Sixty-three percent of Americans support such research in general, compared to 58 percent in late June. Support for federal funding has remained steady at 60 percent, while opposition gained five points to 36 percent.
Stem-cell research
|
|
| Personal view: |
|
Government funding: |
|
| Support |
Oppose |
|
Support |
Oppose |
| July 30 |
63% |
33 |
|
60 |
36 |
| June 24 |
58 |
30 |
|
60 |
31
|
While the overall numbers are little changed, there have been some shifts among subgroups. Support for embryonic stem-cell research among white Catholics has gained 11 points to 65 percent, a fresh example of American Catholics' independence from church leaders. Last month Pope John Paul II urged President Bush to reject such research, and the National Council of Catholic Bishops has been a leading opponent.
Support for stem-cell research also has gained some ground, unexpectedly, in two other groups: Up by nine points among conservatives and by 11 points among Republicans. Indeed Republicans and Democrats alike are now in accord on the issue, with six in 10 supporting the research. Fifty-three percent of conservatives now support it as well.
Evangelical white Christians have moved slightly in the opposite direction, their opposition gaining seven points to create an even split, 47-47 percent. And opposition among liberals gained nine points, albeit to only 23 percent.
Bush is deliberating federal funding for stem-cell research, a contentious issue that pits the prospect of potential medical breakthroughs against religious and moral opposition to experimentation on human embryos. Bush opposed this research during the presidential campaign; however, it's supported in this poll by 57 percent of those who say they voted for him last November.
Views on stem-cell research
|
| |
June 24 |
July 30 |
| |
Support
|
Oppose |
Support
|
Oppose |
|
| Evangelical
white Protestants |
50% |
40 |
47 |
47 |
| White Catholics
|
54 |
35 |
65 |
33 |
| Non-evangelical
white Protestants |
70 |
18 |
77 |
19 |
| Conservatives
|
44 |
44 |
53 |
42 |
| Moderates |
63 |
26 |
64 |
32 |
| Liberals
|
76 |
14 |
75 |
23 |
| Republicans
|
49 |
37 |
60 |
36 |
Independents
|
62
|
26
|
67 |
29 |
| Democrats
|
65 |
27 |
60 |
36 |
| Whites |
60 |
29 |
65 |
31 |
| Blacks |
48 |
44 |
50 |
47 |
Methodology
This ABCNEWS/Washington Post poll was conducted by telephone July 26-30 among a random national sample of 1,352 adults. The results have a 2.5-point error margin. Fieldwork was conducted by TNS Intersearch of Horsham, Pa.
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