CBS Poll: Good Reviews For Obama Speech

But Problems For Democratic Candidate Remain As Fewer Think He Could Unite The Country

(CBS)  Sen. Barack Obama's speech on race this week, in which he discussed his relationship with Rev. Jeremiah Wright, his controversial longtime minister, has received largely positive reviews, according to a new CBS News poll.

But the percentage of voters who think Obama would unite the country as president has dropped since late February.

Sixty-nine percent of voters who have heard or read about Obama’s speech say he did a good job addressing the issue of race relations, and 63 percent of voters following the events say they agree with Obama's views on race relations. Seventy-one percent say he did a good job explaining his relationship with Wright.

Read The Complete Poll Results

When registered voters were asked if Obama would unite the country, however, 52 percent said yes - down from 67 percent last month.

Obama's favorable rating, which stands at 43 percent, continues to outweigh his unfavorable rating of 30 percent.

Most voters following the events say they will make no difference in their vote. Seventy percent say the events will make no difference in their vote. Among those who said it would, 14 percent said it makes them more likely to vote for Obama while an equal number said it makes them less likely to support him.

Nearly a quarter of Democrats say the events have made them more likely to back Obama, while a similar number of Republicans say they are now less likely to do so. Three in four independents say the events make no difference, and the remainder are nearly evenly split between those more likely to support him and those less likely to do so.

For this poll, CBS News re-interviewed voters who were first surveyed between March 15th and 18th, 2008, in the midst of the Wright controversy and mostly before Obama’s speech on race. The goal was to gauge their reactions to Tuesday’s speech and the continuing controversy over Wright’s comments. The poll was conducted on the night of March 20th.

Among voters who supported Obama over presumptive Republican nominee John McCain before the speech, 23 percent say they are now more likely to support the Illinois senator. Just six percent are less likely to support him, while 69 percent say it makes no difference.

Overall, the speech and events surrounding the matter have found a wide audience. Most voters say they have heard or read some about these events, including 42 percent who have heard a lot about it. Just four percent of those surveyed had not heard about the controversy.

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Interviews were conducted among 542 registered voters by telephone on March 20, 2008. These respondents were originally interviewed in a CBS News Poll conducted March 15 - 18, 2008. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus four percentage points.

[jersupporter]

I support a racist as my minister does not come across as UNITY. Perhaps if the election was in Africa?

[pepperp1]

''Hillary Clinton does not respect our people''


The radio ad aired by one of Obama''s labor allies re-injects ethnicity into the Democratic primary contest in sharp terms.

"Hillary Clinton does not respect our people," the ad says in Spanish (original and Clinton campaign translation after the jump), referring to the lawsuit that failed today to shut down special caucus sites on Las Vegas'' strip. "Hillary Clinton is shameless."

"Sen. Obama is defending our right to vote. Sen. Obama wants our votes. He respects our votes, our community, and our people. Sen. Obama%u2019s campaign slogan is ''Si Se Puede.'' Vote for a president who respects us, and who respects our right to vote," the ad says, according to a transcript provided by the Clinton campaign and confirmed in part by a union official.



.............
Obama is a hater that looks like a choir kid lift the lid anywere and its ugly, haters corruptions racist jsut like this add, heres another Rev Wright type attack on Clinton using race and lies distortions its disgusting.............

[forthepeopl1]

TO EVERYONE,

WE THE PEOPLE DO HAVE THE RIGHT TO SHUT THIS GOVERNMENT DOWN. AND THEIR IS A WAY TO MAKE OUR GOVERNEMNT STOP IN THIER TRACKS..

THE GREAT AMERICAN WALK OUT..THATS RIGHT FOR 3 OR 4 DAYS LIKE A THURSDAY THRU MONDAY..EVERY AMERICAN IN THIS COUNTRY DO NOTHING...I MEAN NOTHING BUT STAY HOME AND ENJOY THE FAMILY. ALL TRUCK,TRAIN,PLAINS,EVERYONE CAN AFFORD TO TAKE A FEW SICK DAYS FOR THIS..

IN ONLY A FEW DAYS OF NOTHING MOVEING IN THIS COUNTRY WOULD TELL CONGRESS AND THE WHITEHOUSE WHO REALLY RUNS THIS COUNTRY..THATS US AMERICANS... SO WHEN WOULD BE A GOOD DAY TO START THIS..

