Public Policy Polling for Daily Kos & SEIU. 8/23-26. Registered voters. MoE ±3.1% (no trendlines):



Q: Would you support or oppose a constitutional amendment banning all abortions without any exceptions, even in case of rape, incest, or where the life of the mother is threatened?

Support: 13

Oppose: 75

Not sure: 12 Q: Missouri Senate candidate Todd Akin said last weekend that ‘legitimate rape’ rarely causes pregnancy. Are you familiar with Akin’s comments, or not?

Familiar with them: 83

Not familiar with them: 17 Q: Do you agree or disagree with Akin’s comments?

Agree: 4

Disagree: 85

Not sure: 11

Not only is rejection of Akin's position and an abortion ban with no exceptions completely rejected by voters, but they do so on a bipartisan basis. Sure, Republicans are a bit more likely to support a complete ban on abortion, but at 20 percent, they are a distinct fringe even within their own party. Considering that 30-35 percent still think George W. Bush was totally awesome, they haven't even locked down their hardest core supporters on this.

Yet there is the Akin position on abortion enshrined in the GOP platform and embraced by their vice-presidential (soon-to-be) nominee. No wonder they're terrified of people talking about their platform. They don't want people realizing that they support something so toxic, that an overwhelming majority of their own party opposes it!

That 20 percent might be a fringe, but it's apparently the most powerful fringe in America. So break out the popcorn, because they are starting to flex their muscles.

Incidentally, Pres. Barack Obama now leads Mitt Romney 50-44 (more on that in a bit). I guess that's what happens when you take an election that should be about the economy, and make it about sex and Medicare instead.

You can get more info, trendlines, graphs, and older polls here.