Poll: Racial views steer some white Dems away from Obama

[progressoid]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Deep-seated racial misgivings could cost Barack Obama the White House if the election is close, according to an AP-Yahoo News poll that found one-third of white Democrats harbor negative views toward blacks — many calling them "lazy," "violent," responsible for their own troubles.

The poll, conducted with Stanford University, suggests that the percentage of voters who may turn away from Obama because of his race could easily be larger than the final difference between the candidates in 2004 — about two and one-half percentage points.

Certainly, Republican John McCain has his own obstacles: He's an ally of an unpopular president and would be the nation's oldest first-term president. But Obama faces this: 40 percent of all white Americans hold at least a partly negative view toward blacks, and that includes many Democrats and independents.

More than a third of all white Democrats and independents — voters Obama can't win the White House without — agreed with at least one negative adjective about blacks, according to the survey, and they are significantly less likely to vote for Obama than those who don't have such views.

Such numbers are a harsh dose of reality in a campaign for the history books. Obama, the first black candidate with a serious shot at the presidency, accepted the Democratic nomination on the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, a seminal moment for a nation that enshrined slavery in its Constitution.

...snip...

The findings suggest that Obama's problem is close to home — among his fellow Democrats, particularly non-Hispanic white voters. Just seven in 10 people who call themselves Democrats support Obama, compared to the 85 percent of self-identified Republicans who back McCain.

More: http://news.yahoo.com/page/election-2008-political-pulse-obama-race;_ylt=AjjILruLWE3u4j.EWsZAmLF2KY54

[eyesroll]

1. Yuck.

I don't even think I'd answer that poll at all.

I'd call most of my African-American classmates smart, determined, and intelligent in school.

The kid my supervisor represented in paternity court, I'd call irresponsible and violent.

The guy upstairs is a good neighbor sometimes, too damn loud (which isn't on the list) at other times, and friendly most of the time.

Who the hell can characterize "most blacks" any better than they can characterize "most whites" or "most anything else?"

[Frank Booth]

14. I know. This is ridiculous.

They'd never ask you to lump in a white heart surgeon with a white homeless guy.

Why is it ok to assume that blacks all have the same characteristics? Apparently, all black people are either friendly, or all are unfriendly. There's no variation.

[babylonsister]

2. Ignorance knows no age. It will be a sad day in this country if the

better man is not elected due to his skin color, but I realize there is lots of ignorance out there.

[DemsUnited]

3. Offensive, divisive, push poll intended to provide cover for stealing election.

Even the conclusions are bullshit. Someone can think that "in general" that african americans are (whatever asshole adjective in the poll) but not apply that adjective to Obama at all. I mean, how many people think Obama is "lazy."

God, what a gift AP is once again giving to the Republicans. Now the sheeple talking heads will spend all weekend talking about prejudice and race and what a problem this will be for Obama.

[Window]

17. Agree. Extremely offensive and divisive.

[chitty]

4. How many times are we gonna visit this stupid poll today?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

5. Look at the numbers for the white Republicans.

They might has well just merge with the Aryan Nation and be done with it. :scared:

[glowing]

6. This is a stupid, divisive poll. When people get a generalized poll on their

views of the overall race of black people.. most minds go instantly to the "ghetto" thought... they think of the kid with his pants around his knees and a young girl with a baby, nails, and done up hair... Now, if you ask them if they like their black cardiologist.. oh, he's he best. or do they like their co-worker or boss who is smart or really great, they say yes.. If you asked these people if they viewed Obama like this, they would say NO. Obama is smart as a whip, compassionate, young, energized, has a great looking family... This is a stupid survey that is designed to make the "steal" easier. that stupid bradley effect thing..

[high density]

7. How could people even answer those questions?

Nonsensical.

[blue_onyx]

8. I think we all knew race would be a problem for ...

a small percentage of people. I don't think it will hurt Obama a lot unless the election is really close. I think some will say they are voting Obama but may not actually do so. So it will be more of a problem if the polls show Obama down or barely ahead right before the election. But I don't think it will be a close election....at least not as close as most people think it will be.

[msongs]

9. the poll did not also include the other obvious conclusion loll nt

[ClarkUSA]

12. Still getting your anti-Obama digs in, eh? You do know the primaries are over...

and Hillary lost and is now backing Obama (even if you're not)?

[ClarkUSA]

10. What credibility has a Yahoo News poll got? I don't think it even hits the gravitas radar.

Other much more credible national polls (WSJ/NBC, CBS/NYT, ABC/WaPo, etc.) have Obama getting as much Democratic
support as McCain, especially after Monday's Wall Street collapse.

[bunkerbuster1]

11. What a horrible push-poll.

I'd probably slam down the phone after saying "fuck off, Klan-bitch" if I got stupid questions like that.

Having said that, it's pretty pathetic that of those self-identifying as "White Democrats", 10% referred to blacks as "Lazy." The number ought to be zero.

[Frank Booth]

13. Obama's black?? Why didn't anyone tell me?

Good thing this didn't come out until after the primaries. If people had known, there's no way he would have won.

[darius15]

15. Fuck this poll.

Although Obama is losing a few votes because he happens to be half-black, I'm not buying this shit for a second.

There's been times when Obama has crossed 50% in national polls (after Dem convention, Berlin speech, etc.). That is all the proof I need that Obama can win the election despite his race.

[firedupdem]

16. why are we talking about this? more divisive bullshit... n/t

[treestar]

18. Yahoo is a right wing tool

They described Obama thinking he might get a Nebraska EV as "stealing" it from McDumb in a headline.

Please, it is 2008. The only people who have reservations about a candidate due to race are all republicans. A Democrat is a liberal and there is just no way they will vote for McWar over it.

[gulliver]

19. Great data. Duh.

Anyone who did not know this going in has not been paying attention. Obama is going to lose some white Dems because of race. That is a complete no-brainer. The question is how many he can keep. So far, it looks like enough.

We Dems picked this racial factor when we picked Obama. Racism and stupidity are hard to fight, but we picked this fight at this time. It will be a great good if we win it. If we lose it, there is practically no floor on how bad things could get. Bush on steroids...financial and national security meltdown...internal division of the country beyond anything in memory.

I for one am sick of history being made in my lifetime, but it looks like that's not an option. Like the saying goes, we are in interesting times. The country is going to change big time, no matter who wins.

[LynneSin]

20. This is bullshit, they're just pissed the 'Angry Hillary Supporters' no longer exist

:grr:

[IndianaGreen]

21. In 1964, 40% of Indiana Democrats voted for George Wallace in the primary

We are not that far from the days when people of colour did not count as citizens.