The new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll on abortion shows that for the first time, a majority of Americans want abortion to be legal in all (or most) cases.

And one reason for the opinion swing: the Republican Party’s deranged obsession with controlling women’s reproductive rights, and the very revealing statements by people like Todd Akin and other highly placed right wing cavemen.

What’s more, seven in 10 respondents oppose Roe v. Wade being overturned, which is the highest percentage on this question since 1989.

“These are profound changes,” says Republican pollster Bill McInturff, who conducted this survey with Democratic pollster Peter D. Hart and his colleagues.

McInturff adds that the abortion-related events and rhetoric over the past year - which included controversial remarks on abortion and rape by two Republican Senate candidates, as well as a highly charged debate over contraception - helped shaped these changing poll numbers.

“The dialogue we have had in the last year has contributed … to inform and shift attitudes.”