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 too voted for Obama on his qualifications...I don't give a damn if he's the 1 eye-ed one horned flying purpe people eater...based on his qualifications he still would have got my vote. McCain just wasn't right for us!

Froggi,

I agree with you as usual. I believe that Obama is going to live up to his promise of a changed America and boy do we need it! THANK GOODNESS McCain didn't win!

OMG you sound like Mrs. Obama "This is the first time I have been truly proud of America". My husband just returned from a 15 month tour in Iraq and I can honestly say that I have never not been proud to be an American and I have always been proud of America...yeah we've been sucking for a while, but go ahead and tell that to people in Africa or Iraq...to them we have it good.... :smile2:

Then i declare you give your pride too easily... Pride is more that being patriotic, more than supporting our troops, more that wearing some 10 cent lapel pin. Pride is what gets most Americans up in the morning to fight for Whats right, Their Families, friends, country. When America Breaks Rules that America imposed on the world to begin with... There is nothing to be proud about there. When my father caught me stealing when i was a boy Did that stop him from being in my corner... no... did that stop him from fighting for me... no... did that stop him from loving me... no... Did that make him ashamed of me... yes and i still have not forgotten how that felt.... Pride is earned... and America for the last 8 years has not earned much at all.

-edited beyond this point-

Furthermore black people in this country... especially the black middle class of this country have a drive a need pushed upon use by society and our parents and their dreams for us that we have to do better and we have to want more. 2 generations of that mindset has lead to a generation of Black Americans that aren’t impressed by normal we want extraordinary out of ourselves our community and our country. that being said can you really look at how this country has been represented for the last 8 years... was it Americas absolute best, was it an extraordinary model for the world to follow. In case you’re struggling... the answer is no!.... We have to want more and expect more from ourselves, our country, and our leaders. Do not give your pride freely make it worthwhile, make sure whatever you give your pride to is worthy of the power that it represents.

Edited November 6, 200817 yr by TheWatcher

plain ... i know it may be news ... but we had been sucking really hard lately.

I agree that America has recently had some tough times....but y'all mean to say that there was nothing in the last 8 years to make you proud to be an American?

I agree that America has recently had some tough times....but y'all mean to say that there was nothing in the last 8 years to make you proud to be an American?

maybe im forgetting something.... maybe about 3 weeks after 911....

or the Hell that people suffered when left to fend for self in Katrina(New Orleans) or maybe it was the false war, or the Half retarded nitwit that America put in office... twice. im not saying that there aren't things about America that aren't worthy of our pride... but When you step back and look at the whole picture the vision has been too sloppy too flawed... Last night Our populace grew... collectively we realize that bullshit doesn't matter and that we have to take our heads out of our collective asses and be more, want, more, do much much more.

9/11 has made too many Americans accept some of the activities of this administration as being necessary to fight the evil doers.

We have fought evil doers throughout history without taking away our own freedoms that our founders fought for. We are supposed to be better than the evil doers. Not just like them. We have justified too much that is wrong for America, all in the name of fighting the terrorists - or supposedly fighting for American freedom.

It is no different than what we were told and asked to do during the Vietnam war. Mostly the things we were told by our government were not true. We did not help Vietnam. We helped some of the people who wanted to come to America. But killing their families and bombing the hell out of their country did not make it a free country.

Our war in Iraq is not about making those people free. It is about economics. And we will never bring our kind of government to the Middle East. We do not understand the Middle East. They have had conflicts throughout their history. Their conflicts are complicated and far, far older than America.

The racial discrimination that has been so prevelant in this country is no better than the discrimination in other countries that we claim to want to help. The ethnic cleansing we've seen in other countries, like Bosnia or the religious conflicts we've seen in places like Ireland or the tribal conflicts in South Africa are horrible. The racial discrmination in this country has been horrible.

