Politics and Prejudice
EmailWith a personally popular African-American candidate leading in the presidential race, our ABC News/Washington Post tracking poll finds a significant drop in the number of likely voters who report feelings of racial prejudice.
In mid-June, asked to “honestly assess yourself,” 32 percent of likely voters said they had at least some feelings of racial prejudice, including roughly equal number of blacks and whites alike, and much like a similar result in 1999. But now it’s down to 15 percent.
Explaining the change is difficult because the results show no real differentiation. Self-reported feelings of prejudice are down across the board, among blacks and whites, among Obama and McCain supporters, and across other groups – partisan, ideological, age, education and locale (urban, suburban or rural) among them.
In June, for instance, 32 percent of whites reported some feelings of racial prejudice, as did 35 percent of blacks. Now it’s 15 percent among whites, 21 percent among blacks. Among Obama supporters self-reported feelings of prejudice have gone from 33 percent to 16 percent; among McCain’s, from 31 percent to 13 percent. It's down among high- and low-income and high- and low-education whites alike. And in both polls whites who reported no prejudice have had essentially the same vote preference as whites overall.
While any influence of Obama’s candidacy is speculative, he is broadly popular: In a tracking result last week, 64 percent of likely voters expressed an overall favorable opinion of him. That was the same in June. But then Obama and McCain were running evenly, and much has transpired since, from the debates to the deterioration of the economy, both advantages for Obama.
One possibility for the change is a context effect; the question in June was asked after four others on the subject of race relations and discrimination; the question in 1999 was asked after a single question on racial discrimination. With no such lead-in in the tracking poll, it could simply be that respondents had given less thought to the issue. Any way you cut it, it's an interesting result, if also an inconclusive one.
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The racism I see is coming from the Obama camp and if he is elected you will see racism…when he takes all the money out of the white suburbs and gives it to the black inner cities. Talk about racism!
Posted by: samhiguchi | October 27, 2008, 9:27 am 9:27 am
When we elect our first president with mixed heritage, we will actually continue to erase some of this country’s shameful racist past and put a big foot forward in the right direction.Racism will die as it should.
Posted by: TV | October 27, 2008, 9:38 am 9:38 am
I am a Dem and angry at my own party for the recent financial disater with Freddie, Fannie, and ACORN. Here is another issue I am mad about:
Barack Obama’s Strategy of Manufactured Crisis: First proposed in 1966 and named after Columbia University sociologists Richard Cloward and Frances Piven, the Cloward-Piven Strategy seeks to hasten the fall of capitalism by overloading the government bureaucracy with a flood of impossible demands, thus pushing society into crisis and economic collapse. Promoted by Obama’s Marxist mentor and radical community organizer Saul Alinsky.
Posted by: Not-A-Citizen-Obama | October 27, 2008, 9:40 am 9:40 am
I have become so disillusioned with the posting on these blogs during this election season. It’s obvious to anyone who reads frequently that there are the paid bloggers who spew partisan rhetoric with blatant disregard for the truth, and also those that have extremist views. Although these views do not coincide with mine, I will defend to the end the rights of those to express any view. My son and those he serves with are a continuation of courageous young people who defend the rights of ALL people, regardless of politics. I just wish there were more places to go to have an honest discourse on the issues of the day. I choose to exercise my rights to free expression in an honest, positve way in order to forge a better future for this country.
Posted by: winter99 | October 27, 2008, 9:44 am 9:44 am
winter99-the problem is that different people see different “truths.” Sometimes truth is subjective, based on peoples preconceived notions.
Posted by: counting crows | October 27, 2008, 9:47 am 9:47 am
Samhi-please give example of racism coming from Obama camp. What documentation do you have that he will take from white suburbs and give to black inner cities.
Posted by: Independent | October 27, 2008, 9:47 am 9:47 am
“when he takes all the money out of the WHITE suburbs…and gives it to the Black inner cities”
ugh.
yeah samhiguchi
the racism is coming from Obama…
not.
go move to a country where your viewpoint is considered patriotic…rather than disgusting.
