent Counsel Likely In Babbitt Case
Calif. Dems Frustrated With Feinstein
April 7 Election Set For Bono's Seat
Republicans Move to Block Surgeon General Nominee
GOP To Vote On Abortion Litmus Test
Clinton, Lawyers To Meet Today On Jones Suit

Poll
Ebbing Support For Abortion On Demand

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