Poll: Racial misgivings of whites an Obama issue
AP-Yahoo News Poll: Racial prejudices steer some white Democrats away from Obama
By RON FOURNIER and TREVOR TOMPSON Associated Press Writers | AP
Sep 20, 2008
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(WASHINGTON) 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" or 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 2.5 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.

"There are a lot fewer bigots than there were 50 years ago, but that doesn't mean there's only a few bigots," said Stanford political scientist Paul Sniderman who helped analyze the exhaustive survey.

Is there a link to the specific study? Just from what they said, it sounds like they waaaaaay overcalculated the percentage of white people who still have their head up their ass.



A THIRD? I bet that same third would apply the negative adjectives to almost anyone or anything - Martians, lamps, dolphins - I can think of negative incidences that have happened with all three of those, imaginary or not.



That's true, but I doubt the leftover bigots add up to a third of all white democrats and independents. Studies can have amazing flaws in them, and just that one example of the adjective list is a very serious one. They can't just throw negative adjectives at people and say, "would you associate it with a black person?" Well anyone could associate any negative adjective with any group of people.

Unbelievably sad! and this is AP. Hopefully we all know that racism exists in all races. I am a white man, who grew up in a
small town in the North Woods of Wisconsin. There were no black people living there then. Racism was one of the reasons for the towns all white citizenship. Native Americans even had trouble mixing in since racism has no boundaries! So to see a National Broadcaster claiming that whites are racist and that's why Obama will lose! Outrageous statement, beneath the AP
and unAmerican in it's nature. Yes Racism exists today and it makes no difference what race you are, someone will hate you for who you are. I believe this is a cultural problem that started and continues because of the Political Culture war being carried on by the Republican Party. Why would any Political Party think they are above the laws of the land? I can see no reason to proclaim that whites are Racist and won't vote for Obama! Unless you are trying to manipulate the outcome of the election! I guess I don't fit in AP's character assasination. I'm voting for Obama because he has the intelligence and thoughfulness to lead an irresponcible citizenship and an even more irresponcible Press!. So is AP now another Propaganda channel for the right wing? It sounds and looks like it to me!

It seems a bit of a leap to go from saying that some whites attribute negative views to a whole race of people to saying that they will never vote for said race when that particular individual obviously does not embody any of those negative views. I've heard enough racists say nice things about a particular black person that they admire and admit that they aren't "like the rest of them". So I would venture to say that even that 1/3 they are talking about would have many that would still vote for Obama. Of course, we all know there are people who certainly won't vote for Obama because of race, but to say that EVERYONE that holds a prejudiced view would not vote for him is a bit of a stretch. What's that song from that broadway puppet play? "Everyone's a little bit racist".

Yeah and I know for a fact that there are many reasonable Republicans out there that are fed up with the current BS and will cross party lines to vote Obama. Add to that the expected record voter turnout among Democrats for this election and you have:

Obama in a landslide in November!

Thta's a bunch of BS, propagated by the RW. They think that if they put the lie out there, it will gain legs, don't fall for it, vote Obama, the truth might hurt, but the salution hurts less.

AP? Nuff said.

How could anyone that votes for McCain/Palin look at their children and say I Love You!!!!!!

What's more, how could anyone who votes for McCain/Palin pick up a fuzzy kitten and pretend to cuddle?

You are so right about that!!!!!!!!

It's hard to believe that someone who is really a Republican would vote for Obama because his platform doesn't mesh at all with either traditional or current Republican views. Those who are fed up with the current BS are much more likely to turn to a third party or hold their noses and vote for McCain who, as poor a choice as he is, is still closer to their beliefs than is Obama.

How can you listen to McBullshit and then listen to Obama, and not see a difference in heart, mind, and soul. Obama is an American, I am proud to know the difference between being lied to, and being brought out into the light from a dark time. I would much rather have a dark skinned man in the White House, than a dark time in my country. Just remember, Hitler was White. The Catholic Church in the Dark Ages were White men. It is time to see past the damn skin color, and start looking at what color their heart is! It is that damn simple. Their actions speak louder than words. What has McSame done for us, I know what Obama has done for us. Tell me the repugs are not being led by Obama right this moment. I can see it, so should everyone else.

That's not what Susan Eisenhower thinks, and her grandfather was the last good Republican President.

So she is Ike's granddaughter...that doesn't mean that she is a really a Republican at heart because if she were and really supported traditional Republican beliefs, or even the current Republican beliefs, there is no way she would support Obama. Traditionally Republicans have been in favor of smaller government, low taxes, less government spending, and against government interference in the economy. Is there even one plank in Obama's platform that is in line with any of those beliefs?

I'm sure these are the types that'd prefer to throw them out in a snow laiden forest and shot em from helicopters.

"Real Republican." Is that like a "real Scotsman?" Neither party is totally monolithic. The so-called "beliefs" of each party are just very general outlines. We have moderate Republicans and "blue dog" democrats.

Only a third?

I wonder about percentages thrown out like that. It's all silly. Of any poll that could be held, asking people if they're "racist" has to be the least likely to produce results that mean anything.