Posted by: dl | October 27, 2008, 9:47 am 9:47 am
and Not a citizen obama
go look at the timing of the Gramm leachey Bill
you will fins that mccain’s lead economic advisor ushered that bill through congress after the actions for homeownership expansion…
taking advantage of actions that would have most likely been good for our economy and the nation
and making it a speculation and deregulation market for enormous wall street windfalls.
and put us in a horrifically risky place for the good of the wealthiest of wealthy
so stop.
Posted by: dl | October 27, 2008, 9:50 am 9:50 am
I suspect that Obama is going to go down in history as one of the Greatest Presidents of all time. This country sure needs it after 8 years of bush/cheney. Obama/Biden 2008!!!
Posted by: pt | October 27, 2008, 9:53 am 9:53 am
Counting crows, when you take into account comments like I don’t care about the suburbs and add in his 2001 comments I think that is exactly what we have.
Barack Obama, in 2001:
You know, if you look at the victories and failures of the civil-rights movement, and its litigation strategy in the court, I think where it succeeded was to vest formal rights in previously dispossessed peoples. So that I would now have the right to vote, I would now be able to sit at a lunch counter and order and as long as I could pay for it, I’d be okay, but the Supreme Court never entered into the issues of redistribution of wealth, and sort of more basic issues of political and economic justice in this society.
And uh, to that extent, as radical as I think people tried to characterize the Warren Court, it wasn’t that radical. It didn’t break free from the essential constraints that were placed by the Founding Fathers in the Constitution — at least as it’s been interpreted, and Warren Court interpreted it in the same way, that generally the Constitution is a charter of negative liberties: [It] says what the states can’t do to you, says what the federal government can’t do to you, but it doesn’t say what the federal government or the state government must do on your behalf.
And that hasn’t shifted, and one of the, I think, the tragedies of the civil-rights movement was because the civil-rights movement became so court-focused, uh, I think that there was a tendency to lose track of the political and community organizing and activities on the ground that are able to put together the actual coalitions of power through which you bring about redistributive change. And in some ways we still suffer from that.
Posted by: samhiguchi | October 27, 2008, 9:57 am 9:57 am
Winter99 I agree with you as a former service member myself and with a son who recently served in Iraq, the ability to spew what you chose is a right that is essential to our democracy. I still have a problem with those who state in one breath the racism is from the Obama campaign and in the next breath make a negative comment against Senator Obama. Do any of you own mirrors? If Senator Obama does win this election (yeah!) then I think we will all need to do some soul searching and decide whether the division in this country in actually what we want to continue. Personally speaking I would love to live to see the day that I can walk into an elevator in my high-rise building and not see the person next to me grab her purse and place it to the front of her. I would love to see the day that some blacks stop talking about we are being held down. I would love to see the day that the pride that everyone feels the need to rally around is American Pride and not just racial pride. In a President Obama, I see that hope becoming more of a reality. Thanks for allowing me to say this and to all, take a deep breath. This too shall pass.
Posted by: KayCee | October 27, 2008, 10:06 am 10:06 am
There will always be some racial as well as religious and ethnic preferences. And I have some redneck cousins in PA who do not associate with any Black people. What’s amazing is that most of them are voting for Obama.
Posted by: Mickey | October 27, 2008, 10:34 am 10:34 am
I have mostly seen Republicans and their mouthpeices throwing racial slurs. if the Deomcrats have, that was in response.
I know many throw out Rev. Wright, etc., but we can do the same with McCain with some of his backers – Sen. Phil Gramm is a great example (look at his legagy of racicsm).
the choice in the election is really more of the same future vs. a hopeful future. I personally would like a hopeful future!
Posted by: botrytis | October 27, 2008, 10:36 am 10:36 am
Okay seriously…I am not a prejudice person whatsoever BUT realistically -Are we ready for a black president? I think so – BUT there are several people I have spoken with and they do not think that we are ready…however…if something happens to McCain (given his age) are we ready for a woman president to step up? Either way, this is going to make history. Strange how people get so caught up with teh race thing. I am not sure still who I am going to vote for..any suggestions? LOL
Posted by: OMG in TX | October 27, 2008, 11:31 am 11:31 am
BTW.. I have always voted republican…
I wonder who “Joe the Plumber” is going to vote for.
