A May 17 Politico article reported that President Obama “comes to Notre Dame as a new Gallup poll found that for the first time, the majority of Americans are anti-abortion.” In fact, the Gallup poll found that a majority of Americans, 51 percent, identify themselves as “pro-life” -- not “anti-abortion.” Moreover, the same Gallup poll also found that 53 percent of Americans believe abortion should be legal under certain circumstances, that 23 percent believe abortion should be legal under any circumstances, and that 22 percent believe abortion should always be illegal.

From the Gallup poll analysis published May 15:

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From the May 17 Politico article:

Obama still has considerable support among Catholics. A recent Pew survey showed 50 percent of Catholics surveyed think Notre Dame was right to invite him to speak, while 28 percent disagreed with the invitation.

But Obama's support has dropped among certain groups, including white Catholics who attend mass regularly, according to Greg Smith, a research fellow at the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. In February, two-thirds of white Catholics who attend mass every week approved of his job performance, and now less than half do, Smith said.

Obama also comes to Notre Dame as a new Gallup poll found that for the first time, the majority of Americans are anti-abortion.

Obama has sought to position himself well amid the changing sentiment.

Politically, Dunn pointed out, Obama has made clear to anti-abortion voters that they are welcome in the Democratic fold. Obama's convention platform was amended to include references to pre- and post-natal care and adoption - ways “to reduce the need for abortions.”