Public Opinion and the Politics of Abortion. In the years since the historic Roe v. Wade decision that made abortion legal in the United States, pro-life and pro-choice forces have organized, demonstrated, and participated in electoral politicsboth sides claiming that the general public supports their position. Now it appears likely that Roe will be overturned or limited by the Supreme Court. If abortion politics is returned to national and state legislators, a clear reading of public opinion on abortion will become even more important. Using extensive analysis of survey data, Cook, Jelen, and Wilcox show that the American