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.

With Senator Obama, I needed to dig deeper to get the whole picture. Something that obviously many people are not interested in bothering with.

No, what you're doing is coloring him with your own speculation and guesswork.

And frankly, I want a representative where I don't have to work him like a Rubiks Cube, one where his or her stance is VERY obvious and VERY up front.

Maybe that's why y'all hate Palin so much. She's an open book and there's no having to "dig deeper" to figure out what she's about.

DOES IT REALLY MATTER WHAT COLOR ANYONE IS ANYMORE?

Kim

DOES IT REALLY MATTER WHAT COLOR ANYONE IS ANYMORE?

No, it does not, or it should not. What cracks me up about this whole issue is that Obama isn't "African-American" in the sense of having descended from slaves brought over to the US (as we commonly "define" the term "African-American"). He is 1/2 white, and the other 1/2 is mostly Arab, not African, and the Arab part of his family were slave-owners and slave-traders. He doesn't have one relative that was a slave.

In the grand scheme of things, does it matter? No more than his "color" does, but I just find it hilarious that uninformed people cling to his being an "African-American" when he really descended from slave-traders, not slaves.

Beth you've really gone off the deep end. Do you really think that Senator Obama doesn't say the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America? Where do you get this stuff?

I will admit that Palin is an open book all right. She's about as deep as a single flapjack swimming in a pool of real maple syrup.

And, you are correct, that is exactly one of the reasons we don't like her.

Actually it isn't that we don't like her. It's that we have no respect for her as a Vice Presidential candidate, second in line to the presidency possibly, after a man who's 72 years old, had cancer and other health problems.

The only reason you don't understand Senator Obama is because you don't care to. You've either not done your homework or you've bought the right wing media rehtoric hook, line and sinker.

Those of us who support him know exactly where he stands on issues. He's the only person in this race who has been completely open and up front about his planned policies. That's one of the main reasons he's ahead in the polls. We're sick and tired of the bull$%@! that McCain and Palin are slinging, and we know that if they had a really good leg to stand on with the issues, they'd be talking about them instead of trying to get people to hate Obama. Cause you know, that's their only chance. There's no way that they can get enough votes to win on the issues - not with the informed majority of the American people.

And it looks like we've come full circle. There's really no sense in going over all this again. It's not like anything has changed in anybody's mind here.

Except maybe for gadget, who fancies herself an expert on African-American people. It does make us scratch our heads when you say stuff like that gadget. First of all, I don't believe that Senator Obama is the person who has put that label on him. And two, he knows who he is - and in much more depth than you. I can't imagine why you think you have the right to define his ethnic background for him. Anyone who's been paying attention knows hes an Arab with terrorist proclivities, right? :rolleyes2:

I don't believe that Senator Obama is the person who has put that label on him.

I never said he was. But that is how others view him, and I think it's hilarious. That's what I said.

And two, he knows who he is - and in much more depth than you.

And yet he chooses not to share that information. Which is why others have to dig it up and expose him.

I can't imagine why you think you have the right to define his ethnic background for him.

Now I'm the one scratching my head. I didn't define his ethnic background. His ethnic background defines his ethnic background.

Very funny gadget!! You crack me up. :rolleyes2:

Very funny gadget!! You crack me up. :hurray:

Um, OK. Glad I could make you laugh :rolleyes2: although I'm not sure what I said that you consider funny.

Probably every single thing you said gadget

Probably every single thing you said gadget

Care to let me in on the joke? Because I've been dead serious on this thread today.

Oh, oh, wait! Do you mean Obama is a joke? NOW I get it!:rolleyes2:

Beth you've really gone off the deep end. Do you really think that Senator Obama doesn't say the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America? Where do you get this stuff?

Actually it was the Star Spangled Banner. However, some sites stated it as the Pledge, hence the confusion. Here it is in video, from ABC:

ABC News

The only reason you don't understand Senator Obama is because you don't care to. You've either not done your homework or you've bought the right wing media rehtoric hook, line and sinker.

I know you wish that was true -- and in fact NEED that to be true. However, I don't like him because he is a flaming socialst and absolutely THE most left-wing liberal to ever walk the earth. That's why I don't like him.

Those of us who support him know exactly where he stands on issues. He's the only person in this race who has been completely open and up front about his planned policies.

But it doesn't sound like that's completely true. If memory serves (and I tried to do a search and find my post), I thought you were the one who said that you have to do some digging to find out where he stood on issues, and I replied that they shouldn't be like Rubik's Cubes. If that wasn't you, I apologize, but these threads and posters are starting to run together. But if that was you, then what you say now contradicts what you said earlier.

There's no way that they can get enough votes to win on the issues - not with the informed majority of the American people.

Kinda like how I feel in saying that the liberal candidates wouldn't win if they didn't always try to promise their voting base some form of reparations or other form of monetary perks while fostering class envy. If the libs said tomorrow, "With very few exceptions, you are on your own and responsible for yourself, the gravy train has dried up and there will be no more perks," many who vote liberal would be in a real conundrum.

And it looks like we've come full circle. There's really no sense in going over all this again. It's not like anything has changed in anybody's mind here.

Very true, but I have to believe we are expending calories while debating. :rolleyes2:

Anyone who's been paying attention knows hes an Arab with terrorist proclivities, right? :laugh:

My Majik 8 Ball said so, so it must be true. :hurray:

No, really, it's true.

Oh, oh, wait! Do you mean Obama is a joke? NOW I get it!:hurray:

Oh yeah sooooooooo funny.:rolleyes2:

No gadget, you and Beth are defining his background - and quite far afield from the truth.

Please tell us all exactly where his parents are from and what race they were, where they grew up, where Senator Obama grew up, and all that if you two know so much about his ethic background.

Tap, tap, tap, hands on hips, smiling, I'm waiting.......

Aw, take your time. I know it's hard to get those Majik 8 Balls to come up with the answers you're looking for.

Why am I not surprised that is your source of information? Hmmmmm.:rolleyes2:

Aw, take your time. I know it's hard to get those Majik 8 Balls to come up with the answers you're looking for.

Why am I not surprised that is your source of information? Hmmmmm.:rolleyes2:

I thought you'd like that. :laugh: :hurray:

No gadget, you and Beth are defining his background - and quite far afield from the truth.

Please tell us all exactly where his parents are from and what race they were, where they grew up, where Senator Obama grew up, and all that if you two know so much about his ethic background.

Tap, tap, tap, hands on hips, smiling, I'm waiting.......

The information on this abounds, and is not new, and Obama does not deny it. Here's one source for you: Reading Between the Lines: Post, Tribune: Is Obama really African-American? (links to other documentation within, as well). There are plenty of others. Let me know if you'd like a plethora of them, or if you can find them for yourself. I'm leaving the house now but am happy to provide them when I get home.