AND I MEAN IT DONT BUY ANYTHING....DO ANYTHING...DONT GO ANYWERE TO SPEND A DIME...

IT WOULD PUT THIS COUNTRY ON ITS KNEES..LIKE WE SHOULD

the great american STIKE.................

[e-mail]


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[truthspeake2]

OBAMA 2008...RIP Hillary and the GOP!

Today, I find out that Hillary has a very good reason for not saying much about this speech.
Another little piece of the picture falls into place..

[carlad1958]

I don''t believe Rev. Wright is a racist. He is a reflection of the world in which he grew up. I''m a white middle class woman and Rev. Wright''s remarks seemed to me to be commentary on how African Americans have been treated in America since they were first brought over on slave ships. I don''t even think his words about HIV/AIDS are that far off the mark given what our government did to the Tuskegee Airmen when they injected them with syphillus.

Further, I would hate to be held responsible for everything that my friends said. Finally, this all sounds a lot like the Pope and John Kennedy revisited. The Pope did not end up running the White House and neither would Rev. Wright if Obama is President.

It is time to move on from this ridiculous distraction that the MEDIA has made into a big deal.

[truthspeake2]

Today, I find out that Hillary has a very good reason for not saying much about this speech.
Another little piece of the picture falls into place..


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Posted by hadenough43 at 03:16 PM : Mar 21, 2008




I saw that same article...I wonder when that will get publicized or will the public have to wait for the book due out in May?

[beader59]

Obama will be like Bush in the respect of being a "GREAT DIVIDER".

[vastr-wcon]

.
hussein gave another speech? Who did he plagiarize this time?

The true nature of hussein has finally been revealed. For nearly twenty years hussein has been the disciple and avid follower and supporter of the racist hate-monger jeremiah wright. hussein has publicly praised wright on numerous occasions. wright''s vile, bigoted harangues against America, in general, and white Americans, in particular, illustrate the true foundation of hussein and the "church" of which he is a devout member. The foundation of hussein is racial division and strife - not unity. If it were not for the thin veneer of whitewash slapped on him by his handlers, I would expect him to adopt wright''s "God Da''mn America" as his theme song. hussein is clearly an outrageously unacceptable candidate for any elected office or position of responsibility in America.

Senator Clinton must immediately withdrawal her generous offer to allow hussein to serve as her vice president. He certainly isn''t qualified for that either.

.

[infidel_us]

''CBS Poll: Good Reviews For Obama Speech''

Big surprise there! According to Ubama, it''s all the fault of: his white grandmother, big business, and the white man. The right Rev Wright is totally innocent. Sounds really fair to me.

[truthspeake2]

I don''''t believe Rev. Wright is a racist. He is a reflection of the world in which he grew up. I''''m a white middle class woman and Rev. Wright''''s remarks seemed to me to be commentary on how African Americans have been treated in America since they were first brought over on slave ships. I don''''t even think his words about HIV/AIDS are that far off the mark given what our government did to the Tuskegee Airmen when they injected them with syphillus.

Further, I would hate to be held responsible for everything that my friends said. Finally, this all sounds a lot like the Pope and John Kennedy revisited. The Pope did not end up running the White House and neither would Rev. Wright if Obama is President.

It is time to move on from this ridiculous distraction that the MEDIA has made into a big deal.


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Posted by CarlaD1958 at 03:17 PM : Mar 21, 2008



Great post and well said...and I might add that what he spoke to was America''s Foreign Policies (or lack thereof). Leave it to the media (and rednecks and people that wouldn''t have voted for Obama anyway) to spin what he said into some type of racist banter!

[mbcsmith]

Yeah, great speech. He totally avoided the 20 year relationship with a racist America hater and threw it back on the white folks. And the LIB main stream media bought it hook, line and sinker. Great speech (diversion)

[singingrick]

VastR-WCon

Wow! How do you do it? You write really longs posts that say absolutely nothing. Bravo!


lol!

Posted by truthspeake2
-----------------
And may I add that anything that drives the BARACK HUSSIEN OBAMA people crazy (well, ok, crazier) fills me with utter boundless glee...

[mudrose-2009]

Yeah, great speech. He totally avoided the 20 year relationship with a racist America hater and threw it back on the white folks. And the LIB main stream media bought it hook, line and sinker. Great speech (diversion)

Posted by mbcsmith

Your "typical white person" is showing.

