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Many Americans Ready for Woman President
- Many adults in the United States believe their country is prepared to see a female politician occupying the White House, according to a poll by Gallup released by USA Today. 61 per cent of respondents think Americans are ready to elect a woman as president.
Neither of the two major political parties in the U.S. has ever nominated a woman for president. In 1984, New York congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro was Walter Mondale's vice-presidential nominee in the Democratic ticket.
In 1999, North Carolina senator Elizabeth Dole pulled out of the race for the Republican presidential nomination before the primaries. In late 2003, former ambassador and Illinois native Carol Moseley Braun sought the Democratic presidential nomination, but withdrew in January 2004 to support former Vermont governor Howard Dean.
In addition, 58 per cent of respondents think their country is ready to elect an African American as head of state, while 55 per cent feel the same way about a Jewish politician. In 2004, two African Americans—Moseley Braun and Al Sharpton—and a Jew—Connecticut senator Joe Lieberman—sought the Democratic presidential nomination.
More than half of all respondents feel the U.S. is not prepared to have a Hispanic, an Asian, a Mormon or an atheist in the White House. Only seven per cent of respondents think their country is ready to elect a gay or lesbian president.
Polling Data
Generally speaking, do you think Americans are ready to elect (a / an) as president, or not?
Yes | No | |
Woman | 61% | 38% |
African American or black | 58% | 40% |
Jew | 55% | 42% |
Hispanic | 41% | 58% |
Asian | 33% | 64% |
Latter-Day Saint or Mormon | 29% | 66% |
Atheist | 14% | 84% |
Gay or lesbian | 7% | 91% |
Source: Gallup / USA Today
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,010 American adults, conducted from Sept. 21 to Sept. 24, 2006. Margin of error is 3 per cent.