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.

I was also thrilled to see Powell support Obama. I watched the entire "Meet the Press" show yesterday. I was very impressed with Powells thought out reasoning for supporting Obama but that did not stop Rush from stating this morning is was only because he was black.

Powell was the darling of the right when he support "W" for president and when he went to the UN to support the war. Now they will either ignore him or try and tear him down. I don't know about you but I am enjoying watching the flail about not knowing what to do when their Rovian tacktics don't work any more.

Sorry gadget, you just didn't understand what you read. I didn't say that the guy in the video was using diversionary tactics.

I was messing with Jack because he posted it right after a long post that I made that I thought might provoke some conversation on those issues. Rather than discuss those things, Jack posted something else that didn't relate to what I had brought up. I was referring to Jack using a diversionary tactic - not referring to what the context of his post was.

I just don't have time to read all the stuff - all the links and stuff - that other people post. Nothing compells me to and so I don't. You don't have to read everything everyone else posts either - you choose to.

Edited October 20, 200817 yr by BJean

You're right clusk. He definitely was considered a top-notch dignitary and consultant in the Republican party. And he is still just as important as they thought he was.

I expect nothing better from Rush Limbaugh. If all the racist remarks intended to incite negative actions from stupid folks doesn't stop, they should be held accountable when it happens.

I'm astonished that Sen Obama's campaign to date surpasses the entire National Defense Budget of the USA in 1963 by about 5 times.

That's quite a statistic. Wow.

You don't have to read everything everyone else posts either - you choose to.

Not really. I rarely read yours.

Not really. I rarely read yours.

Wow gadge did someone hit a nerve, you're getting kind of nasty:thumbdown:

Wow gadge did someone hit a nerve, you're getting kind of nasty:thumbdown:

And hers weren't? Just stating the truth. I do rarely read her posts. Sorry if I offended you.

You're right, KYBandChick. I shouldn't have ignored the attacks and not said anything at all. I do apologize to anyone I offended, including BJean.

You're right, KYBandChick. I shouldn't have ignored the attacks and not said anything at all. I do apologize to anyone I offended, including BJean.

"shouldn't", so are you being catty or sincere. I like to believe in positive intentions so I will not assume

"shouldn't", so are you being catty or sincere. I like to believe in positive intentions so I will not assume

THAT was a typo (I started to type "I shouldn't have taken the bait"). Sorry. I meant I should have ignored. I would go back and fix but with your quote immortalizing my typo :party: the thread wouldn't make sense if I did. Thank you for wanting to believe in positive intentions :Dancing_biggrin:

THAT was a typo (I started to type "I shouldn't have taken the bait"). Sorry. I meant I should have ignored. I would go back and fix but with your quote immortalizing my typo :party: the thread wouldn't make sense if I did. Thank you for wanting to believe in positive intentions :Dancing_biggrin:

All this negativity was why I lost interest in the "Are we ready for a female VP" thread. It just isn't necessary. It really seems like a competition between each side to see who can come up with the next best partisan quote knowing we aren't impressing anyone but those who already agree with us and igniting those who don't. It feels like a school yard game of I know you are but what am I.

All this negativity was why I lost interest in the "Are we ready for a female VP" thread. It just isn't necessary. It really seems like a competition between each side to see who can come up with the next best partisan quote knowing we aren't impressing anyone but those who already agree with us and igniting those who don't.

When you have two groups who disagree vehemently on issues, you're bound to have conflict. It doesn't necessarily need to be negative unless people start getting personal -- or even if they start calling the politicians involved names -- and then it can ramp up very quickly, unfortunately. I've seen some doozies from both sides, and, as you know, I've been involved in some doozies as well. But you have to remember that while there are some who are entrenched in their position, such as myself and many others on this board, there are still "undecideds". Rhetoric doesn't often affect them, but maybe some of the facts that come through here and there will. I've been very happy to explain my position in logical, clearly though-out posts and PMs, to several LBTers.

One of these days (hopefully soon -- I need to get permission first) I'm going to share a positive story about something terrific that came out of a very hotly debated issue and often name-calling thread on this board. You don't always know what's going on behind the scenes :Dancing_biggrin:

Personally, I think closing threads is useless as the opinions (and personality conflicts) just erupt elsewhere. But it's up to everyone else.

hold on one minute.... if you can manage your self and have a discussion don't co around calling for the closure of my thread. i mean cmon what happened bjean may have been getting a lil edgy but gadget you were out of line. cmon your too old for this.... chill and conversate or stop reading this thread!!!!:party::crying::Dancing_biggrin:

hold on one minute.... if you can manage your self and have a discussion don't co around calling for the closure of my thread. i mean cmon what happened bjean may have been getting a lil edgy but gadget you were out of line. cmon your too old for this.... chill and conversate or stop reading this thread!!!!:party::crying::Dancing_biggrin:

I'm not quite sure who you're talking to, but if you're talking to me please note that I did not call for the closure of this thread; I have also apologized for saying something that didn't need to be said.