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.

Our taxes take care of military pay and health care for their families.

I hope that Obama has no plans to put businesses out of business by some outrageous tax plan. I do not believe that he is that dumb. In fact, I do not believe he is dumb at all.

He said that he wants to incentivize corporations and I think that's what he'll do. If companies really care about putting people to work and they do all the things that you, laurigee and your husband do for their employees, I do not believe that a tax plan that Obama comes up with will burden you to the point of putting you out of business. Now if there are extenuating circumstances - like a plant shut down in your town - that causes you to go out of business because people in the community can't buy cars, then that's different.

Lets face it. The economy is bad and spiraling downward. Obama will probably have to make some really tough decisions. But there is no way that putting companies out of business by taxing them to death makes any sense at all.

I used to live in Arizona. At that time, our state taxes were horrendous. And different states have different tax burdens. Some state taxes, combined with federal taxes are out of sight. I hear you when you speak of Wisconsin's high taxes. I know what that means and I certainly don't envy the financial downturn that is staring you in the face right now.

If there is a true depression, your family will understand why you can't make it, just like millions of others will learn. God help us if Obama isn't able to pull us out of this mess.

Plain and Kyband, thanks for advising me on big business and off-shore activities. I hadn't understood these aspects before.

Smart alek. :eek:

Smart alek. :eek:

Nope, genuinely meant.

Melolo: Actually as I was writting that post I was trying to edit it and erased most of what I had written. Unfortunately I hit the wrong button and none of the edited info came up. So I will repeat some of what I wrote:

I apologize to The Watcher that I made assumptions to his character or age. Wisdom comes from all.

I am not against Barack at all. I would love the U.S to get back on track and really don't care who does it. I am only pointing out 1 concern I have that hits me personally. My husband and I own 2 car dealerships, Wholesale Co., land and investments(with employees), etc. We employ alot of people in small communities. We treat everyone with respect and in return get respect. Our motto is "YOU DON'T WORK FOR US, YOU WORK WITH US". My husband works side-by-side with everyone. At our car dealerships we give everyone that works their a car to drive, pay their car insurance, pay half of their health insurance, and match their 401K, we also offer the top salesman at the end of the year a 1st class family vacation, almost anywhere. We have people that can't make it on their social security, young families just starting out, single parents, a little of everything. These people are our family. We have just recently had GM, and a large canning co. pull out of our area. 1,000's of people are looking for jobs. If we are taxed any more we will not be able to keep the doors open. What will happen to our family? To save money we could take their benifits away but it would only cause hardship to the families. Where will they go to get treated they way they deserve to be treated? My husband & I will be able to get by, we made wise investments and new when to get out, Walgreens wants to buy the 1 property our dealership sits on, and my husband is a prof. poker player(yeh it exsists), but what about the rest of the family? Remember, every senator is in the top 10%, they will be taken care of for the rest of their lives. They will never have to worry about their families, if they have a home, healthcare. Obama raised over 450 million in contributions for his campaign, which is impressive. He definately knows the right people. But I just don't think we should be fooled to think they know what business owners or the average person feels. To me the difference of 250,000 and millions are a big difference. To tax those over 500,000 or million to me is more suitable. Cuz eventually 250,000 has already came down to 100,000 according to Biden. Scarey. I would do anything for my family and It kills me to think we may have to look them in the eyes and tell them we can't make it. We already live in a state that business and property taxes are some of the highest in the nation. So that's my story, I hope that puts an understanding to my concerns. I am just trying to protect my family!

I am very impressed by your post. You and your husband sound like fine people to work for/with and you do have reasons for concern. According to most of the reports I have been hearing, the economy is in recession or worse. This alone means that folks don't have the cash to go shopping and that will have a bad impact on businesses who in turn will lay people off. It is an awfully ugly spiral....

I do know that up here in Canada folks are heavily taxed but this is on their net earnings and those individuals who operate businesses are able to make a lot of business-related deductions. I can only imagine that you have the same system south of the border.

Presumably, too, Obama is not going to want to kill the geese who are laying the golden eggs and by that I mean keeping their fellow citizens employed. Remember that neither Obama nor his wife came from money. Remember, too, that he was working with a disadvantaged neighbourhood in Chicago. Surely he must understand the valuable role that American-owned and run businesses play inside the community.

Well said, Green.

I for one thought you were thanking them for enlightening you on big business and off-shore activities with your tongue firmly implanted in your cheek.

Don't you love it when you learn something new here?! I sure do

Well said, Green.

I for one thought you were thanking them for enlightening you on big business and off-shore activities with your tongue firmly implanted in your cheek.

Don't you love it when you learn something new here?! I sure do

Thanks, Bjean. I really did mean to thank them. I am not only old, I am also blonde!!! lol

A bit earlier in today's thread Watcher mentioned how much he pays in taxes. You Watcher are in probably the income/dependent group that pays the most in taxes. Frankly, middle income people who don't have enough deductions to itemize their taxes get screwed on taxes. You have resonable income and can't itemize your taxes. I remember when I first graduated from college used to claim zero exemptions on my taxes and still owed every year.

In my opinion those who are considered "poor" do get back most (if not all) of their tax money but those who make just a hair more than that and can't yet afford to purchase a home and live paycheck to paycheck really get the short end of the tax stick and will truely benefit from Obama's plan.

I don't care what color he is. As long as he ends this war I'm happy.

Odd question me thinks and it's sad someone felt compelled to ask. Interseting that there is discusion about taxes. Is there a relationship between the color of ones skin and the desire to raise taxes?

Odd question me thinks and it's sad someone felt compelled to ask. Interseting that there is discusion about taxes. Is there a relationship between the color of ones skin and the desire to raise taxes?

no this is a well aged thread feel free to start from the beginning and get caught up... a lot of good discussions have come trough this thread

no this is a well aged thread feel free to start from the beginning and get caught up... a lot of good discussions have come trough this thread

This has been a great thread!!! Thanks to you Awesome!

lol

I guess the question has been answered hasn't it watcher?

We are definitely ready for a black president!

And as for clusk's remark about feeling like we're getting rid of an evil dictator, I must say I think we are!

I guess the question has been answered hasn't it watcher?

We are definitely ready for a black president!

And as for clusk's remark about feeling like we're getting rid of an evil dictator, I must say I think we are!

yea... sad to say but i think this thread has run its course....hmmmm it was a good run huh?

Watcher: I am very sad to say that there is a nutball here in Texas that was flying a black flag above an upside down American flag. He said that he is protesting the election results. The most disturbing part of the story is that he is a school teacher.

He claimed that it had nothing to do with racial bias. He said that it is a black time in history because Americans are not sticking to the values he thinks are important.

I decided a while back that people are just hardwired differently - some of them are just a few synapses short of bright. You'd think that someone well-educated enough to be a teacher would know right from wrong.

I think I need to head for a nice quiet mountain retreat. Preferably with a little bubbling brook nearby.

BJean: Do you think that the black flag has something to do with the football player that was going to show a black clothe I think(don't quote me) during a football game after getting a touchdown(honoring our black president) I guess with both of them why the black clothe or flag to represent someone or something? I hope I will see a world that doesn't notice the color only notices the man! I did not vote for president elect Obama, but I am a person that promotes country. So the majority has spoken and I will not negatively demean, degrade, or disrespect the decisions or man while he is in office. This will only cause a division in country. So GO PRESIDENT OBAMA, HELP FIX OUR COUNTRY! I'M 110%

BEHIND HIM!