New poll: U.S. more ready for black prez than female one

A new poll just out from CNN/Opinion Research tied to Martin Luther King Day today finds blacks and whites optimistic and pretty much in agreement -- 84% whites, 78% blacks -- that a lot or moderate progress has been made toward the civil rights leader's dream of equality in American society.

But hidden near the bottom of the survey of nearly 1,400 adult Americans Jan. 14-17 is some disturbing news for Sen. Hillary Clinton heading into tonight's Democratic debate in South Carolina and the party's primary there Saturday.

The survey's numbers show that Americans are more ready for a black president than a female president. You read that right.

In Saturday's Nevada caucuses, Clinton beat Barack Obama in the total....

vote, but Obama captured something more than 80% of the black vote from the wife of the president sometimes called "the first black president." That already augured ill for her fortunes heading into South Carolina where half the Democratic vote is African American.

But the CNN poll today shows that 72% of whites and 61% of blacks believe the country is ready for a black president. That's up from 65% and 54%, respectively, two years ago. (Both polls have a margin of error of +/-4.5%.)

But asked if the country is ready for a female president, blacks and whites both are in agreement; they're less sure -- only 63% of both whites and blacks answer yes. That's up slightly (from 58%) for whites but down among blacks from 67% since December, 2006.

Interestingly, men and women remain in agreement on this issue, too. In 2006, 60% of both genders said yes and this time it's 65% female and 64% male.

Food for thought, or maybe some debate questions in a few hours.

--Andrew Malcolm

Comments

[uneeda]

FIrst problem with your little Poll information.."It was done byCNN"..Thereby it is not "RELIABLE"!!!

Don't believe everything you read; PEOPLE LIE..

[Scott Looper]

Interesting to note, more blacks feel America is ready for a woman president than a black president.

[Ramona]

Perhaps it simply reflects history.
The 15th amendment granted black men the right to vote in 1870.
The 19th amendment granted women the right to vote in 1920.

[rubyb]

What this really says is that the country wants a man for president rather than a woman ... still a lot of chauvinism around.

[My 2 cents]

I'm not ready for either. A woman would be too weak, plus the Arabs would just hate us more. As for a black, find me one country in the world ran by blacks that is worth a damn. Not going to.

[gichaba]

If the trend in the recent New Hampshire and Nevada is anything to go by, Obama needs a cushion to at least 15% ahead of Clinton in pre-polling numbers to have any hoping of winning any primary. Right now, the Soouth Carolina polls have Obama ahead by 9 %. I am afraid that won't cut it.

For whatever reason, pollsters are being mislead by potential voters who turn out to be mostly closted Hiliary supporters.

[Rocco]

Wow. They polled 1600 Americans. That's not enough to know. We'll all know on election day when the Clinton/Obama ticket win.

[Xjt]

You seem to be going out of your way to promote Barack Obama on this blog. I believe you actually had the nerve to write that our "better angels" would support Obama last week, or some such nonsense.

The Republicans have moved this country so far to the extreme right that many people are understandably concerned about a candidate who promises to work with Republicans. The Republican party has governed as though Democrats haven't existed for the past 7 years. Now suddenly, when it's clear that the Republicans are about to lose the presidency because of their incompetence, you're in love with a candidate who calls for bipartisanship and working together. A candidate who praises Ronald Reagan. Where has the call for bipartisanship been the last seven years?

It's hard to know what to make of the figures you site. Certainly this blog, as well as the mainstream media (such as Chris Matthews, Tucker Carlson, Andrea Mitchell for starters) have gone out of their way to promote Barack Obama and to insult and degrade Hillary Clinton. Given the hit job that the media has done on Senator Clinton it's no wonder that people may have more doubts about any female candidate.

You guys in the media seem more intent on shaping public opinion these days than reporting it.

[Jay]

Black? Yes. Black woman? Yes. A certain non black woman with the initials HRC..... NO WAY!

[White American]

Black President...sure. Just not Obama.

[John Gearheart]

How about America being ready for a good president. I don't care if it's a woman or a man, a white or black, a Christian or an atheist. WHO CARES. How about a president that believes in a small government and more personal freedoms. A president that believes in secure borders and regulated, legal immigration. A president that believes in less taxes and more self reliance instead of a socialist nanny-state and permanent welfare class. A president that believes in goods being sold in America being made in America, and any "fare-trade" agreement working both ways. A president that believes in a strong military and defends America, but doesn't get into unnecessary foreign entanglements. How about a president that doesn't bow down to fanatical, militant "environmentalism" (i.e. anti-capitalism) and drills for oil here at home, builds refineries, and nuclear power plants to wean us off of Middle east oil while we work toward REAL alternative fuel solutions instead of converting the world food supply into this bio-fuel boondoggle. A president that believes in a common language that helps people to function in society and be successful. A president that believes that in a free society with free speech you are going to get offended once in a while and need to suck it up and get a thicker skin instead of filing lawsuits or having draconian laws imprisoning people for their words. A president that believes that immigrant are welcome to bring there cultures with them, but also need to assimilate into the American culture to once again become a melting pot and not a salad bowl of conflicting cultures.

