Growing number say country ready for black president

Posted: 04:01 PM ET

WASHINGTON (CNN) — A new poll suggests that the number of Americans who believe the country is ready for a black president is on the rise.

Seventy-six percent of those polled in a CNN/Essence Magazine/Opinion Research Corporation poll released Thursday say that the country is ready. That's up 14 points from December 2006, at the start of the presidential campaign.

"Some of the increase in the number of Americans who say the country is ready for a black president is a simple recognition of Barack Obama's success in the Democratic primaries," said Keating Holland, CNN's polling director.

"We're not asking this question in a vacuum. In many cases, respondents must have had Obama in mind when giving their answer, even though he is not mentioned anywhere in the questionnaire."

The senator from Illinois is locked in a battle with Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York for the Democratic presidential nomination. Obama currently leads Clinton in states won, delegates pledged, and in the overall popular vote in the primaries and caucuses held so far this year.

The poll also indicates that more white Americans than African-Americans think the country is ready for a black president. Seventy-eight percent of white Americans surveyed say the country is ready, as opposed to only 69 percent of African-Americans polled. Both numbers are up substantially from December 2006.

"Drawing on their own life experience, blacks are a little more skeptical than whites," said Bill Schneider, CNN's senior political analyst. "But blacks, too, have come around, particularly after the Iowa caucuses demonstrated that Obama could win in an overwhelmingly white electorate."

Holland added, "Among blacks, the belief that the country is ready for an African-American president is highest among blacks who share traits with Obama. Optimism about the country's acceptance of a black president is higher among black men than among black women, higher among college-educated blacks than among those with no college degree, and higher among younger blacks than older blacks."

The poll also suggests that more Americans think the country is ready for a black president than a woman president. Sixty-three percent of those surveyed said that the country is ready for a female president. That's 13 points lower than those who say the country is ready for black president.

"Do Americans see more prejudice against a woman than an African-American," Schneider asked. "More likely, they see more negative feelings about this woman than about this African-American. Because it's true. More people have an unfavorable opinion of Hillary Clinton than of Barack Obama."

It's also important to note that the poll asked whether the country is ready for a black or woman president, not whether the respondent would vote for a black or woman president.

"Few people will acknowledge their own prejudices, but they will answer whether they think the country is ready to elect a black or woman president," Schneider said.

The CNN/Essence Magazine/Opinion Research Corporation survey was released on the eve of the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.

The poll was conducted by telephone from March 26 to April 2, with 2,184 Americans questioned, including 1,014 blacks and 1,001 whites. The survey's margin of error is plus or minus 2 percentage points for the overall sample and plus or minus 3 percentage points for the questions asked just of black or white Americans.

Child rape = death penalty. I have no problem with that. But I am from Texas, after all.

*NOTE* I am NOT beating a drum FOR anyone or against Mr. Obama in particular. I have seen quite a lot of HIS campaign on TV of late, and comment only from what is presented there.

This comment was made on CNN yesterday, during a discussion. I forget the names of the others, but Lars Larson was one of the guests.

He brought up a point that is sure provoke more agitation.

Lars said something to the effect regarding EXPERIENCE, that based on the 3 years he's been in the Senate, with a total of 153 days THERE in the chamber, if he were seeking license to cut hair in the state of Oregon, he would not be qualified.....

hhhmmm.... that is a concern of mine, I see Obama as "The Aprentice" let's cross our fingers that he does a good job...:embaressed_smile:

*NOTE* I am NOT beating a drum FOR anyone or against Mr. Obama in particular. I have seen quite a lot of HIS campaign on TV of late, and comment only from what is presented there.

This comment was made on CNN yesterday, during a discussion. I forget the names of the others, but Lars Larson was one of the guests.

He brought up a point that is sure provoke more agitation.

Lars said something to the effect regarding EXPERIENCE, that based on the 3 years he's been in the Senate, with a total of 153 days THERE in the chamber, if he were seeking license to cut hair in the state of Oregon, he would not be qualified.....

This is what I've been saying all along! But I am against Obama, so this should come as no surprise.

Jack to answer your earlier questions: yes, and I darned sure hope so.

As for your last remarks are you suggesting that we set up some kind of licensing and testing for political candidates?

Well what we've tended to vote for in the past are people who have been deemed very "qualified" for the office. You've pointed out quite eloquently how that has worked out for us.

Maybe what we really need are less qualified plain old American folks who give a rats patoot for a change.

Actually some of the most effective congressmen from time to time have been the inexperienced ones who have come in wanting to change the system.

I disagree that nothing good ever comes out of Washington though. I just think that nothing MUCH good comes out of Washington. Occasionally we have a shining moment that is inspiring. Many of the small accomplishments are lost on the general public because they get no media coverage. Good stuff doesn't tend to sell. Controversial and bad stuff does.

I like Pelosi as compared to many others up there. She works for what she believes in and doesn't mince words about it. Of course I know you don't see it that way, but I definitely do. In fact, I rather admire her brass ovaries.

I'm not sure I can answer that. I don't care if our president is black, purple, yellow, or polka-dotted. I think we're ready for a good, competent president. If that person happens to be black, so be it.

