Amy Sullivan gets the point

In "About That Pro-Life Majority," Amy Sullivan notes that a May 2009 Gallup poll, in which a surprising majority of those polled called themselves "pro-life," has been followed by a recent poll, in which the pro-life/pro-choice division has gone back to its usual even-steven split (47%-46%).

Sullivan concludes:

"I'm with Mark Silk, who thinks that the most interesting finding is that approximately 60% of those who describe themselves as "pro-life" believe that abortion should be legal in at least some circumstances. Anti-abortion activists would say they're not really pro-life, just like they insist that politicians like Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) who support the use of contraception to prevent unwanted pregnancies should not be described as pro-life. But clearly many Americans are comfortable thinking of themselves as "pro-life" and at the same time holding the belief that abortion should be legal. Now that's a story." [my emphasis]

This is where the thinking has to start.

[Sullivan writes at Time's "Swampland" blog.]