[mbcsmith]

''''CBS Poll: Good Reviews For Obama Speech''''

Big surprise there! According to Ubama, it''''s all the fault of: his white grandmother, big business, and the white man. The right Rev Wright is totally innocent. Sounds really fair to me.


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Posted by Infidel_Us at 03:20 PM : Mar 21, 2008


Amazing that he wouldn''t even walk away from the racist America hater wright. Can you imagine if a white guy did that.

It seems as if the American people have grown so much over the last decade. I am very proud of us. Good judgment and compassion seem to have regained the upper hand.

It seems as if the American people have grown so much over the last decade. I am very proud of us. Good judgment and compassion seem to have regained the upper hand.

[realpatriot1]

Obama will definitely unite those Americans who want to be united.

Those who don''t want to unite will still be able to post their ignorant *** and lies here.

[truthspeake2]

And may I add that anything that drives the BARACK HUSSIEN OBAMA people crazy (well, ok, crazier) fills me with utter boundless glee...


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Posted by hadenough43 at 03:27 PM : Mar 21, 2008



LOL...actually, it really didn''t change anything, we expected this (and I''m sure there will be more) from your kind!

[mbcsmith]

Your "typical white person" is showing.


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Posted by mudrose at 03:28 PM : Mar 21, 2008


OOPS, sorry, I''ll zip up. My wife hates it when I do that.

[blahblahbla5]

So basically racists now realize he''s not colin powell so are determined now to oppose him, and anti-racists are now determined to oppose the racists, and the rest of the people dont care one way or the other.

[johnny343sc]

AND YOU DUMB PEOPLE STILL SUPPORT THIS RACIST!!!!!

WOULD YOU DO SO IF IT WAS A WHITE MALE RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT THAT WAS A MEMBER OF A KKK-RELATED CHURCH???

WHAT A DOUBLE-STANDARD... AND DUMB PEOPLE OF EVERY CREED STILL SUPPORT HIS GUY.

OUTRAGEOUS!!!

:(

[sgtrds]

Great post and well said...and I might add that what he spoke to was America''''s Foreign Policies (or lack thereof). Leave it to the media (and rednecks and people that wouldn''''t have voted for Obama anyway) to spin what he said into some type of racist banter!

Posted by truthspeake2 at 03:21 PM : Mar 21, 2008

Absolutely and the Reverends comments about 9-11 and the chickens coming home to roost may have been strong words, but it was true. 9-11 was retaliation for generations of American interference in the politics and religion of the Middle-East. While it was horrible and wrong, it did not just happen in a vacuum.

[jamiesmith8]

Buried in his eloquent, highly praised speech on America''s racial divide, Sen. Barack Obama contradicted more than a year of denials and spin from him and his staff about his knowledge of Rev. Jeremiah Wright''s controversial sermons. Similarly, Obama also has only recently given a much fuller accounting of his relationship with indicted political fixer Antoin "Tony" Rezko, a longtime friend, who his campaign once described as just one of "thousands of donors."

It seems as if the American people have grown so much over the last decade. I am very proud of us. Good judgment and compassion seem to have regained the upper hand.

Posted by sueg48
--------------------
A word of caution - I''m 64 and hard, hard experience (Raygun et.al) has taught be to never, EVER count the chickens too soon when it comes to these elections..
This country is capable of some of the most unbelievable surprises on election day. Bush, twice...

[realpatriot1]

mbcsmith,

A white guy did do that 48 hours after the attack and republicans didn''t so much as bat an eye over it.

Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson said on the 700 Club 2 days after the 911 attacks that America caused the attacks and got what it deserved.

When will any of you condemn your own? It''s a rhetorical question, I know the answer is never.

[fibonacci_]

Thats good news ... we can remember that many of those that didnt agree with his views are simply bigots. So we dont even really have to count them.

[mbcsmith]

Absolutely and the Reverends comments about 9-11 and the chickens coming home to roost may have been strong words, but it was true. 9-11 was retaliation for generations of American interference in the politics and religion of the Middle-East. While it was horrible and wrong, it did not just happen in a vacuum.


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Posted by SgtRDS at 03:32 PM : Mar 21, 2008



LIBS JUST DON''T GET IT!

