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.

Change for the sake of change? I should be from Missouri since I love to say "Show me, don't talk at me." If Obama gets to show us, I hope he delivers.... I don't have much faith in any politician these days.

Can one person make a difference? Yes one person can make a difference. They can make a difference in their own lives, in their families, in their community, in their workplace, etc. It can grow and mushroom into a movement that chagnes the lives of many.

Waiting around for the government to make a positive change for you is about as smart as waiting up for the tooth fairy.

If Americans would embrace their inner Libertarian, everything would just be so much better FOR ME.

I can't understand how you can call him a black man. He is also white. He is a wonderful candidate. My maternal grandmother was black. Yet all of her children were born the color of grandfather. So we were thought white... As if she didn't matter. I think it is sad that so many choose the label that suits their cause. I love all my grandparents including my other grandmother who was American Indian and listed on the 1900 census as property. I would love to think we will embrace the right person for the job and not the ethnicity....

I can't understand how you can call him a black man. He is also white. He is a wonderful candidate. My maternal grandmother was black. Yet all of her children were born the color of grandfather. So we were thought white... As if she didn't matter. I think it is sad that so many choose the label that suits their cause. I love all my grandparents including my other grandmother who was American Indian and listed on the 1900 census as property. I would love to think we will embrace the right person for the job and not the ethnicity....

Thats because in this country you can cal it identity grouping.... you look white therefore you are white.... Obama looks black so therefore no matter how technical you want to be ... people and the public at large will always and forever consider him to be a black man.... because thats what they see.

Yeah its a shitty way to think about it but thats America for ya.

He is also white. He was raised by a white - his materal side - family. I am very impressed by both Obama and his wife. They seem like smart, disciplined, caring, mature individuals. My brother who lives in the States will be voting for him. This makes me very happy.

I think Obama is amazing!! I have been a big fan since the 2004 convention speech. I am one of the millions of first time campaign contributors and truely believe in his message of change. Just as I am sick and tried of being fat I am sick and tired of how our government is ran and this glass half empty mentality. Why not have "hope for change"? I see McCain as a Bush clone and it scares me. My favorite word from Obama's speech was "ENOUGH".

Obama is our "Neil" to help us understand the "matrix". He is definitely the one that we have been waiting for.

This may sound fanatical but I am not a fanatic. Right here and right now he is the best person for the job.

McCain just doesn't get it.

We have come a long way in this Country Since the 1600's but we have not come so for that this Country is ready to put a black man in charge.

Now if the White powers that be that in charge of this Country now are making a mess of things, what the heck you think a black man goning to do.

He still has Congress to go through, unless the whole house is demagrate and ten God Help us if that is the case. Because heavy spending on free programs for the monorities, and welfare.

There is no excuse for the black man or White man America is full of opprotunity to succeed.

Just look we are going to have a black President, no if ands are butts it is going to happen.

It is Barack Ombama's time I surely hope the the people are not supprised when he does nothing in his speeches.

He is a smoke screen tell you what you want to hear and then do what he wants.

In one of his speechesI happened to hear he said he wanted one America, Sounds great I would love for evyone to be equal,

Sad thing is that will never happen in this life time are the next.

It is hard to pay attention to your words of wisdom. You can't even spell. Obama has been through Harvard on scholarships. This is a man with a powerful intellect. And the dude is one-half white, eh.

We have come a long way in this Country Since the 1600's but we have not come so for that this Country is ready to put a black man in charge.

Now if the White powers that be that in charge of this Country now are making a mess of things, what the heck you think a black man goning to do.

He still has Congress to go through, unless the whole house is demagrate and ten God Help us if that is the case. Because heavy spending on free programs for the monorities, and welfare.

There is no excuse for the black man or White man America is full of opprotunity to succeed.

Just look we are going to have a black President, no if ands are butts it is going to happen.

It is Barack Ombama's time I surely hope the the people are not supprised when he does nothing in his speeches.

He is a smoke screen tell you what you want to hear and then do what he wants.

In one of his speechesI happened to hear he said he wanted one America, Sounds great I would love for evyone to be equal,

Sad thing is that will never happen in this life time are the next.

And I see why you've only posted here once. LOL

It is hard to pay attention to your words of wisdom. You can't even spell. Obama has been through Harvard on scholarships. This is a man with a powerful intellect. And the dude is one-half white, eh.

Huh? Was that towards me?

Huh? Was that towards me?

No look at Potector above. Probably created the profile just to post the ignorant response.

Directed at Potector.

Oops! My bad.:smile: Potector must have deleted their post. Did I miss some good stuff?

Never mind. I did a search and found his post. Green, I ditto your response.