There will always be terrorists. There will always be assassins and people who blow up buildings and people who put poison powder in our mailboxes. But we should not accept an administration that takes away our freedom, our basic rights, in order to track down the guilty. We have rules that protect our basic rights - those rules should be the standards we all live by. Our president and his administration should never be above the law. It threatens our very democracy.

And the Bush admistration has been a elitist goverment with the wealthiest people enjoying the most benefits. We've finally had enough of it and we finally have found a man who promises to run this country in a way that should make us a stronger nation and a place where people will realize that we really all are created equal.

The election of Senator Obama is a fine representation of the fact that race is not a factor for the majority of the people in this country. But people of color are not the only ones who will benefit from this election - we will ALL be better people for it. He will hold us to a higher standard and he will be a role model for everyone of us.

Seriously?!?

Yes, it's true. I suppose the little hippy in me came out again, sorry it's been suppressed for a few years. What's wrong with voting for the betterment of the country, it doesn't mean we only voted for Obama because he's black it's just part of who he is and if you don't feel it like everyone else give yourself time you may eventually feel it too!

thewatcher unleashed! I am loving it.

plain, I'm surprised that you can't understand people's pain over the past 8 years.

The confusing part for me is how many people were actually exhilarated by the Bush policies.

watching last night, all the people in the streets, in front of the White House and at the park in Chicago. Pure jubliation. It is almost like we got rid of a dictator.

Yes, it's true. I suppose the little hippy in me came out again, sorry it's been suppressed for a few years. What's wrong with voting for the betterment of the country, it doesn't mean we only voted for Obama because he's black it's just part of who he is and if you don't feel it like everyone else give yourself time you may eventually feel it too!

Uh, I didn't suggest that people voted for Obama because he's black.....I was taken aback that you were ashamed, or apathetic, to be an American for awhile. I didn't vote for Obama....it was political, not personal, or racial. But I'm not angry or bitter that he won. Heck, if he betters America we all benefit. Best of luck to him.

What strikes me is how personal this race was for many Americans. Lots of turnout on both sides. That's how it is supposed to be. That alone makes me more proud than whoever the victor would be.

In some ways I think some of us are tired of the older white man running this country. I'm sure that may offend but someone had to say it. We need someone to make a change and someone who is in touch with the real world.:smile2:

Gee love the new backgrounds here. Nice job I am very happy with the outcome of the election and was moved to tears by both speeches last night Obama and McCain.

Hey good news for me got a pair of size 14 Petite jeans today LOL

In some ways I think some of us are tired of the older white man running this country. I'm sure that may offend but someone had to say it. We need someone to make a change and someone who is in touch with the real world.:smile2:

In touch with the real world is subjective. What "real world" is to some is not "real world" to others. That's part of why I am such a strong proponent of state's rights (and less government in general.....and to a much, much lesser degree why I tend to agree more with the republican philosophy).

And BJean, I certainly can understand people's pain. Pain I get. What I don't understand is the irrationality of people.

I, being an southern belle, am ready for ALL to see that we are all made from the same CREATOR and the new pres-elect is just like you and me. Not any better/worse, just another human trying to make his opinons/values known to America. I didn't vote for him, however I FULLY support him. I believe in AMERICA, and that means being loyal to our govt. and fellow citizens. I wish him well in his future position of the next president of the UNITED States of America. What a awesome thing that must be.... I don't know I would want that job.

Just my little 2 cents worth on this thread!!!

I am always proud of America and proud to call myself an American!!! You bring up Katrina and yeah help came late, but the people who stayed behind had a warning to leave and many people, celebrties and normal hard working people have sent money to survivors of Katrina. We gathered as a nation together after 9/11. I see all the good we have done in Iraq...the good that the news doesn't talk about!!! I see all of that and I am proud!!!!!!! I will never stop being proud of my country! Yeah sometimes things that happen here suck, but it could be a lot worse!!! I am proud of who I am and I am proud of the country that I live in and nothing will ever change that.