Obama's Notre Dame Speech Highlights Abortion Issue Complexities

The Obama controversy may well be wrapping up on the University of Notre Dame campus, but the anti-abortion protests were a mere catalyst for a number of pro-lifers who have their sights set on the larger debate.

Yesterday, America's pro-choice president faced an audience of 12,000 at the Roman Catholic university amid a firestorm abortion debate. Obama took the commencement stage amid receptive cheers from the welcoming student body. There were only a few hiccups along the way, as heard by a string of pro-life activists who Obama briefly acknowledged before they were drowned in the chants of "Yes, we can!" But dissent was largely dwarfed by the standing ovations and Obama's unbroken stride as he urged the Class of 2009 to stop "reducing those with differing views to caricature" despite irreconcilable beliefs.

In the days leading up to the speech, news reports highlighted the anti-abortion protests and pro-life dissenters who acted out against the Catholic university's decision to invite - and reward an honorary degree - to the pro-choice Obama. These protests were mere flash-points for pro-life activists, who will likely grow more ferocious as Obama prepares to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice David Souter, a decision that could weigh heavily in court rulings on abortion. A commencement speech is one thing; a Supreme Court appointment another.

Such a swell of dissent is not surprising given the results of a May 7-10 Gallup survey released last week (Politics Daily coverage here and here). The survey stated that for the first time since 1995, a majority (51 percent) of U.S. adults identify themselves as "pro-life," compared to 33 percent in 1995. Only 42 percent said they were "pro-choice." Just last year, 50 percent identified as "pro-choice" while 44 percent described their beliefs as "pro-life."

The poll documents other trends in public opinion regarding the legality of abortion. In 1995, it found that 12 percent of Americans said abortion should be illegal under all circumstances. Now, Gallup shows 23 percent support a ban on abortion. The spike is the highest since Gallup began taking the poll 14 years ago. Meanwhile, 22 percent of people polled were in favor of legalizing abortion in all circumstances. In 1973, 21 percent favored legalizing abortion across the board. The poll's percentage of abortion supporters peaked in 1992 at 34 percent.

The numbers are difficult to interpret, but they may indicate that Obama's pro-choice policies are becoming out-of-touch with the U.S. public. It's reasonable to assume that Americans want some sort of legal restraint, but a majority of the shift has been rightly attributed to what TIME calls, "Republicans purifying their views." According to Gallup, pro-life, Independent-leaning members of the Republican party leaped to 70 percent over the past year, a 10 point rightward shift that might explain away any wider American shift in beliefs. Democrats' attitudes on abortion have remained unchanged, and at a time when the Republican party's base is shrinking, it's no wonder that those who remain steadfast adhere to the party's true beliefs.

The truth is, many Americans don't see the issue of abortion in such black and white terms. A full range of grayer personal and moral beliefs exist outside of the pollster's purview. The results end up oversimplified while the complexities remain deep. Obama was right to acknowledge this great complexity and search for common ground before the issue's more difficult battles begin.