Do 80 Percent of American Catholics Really Support Same Sex Unions?

This poll is getting a lot of play today. I am calling B.S. on this. See here

In addition, the survey found that Catholics overwhelmingly support legal recognition of homosexual unions. 41% of white Catholics, and 46% of Latino Catholics, support same-sex marriage, while an additional 36% of white Catholics, and 22% of Latino Catholics, support same-sex civil unions. Only 19% of white Catholics, and 30% of Latino Catholics, are faithful to Catholic teaching, which opposes the legal recognition of homosexual unions. Overall, 37% of Americans support same-sex marriage, 27% support civil unions, and 33% oppose the legal recognition of homosexual unions. In 2006, only 26% of Americans supported same-sex marriage.

OK I am not buying that. While no doubt many Catholics support same sex marriage (I suspect the numbers are high among people that don't go to Mass) this 80 percent number seems way way off.

First if 80 percent of Catholics were actually in support of gay marriage or Civil Unions would we not be seeing this play out when the issue is before the voters. Further to think that Latino Catholics favor same sex marriage in greater numbers than "white" Catholics seems very very counter intuitive.

When we look at the exits poll regarding prop 8 in California we see 64% of Catholic voted for it. Further as a whole 84% of people who attended Church on a weekly basis voted for Prop 8. Are we really expecting such a dramatic change in just two years?

It is a shame that exit polling was not done when this issue came up in Maine in 2009. I think one reason poll was not done in the field was everyone assumed "Liberal" Maine would vote for same sex marriage. Well the majority ( a slim one ) proved otherwise. Catholics in Maine are roughly fifteen percent of the state's estimated population.

No matter if you support gay marriage or oppose it I would be taking this poll with a huge grain of salt.