LOL
Posted by: OMG in TX | October 27, 2008, 11:33 am 11:33 am
I AM SURE OTHER COUNTRIES ARE WATCHING AMERICA AND THINK OF HOW THIS ELECTION PROCESS MAKES THE COUNTYRY LOOK. THEY PROBABLE DO NOT WANT TO CONSIDER DEMOCRACY IF THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
Posted by: mary a brooks | October 27, 2008, 11:55 am 11:55 am
You Obama supporters spend more time checking your house painters creds than Obama’s. Would you hire a plumber with no experience? Oh, come on.. even if he talks well? No? So how come your Pres. doesn’t need any experience?
Posted by: zeva | October 27, 2008, 1:58 pm 1:58 pm
SIS in NJ | Oct 27, 2008 1:59:13 PM……..Have you read “Rules for Radicals”?
Posted by: deanbob | October 27, 2008, 2:28 pm 2:28 pm
SIS in NJ | Oct 27, 2008 1:59:13 PM Obama denounces the Constitution because it does not provide for the residtribution of wealth.
Posted by: deanbob | October 27, 2008, 2:30 pm 2:30 pm
It’s official!!! —-New Mexico Sun headlines “OBAMA WINS!”.
So let it be writen-so let it be done.
Posted by: DobermanSpencer | October 27, 2008, 4:54 pm 4:54 pm
Obama said today that he will change the country and change the world. With the help of Ayers, Ghadafi, Yousef, Ashabi,Husaini,Wright and Farrakhan, I’m sure he will. As President he’ll probably pardon Rezko.
Posted by: Linda/Michigan | October 27, 2008, 5:23 pm 5:23 pm
Rasheed Khalidy in 2002….Obama praised this radical…another one…how many more of these radcials are going to surface like cockroaches crawling out of the sewer? All of you Obama supporters, take note, when Obama is consulting with the scums of the earth, there will be CHANGE…but maybe not the kind you were hoping for.
Posted by: Logan | October 27, 2008, 8:56 pm 8:56 pm
it’s pretty simple…. the republican party is the party of intolerance, hate, bigotry, racism, homophobia, masogony, and lots of other things that make it the family values and god party. the republicans are scared of change… u can embrace the change or not haters… but its going to happen. deal with it.
Posted by: sk8boardgrind | October 27, 2008, 9:02 pm 9:02 pm
Oh gee, sk8boardgrind, how easy to forget..family values ahhh yes, and god party, uhhhh what candidate supports killing unborn babies, and even late term pregnancies…oh, glory be, that’s right.
Posted by: Logan | October 27, 2008, 9:10 pm 9:10 pm
I am not voting for Obama, and it has nothing to do with his race. I’m sure
there are those individuals who are racist and are against Obama just because of his race. It is unfair to junp to conclusions and label a person
as a racist because he/she doesn’t support Obama. I just am not comfortable with some of Obama’s proposed solutions, especially in regards to socialism.
Posted by: gin | October 27, 2008, 11:06 pm 11:06 pm
Whether you support Senator Obama or McCain, it is imperative that your decision is not based on ignorant assumptions, which is what McCain/Palin and the republicans have spewed throughout the campaign. Obama is obviously a God fearing man who believes in family values. To assume that he would take from the whites to give to the blacks is completely idiotic and indicative of your lack of intelligence. Stop believing all of the lies McCain and Palin keep telling you about Obama’s character.
McCain, after sewing seeds of hatred and racism, actually admitted that Senator Obama IS a good and decent man. After convincing the small minded people of America that Senator Obama was a terrorist and a communist, he tried to take it back only after people started expressing concern over his tactics. McCain can’t even control his own campaign or their budget, how can he control this country?!!! With all of his millions of years in government, what exactly can you say that he has done for the American people that has made our lives better? Yeah he is an honorable war hero, but does that make him potentially a good president? NO. His own running mate doesn’t know his own record and has been found guilty of ethical violations in her state. Wake up and be truly informed. Stop drinking the kool-aid and do what’s right for the country.
