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.

Actually the libertarians believe in minimal government influence. Kind of a laissez-faire philosophy in all aspects of life. My point was that, since the libertarian candidate doesn't recieve federally - matched funds to support his run for president, maybe Obama could share some of his. Especially seeing how Obama doesn't mind sharing your stuff or my stuff with others.

Well I consider myself a libertarian and a realist and I don't agree that you can place a box around what that means. I don't think you absorbed what I just posted. Please read it again then come back with something else so we can discuss it.

Edited October 23, 200817 yr by Lowbmier

I think you and the gadget think that being a libertarian thinker means spreading the wealth.

Nope. That's more Marxist.

To me, I think being a middle class citizen, I have supported the richer getting richer just by me getting up every day and going to work.

How has the middle class made the rich any richer? Do you think they get some of what you actually pay in taxes? Like a secret kickback or something?

The current government has slapped me in the face as far as changing the constitutional laws to accommodate their corrupt agendas.

Which constitutional laws have been changed that have slapped you in the face?

Not everyone can go to college.

I disagree. If you really want to do college, it is doable. Maybe you have to work full time and take one course at a time. Maybe that course is at night. Maybe it's by distance learning. Maybe it's starting at a local community college. Where there is a will, there's a way.

As far as McCain’s heath care policy, if he has his way, not only will the illegal immigrants continue to tax our health care system but regular people will be forced to practice this as well.

Nope. McCain wants to give every family a tax credit for health insurance to do whatever they want with it. I think maybe you have McCain & Obama mixed up on this issue. Now, the amount that McCain wants to credit ($5000 / year) is probably a little on the low side for most people, but it beats what they have now!

Since you consider yourself to both a libertarian and a realist, will you be voting for Bob Barr?

I think you and the gadget think that being a libertarian thinker means spreading the wealth.

:eek: A libertarian, or sometimes known as a Classical Liberal, is someone who believes in individual rights and minimal government interference in personal lives. It is what our Founding Fathers were (for the most part). Here's a link for you in case you want to read up on it: What Is Libertarianism?

I have supported the richer getting richer just by me getting up every day and going to work.

My husband and I were just discussing this tonight. We have an employee who's such a nice young man. We asked him the other night if he could come over and help us move a heavy desk around (I have a bad back). Not only did he happily come over, but he gave me a hug and thanked my husband for giving him a job. We're not "the rich getting richer"; we're struggling to get along just like everyone else. But with this positive, can-do attitude, I'm confident this young man is going places.

I want my taxes to go to bringing the public school system up to a better standard.

The problem with this philosophy is that study after study after study has shown that throwing money at the public school system doesn't make it a better system.

Edited October 23, 200817 yr by gadgetlady

Obama doesn't mind sharing your stuff or my stuff with others.

Well put. Funny how his half-brother in Africa who makes $12 a year still hasn't received any charity from him (to anyone's knowledge).

Well I consider myself a libertarian and a realist and I don't agree that you can place a box around what that means.

I think you mean liberal, not libertarian. There is a Libertarian Party, you know, and they define themselves pretty well. Libertarian Party | Smaller Government | Lower Taxes | More Freedom

gadget lady is the McCain campaign paying you???

No gidge. You too are trying box things into a label of understanding. It is clear you know how to google and stay doing it to gather information whether true or not. Step outside of your box because everyone's views or beliefs don't coinside with what has been written. What do you have to say as a person I mean the person who doesn't also go to what has been written. What has been your true experience that you endorse writings and believe in them so much that everything you read is truth?

As for you Plain...you and gidge are so out of touch with what is going on in this country. I am not going to indulge this conversation any further tonight, but I will be back. It's late and I don't know about the two of you but I have to go to work to pay the taxes that make up for the taxes that the oil companies and the large corporations don't have to pay. Oh, and how can I forget the bailout of Wall Street that you both must be supporting by supporting McCain.