I am with you on that one. I wish we could just stop talking about race and talk issues.

Quite honestly, not to make anyone mad, but I am white married to a black man....and we BOTH agree, that Obama is going to have a lot of problems because of having an outspoken wife, who has said some really really foolish things. I was 100% for Hillary and am quite disappointed that she didnt win. Im hoping that due to Obamas skin color, that he doesnt lose to McCain, but he very well could. If he doesnt take a white person, such as Hillary on as VP, he would not stand a chance. He is young and inexperienced, which stands out more to me than anything. There would be no doubt about the democratic party winning if Hillary would be president and he would have been VP. Just my opinion....and my husbands....And I do think that where someone else said that Obama does not really "act" black is mistaken.

Obama, acting black? If you mean that he takes on some of the issues that affect black Americans, I totally agree. If his wife has been outspoken about her feelings, I believe that it can be a good thing if it makes more Americans aware of some of the relevant issues that too often get swept under the rug.

As for his inexperience, I haven't pulled it up to verify dates of service in the Senate, etc., but I did live through it - Jack Kennedy was about Obama's age and he had not served for very long in the Senate. They said back then that he was a young whippersnapper and that he didn't deserve to be president and they couldn't believe he would take on someone as powerful as Lyndon Johnson. Well that turned out to be absolutely and completely wrong.

Although John Kennedy was young and somewhat inexperienced, and he was a very powerful and effective president. He and his brother actually did go about trying to make the changes that they believed would benefit America, the land of the free and home of the brave. We all know what they got for their efforts.

Back then, Republicans absolutely hated the Kennedys. Even if you're young you have heard people speak ill of the Kennedys. At least you've certainly heard them speak ill of Ted Kennedy. And yet, anyone who has ever served with him in the Senate and those in the House of Representatives, Democrats and Republicans alike, say that he is a tireless worker and no one denies that he has been responsible for a whole lot of good legislation during his tenure. It is primarily legislation that benefits the average American. The people in his state are proud of him and appreciate the work he has accomplished in his long career in Washington.

Ted Kennedy thinks Barack Obama is fit for the job. He endorsed him pretty early in the game, and the Kennedys and the Clintons have been good friends since before Bill was president.

As a Republican I know that doesn't impress you, but I think it is impressive for Barack Obama to have been endorsed by Ted Kennedy and so many other very important people.

Billy Jean,

you still never directed me to where your posts were about your dad and politics, Nanook:smile:

Hmmm, yeah I guess you're talkin' to me and I reckon I'll answer to Billy Jean. We got into a more personal discussion over at: Poll-Democrat or Republican?

who cares as long as the gas prices go down? lol no seriously it shouldn't even be an issue honestly

Some people are predicting that a massive increase in well drilling or not, gas prices will reach $7.00 a gallon by 2010.

Shouldn't we all support developing better ways of supplying energy instead of continuing to use so much oil? I'm for spending our time and money on refining electric driven cars and refining and making nuclear power plants safer as well as harnessing wind and upgrading and using existing solar energy processing cells.

They may only be alarmists, but there are people who believe that polar ice may melt completely this year and that from then on, ice at the north pole will freeze, melt and refreeze each year. How can that NOT have a huge effect on our planet? Even if they are exaggerating, what do we have to lose by doing everything it takes, retooling, reinventing and upgrading to wean ourselves off of our dependence on oil in this country?

More drilling and more easily accessible and cheaper oil sources will likely encourage further delays in the changes we need to make.

Hi, I think that everyone is forgetting about the woman that carried him for 9 months and gave birth to him and loved him and his father. She was caucasion...white, so I look at him as best of both worlds..he is our new color, not white not black, but just a presidential nominee and democratic winner.

jlg, you're right. He's brown, not black. And I hope that he does represent the best of both worlds and not the worst of either.

I am part American Indian. That does not make me an Indian. (Although I would be proud to be called an American Indian.) I am also Scotch-Irish. And that doesn't make me Scotch-Irish either. I may have a few genetic traits of both, but I can't exclusively identify with either.

It reminds me of when Tiger Woods was first known to the public and there was such a huge deal made about him being the first black golfer on the tour and allowed in the exclusively white clubhouses. He isn't sorry that his father gave him his black genes, but he also didn't feel that he was exclusively a black person. His mother is Asian and he would be dissing her if he did wear his blackness as if he were only black. He was a new category, but the media and public only saw him as black.

There aren't too many of us in America that are exclusively one race. However we forget about our own mixed blood and are quick to label others who are not caucasian, as completely Asian, Black, Arab, Indian, or whatever even though they may be just as mixed genetically as those of us who appear to be totally caucasian, but who also have Asian, Black, Arab or Indian genes. We sure can be dumb bells sometimes, eh? :thumbup:

brown not black we are pulling hairs now

being a black man i never knew what the big deal was I am not a African American i am a Black man my life didn't begin in Africa if began in Walnut Creek California.

lets not kid ourselves when the work looks a lite complected black person they see the same as a dark complected black person

They see a black person...

Honestly when ever i hear that debate i laugh my a... well you know what off

Edited June 29, 200818 yr by TheWatcher