Lastly, what Rev. Wright said to the church may have been out of hand and irresponsible, but to call him a terrorist is completely misleading. Many whites aren’t even informed about exactly what happened to blacks during and after slavery and of course do not identify with what we deal with every day in this racist society. Sure there are good and decent white people in this country who care about the wellbeing our wellbeing, but unfortunately there are many that don’t fit that description. What Rev. Wright was portraying to his congregation was his anger and disappointment in the way blacks have been treated in this supposedly free country. His message in many ways reflect, albeit in a more radical nature, the views of many African Americans who have been mistreated, lied to, wronged, and ignored for hundreds of years. Please believe that ignorance knows no color. There are good and bad people in any race.
OBAMA – BIDEN 08!!!
Posted by: KJ06 | October 28, 2008, 10:03 am 10:03 am
i just belive that peole are tried in this world and it really needs a change. i dont care what color he is the rep party is for the rich not the middle class it never has been! mccain has 7 houses is he gonna give them to the people who lost there homeS i dont think so . GO OBAMA/BIDEN 2008 U GOT IT.
Posted by: lisadborders | October 28, 2008, 10:44 am 10:44 am
Watching the Obama rally today, he makes so many promises that he can’t possibly keep. For instance promising millions of kids that if they perform community service their college will be paid for. Where is the money coming from.
I’m working on an affordable healthcare plan. Obama never mentions what he deems affordable in dollar amounts.
Will raise taxes on those businesses making 250,000 or more. Obama forgets to tell you that those businesses are the ones that pay you higher wages and offer benefits. Will they be able to once Obama enacts his new tax code?
Obama plans to raise capital gains and dividend tax. Will that create more or less investment in America?
I see Obama pushing America to its financial limits to where it will be on the verge of collapse.
Posted by: Linda/Michigan | October 28, 2008, 11:37 am 11:37 am
To OMG in TX
That’s why I disowned the democratic party and now consider myself an independent like so many others I know. This man is a threat to our country and it just amazes me that so many people choose to ignore information put in front of them.
Posted by: Linda/Michigan | October 28, 2008, 11:43 am 11:43 am
I have very much confidence and respect for Obama. The way he manages his campaign. It is far better than Mc Cain mannages his campaign. And I think that is an indication in how (both) will manage government.
Furthermore, I like the way Obama tries to unite the people. Mc Cain and Palin are only dividing the people. That’s not the right thing to do. Certainly not in a crisis.
So I hope Obama will win. I am certain he will do his best to unite the world also.
Elske, the Netherlands
(and we do have national health and social security, it is nothing to be afraid of, it works very well! And I am not a socialist either.
Posted by: elske uildriks | October 28, 2008, 2:02 pm 2:02 pm
I have no confidence in Obama nor the Democratic Leadership. They will pave the way for spending that will surpass the Republicans spending spree several years ago. Free this and that to even Illegals. Eventually this over spending by the Democrats will choke the Economics out of the US because other countries will not back the Federal Reserve Note ($) any longer.
The result will be very high taxes on the working class and depending who is in charge at the time (Democrats or Republicans) if the handouts to the non-tax paying public will continue.
If government handouts are stopped riots in the poverty areas of the major cities will erupt because they want those handouts (and they believe they deserve them). Else if the handouts continue, the economy will sink into the toilet and we will enter a prolonged depression with the Dollar becoming almost worthless.
So where does this leave us? In Denial? Just wait and see!
Posted by: Carrie | October 28, 2008, 4:15 pm 4:15 pm
Based on polling, if there were less racial consideration then the percentage of black voters for Obama would have diminished some. Race is only an issue for the “white” American voter. Self proclaimed minorities are reportedly almost exclusively voting for Obama, not an issue for them. Any polling of racial and ethnic groups needs to stop ! It should be illegal for the census to keep track of people by race. There is no good reason for the government or the media to be promoting racial division.
