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Few Americans Would Shun Black President
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Few adults in the United States express reservations with the possibility of a black person becoming their head of state, according to a poll by Rasmussen Reports. 79 per cent of respondents would be willing to vote for an African American president.
In addition, 39 per cent of respondents think a woman is more likely to be elected president before an African American, while 38 per cent believe a black person will reach the highest office before a female.
Neither of the two major political parties in the U.S. has ever nominated a woman or an African American 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 2004, two African Americans—Moseley Braun and Al Sharpton—sought the Democratic presidential nomination. Last month, U.S. state secretary Condoleezza Rice discussed the current state of affairs, saying, "We should not be naive. Race is still an issue in America. When a person walks into a room, race is evident. It's something that I think is going to be with us for a very, very long time."
Polling Data
Would you be willing to vote for an African American president?
Yes | 79% |
No | 12% |
Who is most likely to be elected first—a woman or an African American president?
Woman | 39% |
African-American | 38% |
Source: Rasmussen Reports
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 800 likely American voters, conducted on Jan. 17 and Jan. 18, 2007. Margin of error is 4.5 per cent.