I wish some people would stop acting like most white people are racist - but then talk to them like they're all normal and everything - if certain people have a problem with thinking most white people are racist, fine, that's for your own soul to work out and it's very sad, but stop dragging everyone else's spirit down by basically saying that you think the white people here are inherently racists.

Thank you.

I understand how you feel. It would be nice if we lived in a country...or a world...where racism, xenophobia, misogyny, etc didn't exist...or at least could be marginalized. Sadly, we have to work with what exists. But on the bright side, I think this election will prove something to us all--when Barack wins.

That in and of itself will have a huge impact on our national conciousness. And kids will be born having had a black president, it won't even be a question at all!

Yups! A much bigger deal than the first Catholic President (JFK).

How many times must we endure the total domination And Obvious Manipulation of the facts trying to tell us how to react And to bowl down at at their whim and forget their sins And Make amends is When election selection began lie and pretend they want to stay in and steal again
we all need to vote against the Republican Command that for the average citizens they don’t under stand. and elect a democratic President Who understands that the average citizen needs release from grips of deceit and mistakes the republicans repeat.
Barack Obama 44 08 make no mistake this nation is awake and know Bush 43 did not care about we and the MIC Good Old Boy Republican McCain Wants To Through Off The Blame To continue The Blame Game Same.

Well, I got news for you, the "new" Republicans have redefined "Republican" over the last 8 years. Do we have smaller government? No. This Republican government has been poking its head into every corner of our lives and getting bigger all the time. Lower taxes? For the very rich, maybe. Not for me. And what I get for my taxes has gone way, way down, now that the Republicans are WASTING taxes on foreign misadventures. Less government spending? I guess that is why the debt has gone from $5.5T when GWB took office to somewhere around at least $12T by the time he leaves. And less government intereference in the economy? I can't believe you put that up there after the events of last week, when Reagan and Republican policies have led to the largest government intervention of all time.

The point is that "Republican" no longer stands for the ideals of Eisenhower, who I happened to admire. The party has redefined itself. It is now the party of borrow and spend, of me first and only, of shoot anything that doesn't agree with us, of divisiveness and cynicism.

If you want an "Eisenhower Republican", don't look in the Republican Party. You won't find one there. Obama is more Eisenhower Republican than McCain by a MILE.

This is bull. Racist whites like that usually are mostly in the states that republicans have been known to win. I don't really think that many white people are racist either. Do they say how they determined that these people were racist and where these people lived? I don't buy it. Sorry.

Yeah everybody has certain stereotypes, it's only human. This is true. Which is why I'm wondering what questions were asked in this poll. lol

Nobody has said any such thing, so just relax.

Ahistorical comment.

Nah, we have plenty of them in the blue states.

This map from the Southern Poverty Law Center opens the eyes.

http://www.splcenter.org/intel/map/hate.jsp

Wow, the only state with no hate groups is South Dakota! But dang...who wants to live there? lol

A bunch of turds have taken over the GOP and perverted that philosophy and turned it into an evil cannibal zombie.

Ike himself called the kind of Republican (he assumed they would be mostly Texas oil men) who would try to undo Social Security and some of the New Deal protections for workers "stupid." Flat out, he called guys like W stupid.

So what must his daughter, if she learned any of Ike's values, think of a senile old fart who wants to pump new life into the Bush aggenda?

I don't think she would call him bright.

Lol don't forget AK but then, nobody is in AK anyway so...

It's more envisioning so that I don't rip my own throat out.



I have friends who insist on voting Republican because their parents are, and somehow the fact that the Republican Party has changed so fundamentally has passed them by. It might be a matter of what being conservative means - slow to change, although I work think this change would be hard to miss



I used to love the idea of living in South Dakota, or Alaska, except for the lack of deep sunlight in Alaska - even the drenching sun in south florida feels like barely enough but then again I also used to want to homeschool, but now it's been taken over by the scared-of-science crowd, it just feels icky. Going into those stores that sells stuff for homeschoolers is a bit of a creepy experience.

Actually, if you study Republican's historical platforms, Obama is a closer fit than McCains. Republicans, historically, are for fiscal responsibility, and Obama's finance plan is fiscally responsible, unlike McCains. Republicans did not gain this "anti-tax" platform plank until the 1980's, and many still do not buy it. In addition, a traditional Republican platform plank has been for governments to be firm on domestic security, something Obama's plan does reinforce, but McCains does not.

This is shit logic. Have you ever been around any black people? I would venture to say that more than 1/3 have negative things to say about black people, white people, Asian people and dam near anybody else that cut them off in traffic that morning. This is more alarmist bullshit and it is nothing that everybody did not already know from the very beginning.

You forgot Alaska and Hawaii.

Yes your post is very true. I actually think there are still many "Eisenhower republicans" left. That's why I usually call Bush/McCain republicans something different from just republicans. I call the new republicans neocons, or repugs usually, unless I slip up. When I say repugs or repukes or whatever on here I am not talking about all people who are registered republicans. I think quite a few "Eisenhower republicans" who don't use the internet daily and get fooled by the MSM think they are the old republicans that are in power now and they aren't. These people in power now actually aren't any party. Because all that they care about is their own greed. They don't really have any ideals. They just say whatever to gain the trust of the American public. I think Randi should emphasize this more on her show sometimes.

