Politics | Barack Obama Poll Highlights Obama's Race Dilemma Many white Democrats would rather vote for McCain By Rob Quinn Posted May 24, 2008 9:24 AM CDT Copied Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., arrives for a rally in Des Moines, Iowa, Tuesday, May 20, 2008. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson) Barack Obama will need to defeat not only John McCain but prejudice within his own party if he is to win the presidency, a Newsweek poll finds. Pollsters divided respondents into two categories, based on answers to questions on race-related topics. Among white Democrats who scored low on the poll's "Racial Resentment Index," Obama beat McCain by 78% to 17%, but those with a high level of racial resentment preferred him to McCain by just 51% to 33%. The poll also found some confusion over Obama's religion, with 11% thinking the candidate is a Muslim. Nearly a fifth of white Democrats said Obama's name made them judge him less favorably. Still, the percentage of voters who think the country is ready for a black president has doubled since 2000, to 70%. Read These Next Scientists have discovered a huge added bonus of COVID vaccines. He took rocks he wasn't supposed to, then tragedy struck. Next year's COLA increase is up slightly from 2025. This is one very public, visible way to look for love. Report an error