Posted by: END RACIAL POLLING NOW | October 29, 2008, 7:30 am 7:30 am
Linda in Michigan….. I think you have let other people put things in your head. Obam,a is not any different for other dems. that is just an excuse. I respect your right to choose but please don’t say things that are simply not true or researched.
Posted by: Emilianna | October 29, 2008, 9:17 am 9:17 am
The Republicans believe in less gov’t and frugality ? Under who Nixon ? Reagan ? Bush I ? Bush II ? Check the record. NOT !!!! I too want the day to come when my family, which is so mixed we look like the UN , can enjoy the world with everyone regardless. Don’t put limits what the creator has provided, you miss so much.
This has nothing to do with race it has to do with SMARTS. OBAMA ’08
Posted by: citygal | October 29, 2008, 2:39 pm 2:39 pm
Not-A-Citizen:
Your “logic”, and many of the Obama haters is just illogical and unrealistic! It also means that I and many others are guilty of greed and fraud for having been MCI/Worldcom employees — why not, it’s CEO was imprisoned for fraud and we worked under him. So we are guilty by association. Right? Okay, why even stop there, anybody who worked for Ken Lay is also guilty of the Enron collapse. Guilt by association.
And what about the current colleagues of Bill Ayers? His students? The republicans who served in the same committee with him and Obama in the Annenberg Foundation? They must all be terrorists, yes? This is ridiculous logic and quite stupid.
It’s disgusting to see how ridiculously self-righteous people are! If people are to apply the same stupid logic in their own every day lives, we’d be paralyzed and frozen in time. I am working for a company whose just retired CEO would not hire non-whites just a couple of decades ago. Should we all quit since he’s still in the board? Should other board members quit? Oh, silly me, those type of domestic “terroristic” acts don’t bother you.
Stop destroying USA with ignorance!!!
Posted by: Independent | October 29, 2008, 3:15 pm 3:15 pm
I don’t understand how the both candidates aren’t talking about immgration,oh wait its an election year and they both NEED the Hispanic vote…this is why they are not talking about this topic…funny how this was a big debate last year or even at the beginning of this year, but yet we haven’t heard anything else on this. Yes I understand the economy and the war one and two topics on votes lists, but what they heck happen to immigration. This is what is going to happen, they are going to get the Hispanic vote and then turn on them…its so sad that it comes to this in our country, but its true!
Posted by: Aurora | October 30, 2008, 11:24 am 11:24 am
“not-a-citizen obama” claims to be a democrat and inmediately list all the republican illogical arguments against obama. That dirty trick consisting of a republican pretending to be a democrat is already well known, You can’t deceive us anymore. I was a republican and now I’m voting for obama!!! Ja, ja….
Now about sam the suburbian racist. Sammy capitalism is a form of distribution of wealth also, just that most of the wealth is concentrated in the hands of 3 or 4 guys and what is trickled down is poverty and debt. When money (real money in the billions) is redistrubuted by the government as a welfare for the rich and big corps and weapons industry then is okey that kind of socialism. And Sam, all the money was also taken away from your suburb and redistributed to this 3, 4 or 5 guys or corps. Just another way or redistrubution called capitalism.
Posted by: clearmind | October 30, 2008, 11:51 am 11:51 am
From interviews of blacks in early voting lines it seems that they are voting for Obama so he can be the first black president. To me that is racism, I don’t care about his color since he’s half white why not call him white instead of black? What I do care about is that Professor Robert George says that, “Barack Obama is the most extreme pro-abortion candidate ever to seek the office of President of the United States. He is the most extreme pro-abortion member of the United States Senate. Indeed, he is the most extreme pro-abortion legislator ever to serve in either house of the United States Congress.” How could anyone in their right mind consider voting for this character?
Posted by: Ed Taylor | October 30, 2008, 9:56 pm 9:56 pm
Saudia Arabia has more terrorists than anyother middle eastern country, check out how long the Bush family have been in bed with them,starting with George senior! And you don’t think McCain is friends with the Bush family or connected, and how about Liddy a convicted felon’s campaign contributions for McCain 10 years ago! Yeah McCain is real clean.Keep up the good work U.S.A. genocide in Africa, no troops there,could it be no oil, no support?