[John Gearheart]

How about America being ready for a good president. I don't care if it's a woman or a man, a white or black, a Christian or an atheist. WHO CARES. How about a president that believes in a small government and more personal freedoms. A president that believes in secure borders and regulated, legal immigration. A president that believes in less taxes and more self reliance instead of a socialist nanny-state and permanent welfare class. A president that believes in goods being sold in America being made in America, and any "fare-trade" agreement working both ways. A president that believes in a strong military and defends America, but doesn't get into unnecessary foreign entanglements. How about a president that doesn't bow down to fanatical, militant "environmentalism" (i.e. anti-capitalism) and drills for oil here at home, builds refineries, and nuclear power plants to wean us off of Middle east oil while we work toward REAL alternative fuel solutions instead of converting the world food supply into this bio-fuel boondoggle. A president that believes in a common language that helps people to function in society and be successful. A president that believes that in a free society with free speech you are going to get offended once in a while and need to suck it up and get a thicker skin instead of filing lawsuits or having draconian laws imprisoning people for their words. A president that believes that immigrant are welcome to bring there cultures with them, but also need to assimilate into the American culture to once again become a melting pot and not a salad bowl of conflicting cultures.

[Scott C]

thanks scott looper for making an important point, which the author (obviously a hillary-hater) irresponsibly overlooked. this is why people need to actually read the facts for themselves, and not just read headlines picked up on by people like matt drudge (how i got here).

[Duane]

.... and I'd guess that the same percentenge if not higher are ready for an ethical president rather than the Clintons.

[Susan]

Oh for the love of pete!!! I am so sick of these "polls" and their stupid questions.

I"m ready for a black president, a mormon president, a purple president and, gasp, a woman president! But I'm not ready for THAT woman (Hillary) as president.

Please MSM, stop making identity politics your lead story. Give us voters a little more credit. We're smarter than you think.

[TruthBtold]

Gender and race aside Obama inspires Clinton mires.

[GRE]

Good one. Doesn't this well timed opinion poll seem like a red herring? Hopefully, in a free society there will be no race issue, like MLK dreamed about. Today it seems like a reliable divider of the population. As if we're going to forget about those aggressive, bloody wars or our diminishing civil liberties. Happy Dr. King Day.

[Ed]

I don't believe the poll. There is no way Americans would elect a black president. People are terrified of even criticizing a black person lest they be called a racist and lose their jobs. Most white people love blacks when questioned about it in public or in a perceived public forum. How was the poll worded? I would love to know. I agree with uneeda. If CNN is involved, I don't trust it.

[Douglas Blaine Kenney]

Are we to believe that less than fourteen- hundred individuals - no matter how carefully selected by how skillful a pollster - are truly representative of three hundred million Americans?

[MATT]

I keep wondering, come November 2008, which will be easier for Chris Matthews to explain; why America didn't elect a woman president or why America didn't elect a black president. I am sure he is working on his questions now. Are we a racist country or are we a sexist country? The idea that we are a republican country won't enter his mind.

[Peter H]

"72% of whites and 61% of blacks believe the country is ready for a black president."

This little statistic stands out, too! More whites would supports a black president than blacks do....

I think this poll reflects upon the present woman and black(ish) candidates. It shows that Obama is more popular/less offensive than Clinton. Mostly a popularity contest.

This is a CNN poll so consider the source.

[Stuart]

Hillary actually has LESS executive experience than Obama. A senator adds his or her vote to a to a GROUP, like any of us do when we vote. BIG DEAL. So they can join a crowd. That is NOT leadership. Since President Eisenhour we have had as presidents ONE General (Eisenhower), only ONE Senator (Kenedy), four vice presidents (Johnson, Nixon, Ford, and Bush the senior), and FIVE govenors (Carter, Reagan, BillClinton, Bush jr.), Why so many Governors? Because Governors are already EXECUTIVE in their experience. Obama has had many executive positions and ventures in his extensive resume. Hillary simply doesn't., she is a wanna-be. If she wanted to be a leader she should have aquired EXECUTIVE experience as a Governor or as a mayor like Guiliani, not hide out as a Senator. Obama needs to stand up to Hill and Bill's misrepresentations of him

[miriam biteng]

If women are not given the opportunity to run this country, thus,this country cease to prove what it stands for. The international hears are not deaf and surely see this as a defeat on each of us.

[Brian Larsson]

Are we more ready for a black, conservative President or a liberal, white, carpet-bagging, commodities-futures insider trading, Rose Law Firm-associated, failed state-run medical system advocater, White House travel office personnel firing, coffee cup saucer throwing female? I doubt if a Clarence Thomas or Thomas Sowell-type candidate was running that CNN would have reached the same manipulated, pushed- polling result. Filter all news through the sieve of history, folks.

[BigGuy]

It really doesn't matter if they are Black or White or Female or Male. What does matter is the person. I don't think the another Clinton would be good for this country. What this country NEEDS is fresh ideas, NOT the same old thing. I am an independant and as of now my Vote would be for Obama. I beleive that he is for the country as a whole, unlike those who only care about themselves.