[truthspeake2]

WOULD YOU DO SO IF IT WAS A WHITE MALE RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT THAT WAS A MEMBER OF A KKK-RELATED CHURCH???

WHAT A DOUBLE-STANDARD... AND DUMB PEOPLE OF EVERY CREED STILL SUPPORT HIS GUY.

OUTRAGEOUS!!!

:(


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Posted by johnny343sc at 03:30 PM : Mar 21, 2008



LOL...and let me guess, you voted for the current idiot we have in office now twice right. And of course he isn''t a racist as evidenced by his actions after Katrina right. You still believe in the Easter bunny and tooth fairy too right...

[ssskfrancis]

WHY AM I NOT AN OBAMA SUPPORTER ANYMORE: 1. Iraq war: Samantha Power, Obama%u2019s advisor told BBC program that Obama "will of course not rely upon some plan that he%u2019s crafted as a presidential candidate or U.S. senator" to remove U.S. troops from Iraq. 2. NAFTA: Obama''s campaign quietly contacted Canadian officials to tell them not to take seriously the Illinois senator''s tough talk about NAFTA he assuring Canadian diplomat that this is just a %u201Cpolitical positioning%u201D for the election. What a dishonest man.3.Rev. Jeremiah Wright: Obama%u2019s close relationship with this anti-American preacher who preaches hatred and racism concerns me. 4. Racism: In South Carolina and Mississippi, he played the race card to win. Like Karl Rowe, Obama has started the divisive politics5. Michigan and Florida: Obama is against revote in Florida and Michigan the state Hillary won. Obama has no problem disfranchising millions of voters in Florida and Michigan so as to deny Hillary the nomination and to ensure his own. Clinton years: Obama talks about the failures of Clintons, but never mentions the great economic growth of Clinton years7. Negative complaining: Like Kenneth Starr, Obama has started the fishing expedition of Hillary%u2019s files. Same old dirty politics

[johnny343sc]

AND YOU DUMB PEOPLE STILL SUPPORT THIS RACIST!!!!!

WOULD YOU DO SO IF IT WAS A WHITE MALE RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT THAT WAS A MEMBER OF A KKK-RELATED CHURCH???

WHAT A DOUBLE-STANDARD... AND DUMB PEOPLE OF EVERY CREED STILL SUPPORT HIS GUY.

OUTRAGEOUS!!!

:(

[truthspeake2]

Absolutely and the Reverends comments about 9-11 and the chickens coming home to roost may have been strong words, but it was true. 9-11 was retaliation for generations of American interference in the politics and religion of the Middle-East. While it was horrible and wrong, it did not just happen in a vacuum.


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Posted by SgtRDS at 03:32 PM : Mar 21, 2008



Great....someone who gets it!

The good Reverend Mr. Wright is one of the finest examples of the Turkish admonition "If you gonna tell the truth, you better keep one foot in the stirrup." I''ve ever seen.

[mbcsmith]

LOL...and let me guess, you voted for the current idiot we have in office now twice right. And of course he isn''''t a racist as evidenced by his actions after Katrina right. You still believe in the Easter bunny and tooth fairy too right...


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Posted by truthspeake2 at 03:36 PM : Mar 21, 2008


So by your measure Mayor (I didn''t think we needed the 1000 school buses) Nagin and Gov. Kathleen (what do we do now, sob) Blanco are racist as well.

[johnny343sc]

AND YOU DUMB PEOPLE STILL SUPPORT THIS RACIST!!!!!

WOULD YOU DO SO IF IT WAS A WHITE MALE RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT THAT WAS A MEMBER OF A KKK-RELATED CHURCH???

WHAT A DOUBLE-STANDARD... AND DUMB PEOPLE OF EVERY CREED STILL SUPPORT HIS GUY.

OUTRAGEOUS!!!

DON''T BE SO FOOLISHLY GULLIBLE FOR ONE MAN- OBAMA AIN''T AMERICA''S MESSIAH!

THINK BEFORE YOU HAVE UNBLINDING FAITH IN ANYONE BUT GOD!!!


:(

[truthspeake2]

WOULD YOU DO SO IF IT WAS A WHITE MALE RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT THAT WAS A MEMBER OF A KKK-RELATED CHURCH???

WHAT A DOUBLE-STANDARD... AND DUMB PEOPLE OF EVERY CREED STILL SUPPORT HIS GUY.

