There’s been much blog discussion today about this Gallup poll on America’s preferences and prejudices when it comes to Presidential candidates:
PRINCETON, NJ — With arguably the most diverse field of candidates in U.S. history to choose from, Americans will have to decide how comfortable they are electing a person who is not a white Protestant male as president. Whereas in past elections non-traditional candidates were often long-shots to win their party’s nominations, let alone the presidency, many of the leading candidates in the early stages of the 2008 election process are not cut from the typical presidential cloth, making this issue more salient than ever.
A recent USA Today/Gallup poll updated a question first asked in 1937 about the public’s willingness to vote for presidential candidates from a variety of different genders, religions, and other backgrounds. While Americans overwhelmingly say they would vote for a black, woman, Catholic, or Hispanic president, they are less likely to say they would support a Mormon candidate, one who is 72 years old, or one who has been married three times.
Asked if they’d be willing to vote for a “generally well-qualified” candidate with the followign characterisitics, here’s how the tally went in the Feb. 9- 11 poll.
- Black 94%
- Jewish 92%
- A woman 88%
- Hispanic 87%
- Mormon 72%
- Married for third time 67%
- 72 years of age 57%
- A homosexual 55%
- An atheist 45%
Given that at least four of these categories (female, Mormon, 72 years of age, and black) apply to already-announced candidates for the 2008 nomination, it is somewhat interesting.
February 21st, 2007 at 1:22 am
Yet they had no trouble electing the psychotic christian/catholic dictator currently holding the office. Funny how that works isn’t it?
I’ll vote for Darth Vader
February 21st, 2007 at 3:38 pm
Given the statistics, it would be a close fight between Barack Hussein Obama and Hillary Clinton for the 2008 presidential race.
February 21st, 2007 at 5:44 pm
Rudy Giuliani is “married for the third time”, and Lieberman is still a possible “Jewish” candidate. Rudy’s rocky marriage history and gay friends probably raise the “homosexual” question. So they didn’t exactly pick these traits at random. (Of course open atheists are effectively banned from Congress, let alone the White House.)
February 21st, 2007 at 8:17 pm
The 45% figure is actually encouraging I think. Atheists are among the most villified groups; maybe by 2012 we will see 50%, you think?