Americans are warming to the idea of marriage and adoption rights for gays and lesbians, according to a new national poll by the Pew Research Center for People and the Press. Though 51% of Americans still say they oppose marriage equality, that's a sharp decline from the 63% who opposed it in a Pew poll in February 2004. The poll showed an even larger drop in the percentage of those who say they "strongly oppose" same-sex marriage. San Francisco Chronicle (3/23), FOXNews.com/Associated Press (3/23)

California poll: 64% support marriage or civil unions

A Field Poll of Californians found a majority of respondents saying they oppose marriage rights for gays and lesbians. But with the added option of civil unions, support was evenly split among full marriage rights, civil unions and no recognition of any kind for same-sex relationships, with each alternative garnering the support of 32% of those surveyed. San Francisco Chronicle (3/22)