We do have racist people in the blue states. I've said it before on this board. I live in PA and there are people in the suburbs that drop the N word all the time. It would be ridiculous of me to say that there are only racist people in the red states.

I'm saying that the people they polled who they determined racist might have been mostly in the red states that McCain would carry anyway, so I don't know if that means anything. They didn't tell us where these people live that they polled. And even if all the people here that were racist went out and voted McCain here, (which I doubt) because above all they would rather have a white guy than a black guy, they would still be trumped by all of the people here that aren't like that. Remember the map that Randi had up after the 2004 election, that said our country is actually purple : http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/comm...le_counties.png.

They didn't tell us where the people they polled were from, or what questions they asked, so it's hard to determine what their definition of racist is. Like it's been said on this board everybody has a tendency to stereotype people based on race, it's only human to assume something about someone when you first meet them because of what they look like, but that doesn't mean that people aren't going to be able to look past the way a person looks and it doesn't mean that they are racist (in other words it doesn't mean they hate black people) and it doesn't mean that they wouldn't vote for a "black" president. Having racial sterotypes does not make one "racist", in other words I can have a preconceived notion that "blacks" are angry based on people I've known (and this is just an example btw), this doesn't mean I am not going to realize that whatever preconceived notion I have is stupid and that I am not going to able to let go of that thought after learning more about Obama and hearing him speak.

Well supposedly it has no hate groups. I don't know if I buy that. lol

The terminology is important because if you thought it was just a few bad "neocon" apples in the Republican Party, you'd be inclined to keep the good Republican brand and rehab it.

But I don't think that is what it is. Over the last 8 years, ALL of the Republican Party members have enabled those bad apples, and party machinery in all the states has been full of anti-American, anti-democratic dirty tricks. No, I think we are better served by thinking about it the way Susan Eisenhower does. The party has changed. The Republican Party has change. I think it is time for good "Eisenhower Republicans" to acknowledge that, as Susan did, and leave the party. The Republican Party is now sociopathically destructive. The neocons and their slimy enablers, by the thousands, have destroyed the Republican Party. This Republican Party cannot rehabilitate itself, so "Eisenhower Republicans" should stop wishing it will happen and voting for it. They need to declare it incompatible with Americanism and unsalvageable, and let it DIE.

You have a point but not ALL of them are neocons. This is why a lot of them went over to Ron Paul. I also know people that are registered republican and did not vote for Bush. So you shouldn't say that ALL of them have enabled the bad apples. You shouldn't take a whole group of people and label them as bad like that.

Ron Paul/Libertarians: neocons who want to smoke dope and get laid.

Why do you say that? I've been called a libertarian by some people and I am not a neocon nor do I like smoking dope. Of course I consider myself a liberal w some libertarian views, but I don't understand why some people on here have to classify all republicans and right leaning people as something negative. Randi doesn't believe that. Obama wouldn't appreciate you doing that either.

EDIT: Bill Maher is also a libertarian and I would hardly call him a neocon. He donated money to the Obama campaign as well.

I'm not talking about all the people. More about the Republican BRAND. I'm saying that, rather than trying to rehabilitate the brand, the brand should be retired, and the "Eisenhower Republicans" should rebrand themselves, as Susan Eisenhower did. The current Republican Party is USING the remaining good Republicans.

Oh, well I agree with you there.

I agree. My comment was snarky. But I'd hardly compare Ron Paul with Bill Maher. lol When it comes to what people do in their bedroom, e.g., yes, I'm a libertarian too. Many years ago, I even registered as a Libertarian, thinking it was about social issues. Then I started getting phone calls from "them." The guy wanted to talk about things like a property owners "right" to pollute a river that flows through his property, and other issues that completely turned me off to the libertarians as a party.

I'm sorry. Sometimes sarcasm is lost on me. lol I don't know that much about Ron Paul but I think he's a hell of a lot better than McCain. I wouldn't join the libertarian party either. I don't even really understand why they have a libertarian party because it seems like hard core libertarians are rather anti-government to me. I could be wrong but that's just the sense I've gotten from talking to some of them.

My friend told me today that her teenage daughter has to do 6 hours volunteer work for one of the campaigns, for a class she is taking. Her mother (my frien) is a Democrat but her father is a strong RWer. She did the first couple of hours at the local McCain headquarters up the road, but plans on doing the rest for Ron Paul. The nice thing about that is - she does think, she doesn't just automatically believe crap - and I am very interested to hear why she didn't want to finish at McCain headquarters although actually, she's always liked Ron Paul. The more Republican votes for Ron Paul, the better!

OH --- when I got in the car, there was a nice bright "NO OBAMA" bumper sticker that my friend had thrown on the floor, after her teenage son had given it to her! I'll have to have a talk with that boy.

Have we not grown out of these "polls" by now?



"The Poll says whites hate blacks"!!!!!!!


Well, I guess that's it then.


Wow...
Just look at all those black folk....