FOX News Poll: More Than Half of Americans Believe Obama Doesn’t Share Views of Pastor Wright
Barack Obama, who is trying to move on from discussion about his former pastor, speaks about Iraq and the economy Thursday at the University of Charleston in West Virginia. (AP Photo)
By Dana Blanton
Fifty-seven percent of Americans do not believe Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama shares the controversial views of his former spiritual mentor Jeremiah Wright, while about one in four (24 percent) believes he does share the Rev. Wright’s views. And a sizable minority has doubts about Obama because of his pastor’s comments, according to a new FOX News poll.
Republicans (36 percent) are more likely than independents (20 percent) and Democrats (17 percent) to think Obama shares Wright’s controversial and unpatriotic views. Whites (25 percent) are more likely than blacks (15 percent) to think so.
Over a third of voters (35 percent) and a quarter of Democrats (26 percent) and independents (27 percent) say Obama’s relationship with Rev. Wright has caused them to have doubts about him. Here the racial breakdown is stark: 40 percent of whites and 2 percent of blacks have doubts.
“One of the hallmarks of Obama’s campaign has been his ability to attract independent voters. This doubt brought on by the Wright controversy has to be troubling for Obama,” said Ernest Paicopolos, principal of Opinion Dynamics Corp.
Click here to see the poll results and read the full story.
It’s unclear how much damage, if any, the situation will do to Obama’s standing in his head-to-head race with Hillary Clinton, as Democrats so far are still almost evenly divided in their preference: 40 percent say they want Clinton to be the nominee and 38 percent want Obama. In February, the vote preference was tied at 44 percent each.
All in all, Americans think your choice in friends says a lot about you: Almost 7 of 10 say they think the people you choose to be your friends reflect on you and your values. And 39 percent say your friends reflect on you “a lot.”
Rev. Wright was Obama’s pastor and spiritual adviser for many years, and performed Obama’s wedding ceremony in 1992.
Most Americans — 72 percent — are familiar with the comments made by Obama’s former pastor.
Obama gave a speech on race in America in which he addressed Rev. Wright’s comments on March 18. Opinion Dynamics Corp. conducted the national telephone poll of 900 registered voters for FOX News from March 18 to March 19 in the evenings. The poll has a 3-point error margin.
I think Obama agrees with everything his pastor believes or he wouldn’t have “flocked” in to his church. I think Obama is a liar and would say or do anything to get the presidency. I think he is an evil man and we are lucky to have seen the “serpent” lying in the grass before we were bitten by it.
What is wrong,Mr Obama needs to answer questions about how he feels about our country and the statements Rev. Wright made, he also can re-explain the statement his wife made about the first time in here history she is proud of this country. You people need to check out what she wrote about Black Separatist by Michelle Obama, and remember these two people sat in this church for 20 years and never question what was being said, and taught this garbage to their daughters.How can anyone say they don’t think Obama agrees with Rev. Wright but think about all the people involved in his life including his wife and Rezko Wake Up America.
I am a blue collar worker from New York ( I know I don’t count! ). I don’t know much about Obama. This Wright thing is overplayed though. I mean we have heard this everyday for over a week. Does this fix the looming recession? The Iraq War? Enough already!
Hillary is a scam artist who will say anything to get in the White House ( what happened to Foster? ). McCain has his own church issues. What about who is going to serve the country?
It’s McCain or Obama. White America is not ready to accept a black president and the media has been waiting for this sort of thing to drown Obama.
I’m voting for McCain. I know exactly what he is and that he really doesn’t care about guys like me or my family. It’s every man for himself!!
YES HE DOES
or he would not have his own young children LISTENING TO THOSE REMARKSEVERYTIME THEY GO TO CHURCH!!!!
Don’t be fooled anymore people
Obama has a mind of his own. This thing will fade away, and by the time the Repubs try to bring it back up again, most people will be tired of it and will consider it a cheap distraction.
I mean, really people. Have you actually read his books? What about the fact that he taught Constitutional Law for years… has over 15 years of public service… has done more to unify voters than any politician in years. WHY would anyone who was not patriotic care about any of those things? You HAVE to love your country to have done what Obama has done.
If it’s actions that matter, and not words, then why is everyone so caught up on Wright’s WORDS, when Obama’s ACTIONS show that he does NOT subscribe to that way of thinking, and has brought more people together than any other politician in recent history? The diverse coalition that Obama has already assembled, the AMAZING record breaking contributions that his campaign has received, the overwhelming increase in enthusiasm and voter turnout… those are all ACTIONS. And those actions mean more to me than any of Wright’s words.
He’s guilty either way. He sat in his racist church for 20 years. So he either approves or is an enabler.
Obama/Wright = WRONG!!!
Obama is not electable in the General Election for President of the UNITED States - All states & ALL People. He has turned this into a race issue.
GO HILLARY !!!!
THANK YOU! You finally have credibility! Leave Obama alone. WTH judges someone by there PASTOR!! OMG..i swear if anyone judges me by my pastor (though I love him dearly)..they will be sadly mistaken!
Obama does NOT share those views. He is white and black and has personality that embraces EVERYONE..and tries to understand EVERYONE..that’s all!!!
Obama supporters please consider reading this with an open mind, it is not
meant to belittle your candidate. I think most of us democrats want a
democrat in office, which is why it is important to think about the
following:
Obama’s platform of better judgment and change:
It is flawed now, flawed due to the Rev. Wright, Rezko, and NAFTA issues
At the very least Obama’s judgment can be questioned now because of Wright
and Rezko. His changes are questioned because the records as a senator
show no sign of Obama being bold, willing to take a chance or even cross
over party lines. Obama was not able or not willing to even transcend the
racial issues in his own church. In addition because of Wright, Rezko and
NAFTA Obama is now tainted his clean image.
Perhaps the issue with Wright may fade in the primary election but you can
count on a big hyped up media explosion during the general election. All
of this is going to come out again and even more once the republican’s
machines latch onto it. I think there is a slim to no chance of winning
the general if Obama is on the ticket, I am sorry.
What half of americans? Please————- this guy sat in that church for 20 years. Obama needs to bow out. He will lose. I don’t care how much he says he doesn’t agree with the pastor words he still sat there and listened and worse let his young daughters hear all that.