Posted by: susan | October 31, 2008, 12:10 pm 12:10 pm
Ed Taylor, Assuming that obama is the most pro-abortion being in the whole universe, discounting, of course, Almighty God, who has already performed unimaginable numbers of abortions since any animals appeared on earth: how could you make any decision, any decision, based in only one issue on such a multi-issue election? Simplicity in this case is not a virtue.
Posted by: clearmind | October 31, 2008, 12:31 pm 12:31 pm
Personally I am fed up with both parties, both campaigns, and the whole political machine in general. I have lost all hope and see our country heading toward disaster. If Obama becomes president I predict another Great Depression within 2 years. This is because of his tax policies which will break this country financially. I do not believe in entitlement programs nor do I want government taking my increased tax dollars (hard earned)and giving it to people who do not even pay taxes! Businesses will let go of jobs and the rest is history. History will repeat itself. What ever happened to working hard, taking personal responsibility for one’s actions, and working your way upward financially? I know what happened…those scores of entitlement programs the Dems so favor has made our society lazy and weak. Some people would now rather have child after child in order to get more welfare checks. That is just one very real example. We need reform people! We need fiscal common sense. Entitlement programs create victims and does not foster hard work or personal responsibility. People, we do not need more, bigger government!! Oh, would you all really like to see Nancy Pelosi with a blank check??? Come on. Forget race and look at the issues.
Posted by: Cheryl Smith | October 31, 2008, 11:08 pm 11:08 pm
chery smith: You stated you were fed up with both parties, but conveniently only pointed out how bad obama would be while reciting all of the republican idealogical railed mantra. If you really fed up with both parties, say something about how bad a mccain government would also be or admit you are just another republican pretending not to be one, just another variation of the “not-citizen-obama” republican dirty trick mention earlier.
Posted by: clearmind | November 1, 2008, 2:45 am 2:45 am
Do you know what socialism really is? Look it up. Can any President change our form of government to Socialism- NO! Ignorance is bliss.
Have you read the constitution? Take the time. Ignorance is bliss.
Do you understand the cause of major financial depressions and what causes them? Guess what – its 1% of the population holding 90% of the wealth – in the 30′s it was Lumber, Rail, and MFG, (at least it was on-shore) today its Oil, Financiers, and political cronies and its ALL off shore! LOOK IT UP! Does it have to be redistributed? Yes! Does it matter who is elected? NO! If its not redistributed it wont matter who you are or what you think unless you are personally in that 1% – YOU will have nothing. LOOK IT UP! Ignorance is bliss!
Hate in any form is offensive, ignorant and a threat to the well being of all humanity. Ignorance is bliss.
WHO DO YOU HATE IN THE NAME OF GOD?
Ignorance is bliss!
Posted by: lastredwitch | November 2, 2008, 3:19 pm 3:19 pm
Zeva writes, “So how come your Pres. doesn’t need any experience?”
====================================
Sorry Zeva. The only folks clamoring about experience are either uninformed or bigots.
This has been going on for (2) years. If you don’t know Obama’s resume by now, then it’s safe to say you didn’t care to look it up.
First and foremost, familiarize yourself with the experiences and educations of former successful Presidents. Then compare Obama’s education (Columbia/Harvard Law) and work experience (Educator (Univ of Chicago), 7+ years as a State Legistlator and 2 years as a U.S. Senator.
His intellect and academic accomplishments alone puts him in the room. His experiences? More than enough for any reasonable individual.
If you’re somehow “think” that’s not enough then I say go back to step one. Start looking at the credentials of former Presidents.
If the truth hurts you may want to take a 800mg of Ibuprofen on Tuesday.
Posted by: Dems | November 2, 2008, 5:16 pm 5:16 pm
This is redicuosly sad, how are you going to vote according to race not what’s goof for our country? After Amercia votes for McCain and he possibly wins…whose going to be upset? Who cares if Obama has no experience.. to start you need experience.
OBAMA ’08
Posted by: Carlie | November 3, 2008, 9:00 am 9:00 am
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