April 07, 2008

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Many adults in the United States believe their country can elect an African American as its head of state, according to a poll by Opinion Research Corporation released by CNN and Essence. 76 per cent of respondents think America is ready for a black president.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Many adults in the United States believe their country can elect an African American as its head of state, according to a poll by Opinion Research Corporation released by CNN and Essence. 76 per cent of respondents think America is ready for a black president.

In the survey, 78 per cent of non-Hispanic white adults, and 69 per cent of black adults, believe the U.S. is ready for an African American president.

In addition, 63 per cent of respondents think America is ready for a woman president, including 65 per cent of non-Hispanic white adults, and 59 per cent of black adults.

The U.S. presidential election is scheduled for Nov. 4. The Democratic Party’s remaining candidates are Illinois senator Barack Obama, the son of a white mother and a black father; and New York senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, who is the only woman in the race.

Earlier this month, writer and professor Michael Eric Dyson discussed Obama’s bid, saying, "I think African Americans are tremendously invested in Obama because he represents the best chance we have at getting a black man in the White House. (...) Black people are faithful and loyal to people who are faithful and loyal to them. They didn’t know Barack Obama. So they didn’t just fall in line, just jump out the window and say ‘we’re going to serve him.’ Which was heartening to me, which was beautiful to me. Because you have to earn black peoples’ respect and trust and loyalty. And once you have it, then you have something powerful."

Polling Data

Do you think America is ready for a black president or not?

	All	Whites	Blacks
Yes	76%	78%	69%
No	22%	20%	29%
Unsure	3%	2%	2%

Do you think America is ready for a woman president or not?

	All	Whites	Blacks
Yes	63%	65%	59%
No	35%	33%	39%
Unsure	2%	1%	2%

Source: Opinion Research Corporation / CNN / Essence
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 2,184 American adults, including 1,001 non-Hispanic white adults, and, with an oversample, 1,014 black adults, conducted from Mar. 26 to Apr. 2, 2008. Margins of error are 2 per cent, 3 per cent, and 3 per cent.