Racial views steer some white Dems away from Obama

cnredd · #1 (**permalink**) 09-20-2008, 07:28 PM

Quote:

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....

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.

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.

The survey also focused on the racial attitudes of independent voters because they are likely to decide the election.

Lots of Republicans harbor prejudices, too, but the survey found they weren't voting against Obama because of his race. Most Republicans wouldn't vote for any Democrat for president — white, black or brown.

Not all whites are prejudiced. Indeed, more whites say good things about blacks than say bad things, the poll shows. And many whites who see blacks in a negative light are still willing or even eager to vote for Obama.

On the other side of the racial question, the Illinois Democrat is drawing almost unanimous support from blacks, the poll shows, though that probably wouldn't be enough to counter the negative effect of some whites' views.

Race is not the biggest factor driving Democrats and independents away from Obama. Doubts about his competency loom even larger, the poll indicates. More than a quarter of all Democrats expressed doubt that Obama can bring about the change they want, and they are likely to vote against him because of that.

Three in 10 of those Democrats who don't trust Obama's change-making credentials say they plan to vote for McCain.

Those damn Republicans again...

saltwn · #2 (**permalink**) 09-20-2008, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cnredd

Racial views steer some white Dems away from Obama

Those damn Republicans again...

That's bologna; I live in a very conservative part of the country, and I have encountered as much if not more outspoken prejudice against blacks as I ever did in the South (post civil rights).

tristanrobin · #3 (**permalink**) 09-20-2008, 11:14 PM

It's the only reason I wasn't originally for Obama. I liked him - REALLY liked him - but didn't think a black man would get elected. I had planned on voting for Hillary until the MOMENT I walked into the booth. Then I decided, fuck it - I want to vote for the man I think should be president - so I pulled the lever on Obama. But, I am still afraid that race will play a huge issue.

It's so damnably STUPID to let something like that keep us from having the man who should be President sitting in the White House.

tristanrobin · #4 (**permalink**) 09-20-2008, 11:15 PM

Quote:

More than a quarter of all Democrats expressed doubt that Obama can bring about the change they want, and they are likely to vote against him because of that.

Bullshit

And they think MCCAIN/PALEN is going to bring it?!

They may bring change - but it's not change that any DEMOCRAT is interested in.

foundit66 · #5 (**permalink**) 09-21-2008, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cnredd

Racial views steer some white Dems away from Obama
Those damn Republicans again...

I'm sorry, but did you LOOK at the poll results?
What's going on is that "Yes Virginia, there are racist Democrats"...
But by looking at the poll, the Republicans ARE WORSE...
The article soft-sold the Republican problem and failed to ask an obvious question.

COULD a black man (like Colin Powell) BE the Republican Presidential Candidate, like Obama is for the Democrats???
The answer is a glaring NO.

If you look at the poll, the White Republicans WERE WORSE ACROSS THE BOARD on every stereo-type. Fewer Republicans assigning positive attributes to blacks. More Republicans assigning negative attributes to blacks.
Look at the graph. The Blue Block is Democrat. The Red Block Republican.
The gap is pretty significant! By eye-ball, I'd typically say about 10% WORSE for Republicans.

saltwn · #6 (**permalink**) 09-21-2008, 11:54 PM

I think the reason Democrats are not as prejudiced as Republicans is because
the Party is now made up of new young voters to whom race may not be the big issue it once was. And the older Democrats who didn't leave the party during civil rights either grew up fighting for the rights of Blacks or were sympathetic to the cause.
Of all the differences individual Democrats have, I don't think prejudice is an acceptable one.
If the Democrats loose on those grounds, the Republicans can have them and good riddance.

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