No gidge. You too are trying box things into a label of understanding. It is clear you know how to google and stay doing it to gather information whether true or not. Step outside of your box because everyone's views or beliefs don't coinside with what has been written. What do you have to say as a person I mean the person who doesn't also go to what has been written. What has been your true experience that you endorse writings and believe in them so much that everything you read is truth?

Are you saying the Libertarian Party isn't properly defining itself? My "true experience" is that I was once registered Libertarian.

It has nothing to do with being able to google. I know what Libertarian means. I googled and provided a link for you, not for me, because it appears that you don't understand the definition. I was trying to help.

Edited October 23, 200817 yr by gadgetlady
Post wasn't as kind as it could have been

gadget lady is the McCain campaign paying you???

No, but Obama supporters expect to be paid by Obama should he win the election, that's for sure. FYI, McCain was my last choice for a Republican candidate -- literally last in the primaries -- but he is head and shoulders above Obama, which is why I'm supporting the ticket.

As for you Plain...you and gidge are so out of touch with what is going on in this country. I am not going to indulge this conversation any further tonight, but I will be back. It's late and I don't know about the two of you but I have to go to work to pay the taxes that make up for the taxes that the oil companies and the large corporations don't have to pay. Oh, and how can I forget the bailout of Wall Street that you both must be supporting by supporting McCain.

Why am I "so out of touch"? Because my opinion differs from yours? Because I question Obama's European-ish tax policy? And why are the attacks getting a little more personal, lowbmier? I suspect it's because you are having trouble putting together a coherent, logical arguement. I have yet to read anything but "think outside the box" and how "out of touch" I am.

Oh, and how can I forget the bailout of Wall Street that you both must be supporting by supporting McCain.

Um, yeah, you mean the same bail-out that Obama supported as well????

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QR8WXPlBCho]YouTube - GIVE GEORGE BUSH A 3rd. TERM![/ame]

hey everyone i watched this and thought of u you all

btw... did he say he would enact the Draft..... yea .... he went there

isn't you tube great .... you find the best stuff.

Edited October 24, 200817 yr by TheWatcher

Oh God.... I said I wouldn't be dragged back into this but here I am...

Watcher, I thought you were intelligent enough not to believe every soundbite taken out of context. My recollection of that town hall meeting was that while he didn't disagree with her comments, he believed an all volunteer military was superior and had no plans to implement a draft.

Many liberals on the other hand have been calling for the implementation of a draft because they believe the only way to end an unpopular war is to scare people into taking action. They may have a point, but McCain did not support implementing a draft and has no plans to do so.

Oh God.... I said I wouldn't be dragged back into this but here I am...

Watcher, I thought you were intelligent enough not to believe every soundbite taken out of context. My recollection of that town hall meeting was that while he didn't disagree with her comments, he believed an all volunteer military was superior and had no plans to implement a draft.

Many liberals on the other hand have been calling for the implementation of a draft because they believe the only way to end an unpopular war is to scare people into taking action. They may have a point, but McCain did not support implementing a draft and has no plans to do so.

ouch... well welcome to the debate... its not just a sound bite these and the policy that is real and that old lady at that rally is right most or my family has been or in in the military and they cant if things remain this way for long there will have no choice... and some of those interviews i saw when broadcast and i said it back then the fact is that even bush toyed with enacting the draft... i just for the sake of saying it ... i am still prety intelligent. I love how people are quick to shoot down my ideas and my theories and say that im misinformed or unintelligent yet when i find it i post my reaseaarch people skip it or just pretend i said nothing... have you read the whole tread... i understand being passionate about your position cmon we all have to worry about what we say comming back to bite us on the ass. Mccain just has enough for you me and everyone else on this server... you can all it a sound bite a video clip or what ever you want to call it but it is more that that and weather you want to admit is anouther question. i am not a liberal i am a independent the only reason i registed demacrat was to help out Barrack .... its easy for someonw who wouldnt be eligable for the draft to say oh its just a sound bite ... i dont have that luxury i will be on the first thing smoking to the middle east.

and please support your many liberals support the draft i wanna read that one for my self. and dont find one fringe idiot .... you said many!