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.
GOD save America
Hey White America…
Why don’t you ask Oprah Winfrey what she thinks about Pastor Wright, because she was also a member of Trinity? But you see, now we are talking about a Black person that White America actually likes…I’ve heard one “expert” over these last few days mention the fact of her church membership, but nothing else. I wonder why??????$$$$$$$
At least with the majority of the American people, common sense is prevailing. Those who believe otherwise certainly have the right to do so, but they never were, and never will be, Obama supporters. They simply are not willing to judge the man fairly on the basis of his own character or on his own message…which is not the message of Rev. Wright.
There have been regilious figures on the right of the political spectrum who have said some very controversial things that were not attributed to their followers…Rev. Pat Robertson and Rev. Jerry Falwell come to mind…and there have been others. Some of their more outrageous statements were criticized by both Democrats and Republicans alike, but the character or views of the members of their congregations have never been questioned for that reason…nor should it be.
It is entirely appropriate to criticize the controversial views of Rev. Wright. I disagree strongly with them. It is also appropriate to determine whether Senator Obama shares those views…either in word or in deed. What is wrong is to simply attribute the views of Rev. Wright to Senator Obama without any evidence that this is the case.
It goes back to the same thing as the sixties. You bigots like Shawn Hannity will not let this brilliamt, caring ,loving Black and White man get to the top because because he has some black in him.
It is disgusting to read some of the things you people say. I AM WHITE, but I understand the situation very well. You people are so closed minded and know nothing about being black or anything else for that matter.
LISTEN CAREFULLY!!! FOX NEWS AND THE CLINTONS ARE TRYING DESPERATELY TO GET HILL/BILLY NOMINATED SO SHE CAN LOSE AGAINST MC CAIN.
I guess you folks would rather have all the felonious and disgusting doings of the Clintons back in the White House?????
Its not very funny how people judge others so easy and are so full of hate rather than forgivness. Just think if you lived like say in the middle east and watched TV and thought Wow those Americans Have sat in the same country with Mr Bush for the last 7 years . It must be that they all think like Mr Bush does.. Or better yet when they see a guy stand in front of millions and starts to sing a song like lets say Bomb Bomb Bomb Iran… Its not Black against White but it looks like USA against ?????????????? you guys can pick the color you like. I think I found the WMD’s that Bush was looking for. Its located right inside our hearts and minds…
Another liberal BS poll By liberal Dana Blanton
Fox needs to dump this lib!!!!!!!
Where’s this poll? Leave it up a while longer on the front page so all of us can vote.
After all the news about Pastor Wright and Toni Rezco and after his failure to perform for his constituents and I base that on the fact that his record of voting present on approx 45-50% of the issues, it is amazing that people are still believing that he is the CHANGE we need in Washington.
He is the same old politics we have seen in Washngton for years if not worse and what about experience being a issue.Barrack Obama has very very little.
How is he going to pay for all these things he is promising people? He hasn’t talked about that yet has he?
Obama said on the news that he has been quote “Shaken” by the Pastor Wright issues.Just wait until he starts dealing with Congress!
Directed, guided spiritually, but not politically.
Does he or anybody else know or understand that spiritual, moral makeup goes to the heart and soul of an individual?
Does he attend church ? Would it be safe to think that he would not be affected by Wright’s, Farrakhan’s hatred?
Has anyone noticed the added street accent when speaking in front of his church?
Electing Obama could be a very risky and troubling result for this nation and racial tensions.
I find this hard to believe. I don’t know what this country is coming to. I don’t understand why a person would believe that he doesn’t share these racial views when this is the second man that speaks out against our home and country that he is personnally involved with. I take this situation very seriously and most of my friends do too.