Even as it has become engulfed in the national debate over gun control in the wake of the massacre in Newtown, Conn., the National Rifle Association is viewed in relatively high standing among all Americans.
According to a recent Gallup poll, the NRA has a favorability rating of 54 percent. Only 38 percent of respondents said they viewed the NRA unfavorably.
There are two caveats in the poll to which Gallup calls attention: the poll was conducted from Dec. 19-22. On Dec. 21, NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre gave a rather stunning press conference that broke the organization's silence on the massacre in at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, which left 20 children and seven others dead. LaPierre's appearance on "Meet the Press" last Sunday also came after the poll was conducted.
The 54 percent favorability rating is down from the organization's high of 60 percent in 2005. But it stands higher than the group's ratings in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Not surprisingly, there are stark differences between political parties and gun owners vs. non-gun owners. Here's a look at the different demographics and how they view the NRA:
Here's a look back at LaPierre's press conference >
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