OUTRAGEOUS!!!

:(


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Posted by johnny343sc at 03:30 PM : Mar 21, 2008



LOL...and let me guess, you voted for the current idiot we have in office now twice right. And of course he isn''''t a racist as evidenced by his actions after Katrina right. You still believe in the Easter bunny and tooth fairy too right...

[mbcsmith]

Great....someone who gets it!


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Posted by truthspeake2 at 03:37 PM : Mar 21, 2008



Why wouldn''t you be blaming Bin Laden for 9/11.

[mbcsmith]

LOL...and let me guess, you voted for the current idiot we have in office now twice right. And of course he isn''t a racist as evidenced by his actions after Katrina right. You still believe in the Easter bunny and tooth fairy too right...



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Posted by truthspeake2 at 03:40 PM : Mar 21, 2008


So by your measure Mayor (I didn''''t think we needed the 1000 school buses) Nagin and Gov. Kathleen (what do we do now, sob) Blanco are racist as well.

[truthspeake2]

So by your measure Mayor (I didn''''t think we needed the 1000 school buses) Nagin and Gov. Kathleen (what do we do now, sob) Blanco are racist as well.


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Posted by mbcsmith at 03:38 PM : Mar 21, 2008



You''re part of that GW 25% right...or is it down to 20% now???

[blackwater66-2009]

Vote GOP in 08, keep the War going, I need the business and you need to feel safe !!

The good times are coming. Send the illegals back were they came from, we do not need their 3rd world crime in America today, have enough of our own to deal with, right ??

[mbcsmith]

You''''re part of that GW 25% right...or is it down to 20% now???


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Posted by truthspeake2 at 03:42 PM : Mar 21, 2008

I''m part of the 53% that think we can achieve success in Iraq.

[mike71067]

Obama''s a divider, not a uniter. Hillary is a divider also. McCain is senile. I''m voting for my Siberian Husky.

[liberalme]

LOL...and let me guess, you voted for the current idiot we have in office now twice right. And of course he isn''''''''t a racist as evidenced by his actions after Katrina right. You still believe in the Easter bunny and tooth fairy too right...
Posted by truthspeake2 at 03:36 PM : Mar 21, 2008

You''re so right--and do you remember how eloquently mama Bush stated how fortunate all those people were that were stuck in the stadium were probably in a better place than where they came from? Classic!!

[mbcsmith]

You been smokin those nasty unregulated Southern cigarettes again. Your Southern fried brain has been permanently destroyed with carbon monoxide poisoning. Fact is, we "LIBS" (too funny you Southern White ConDumbs capitalize the word) are putting together a national referendum to vote all the original Confederate Fascist Traitor States out of the union. YOu dumber than dirt drawling Southern White ConDumbs could then join union with your fellow 3rd world brothers of Mexico. Let US all wave good bye to the Confederate Fascist Union of Mexico.


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Posted by neoconism at 03:44 PM : Mar 21, 2008



Why do LIBS HATE AMERICA.

[truthspeake2]

Why wouldn''''t you be blaming Bin Laden for 9/11.


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Posted by mbcsmith at 03:40 PM : Mar 21, 2008


Question: Do you know Bin Laden''s background. Do you know that he fought with us against the Soviets in Afghanistan from 1979 to 1989 and we supported him. Do you know the reason he turned terrorist...its was because we put 5 military bases on what he considers holy land and his government allowed the US to do so. And it is to those type of foreign policy issues that Rev Wright was speaking to.

[mbcsmith]

We have professional television directors, advertising consultants, and several national organizations who are working with us to launch this national media campaign.


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Posted by neoconism at 03:46 PM : Mar 21, 2008


why do LIBS HATE AMERICAN HEROES.

[robstrck]

mike71067

Funny/Sad but true.

[ricknuber]

mbcsmith:

How do you define "success in Iraq?" Please enlighten us as to what that looks like, and how we can get there.

I imagine you don''t have answers for either.

[tajomari]

It is amazing to read all the racist post on this blog. Obama is a man, who has worked his entire life to be a great american. Are African Americans supoose to just forget history and act like nothing has ever happened? This is a man, who wants to represent people regardless of race, religion and so much attention is being given to a Sunday sermon that Obama didn''t even write. This is a form of manipulative racism. The bottom line is this is a black man running for president and if racism is truly over , he will be elected.