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'Did I mention he's black?' - Obama

Pensacola - Democrat Barack Obama's race will complicate his White House bid, Americans say in both interviews and a poll showing that nearly a third of them acknowledge feeling racial prejudice. In interviews with Reuters, some Americans reinforced the findings of the Washington Post-ABC News survey, published on Sunday, showing that race relations in the United States were improving but problems persisted. An Illinois senator who could become the first African American to be elected US president, Obama said on Friday he expected Republicans to highlight the fact that he was black to try to make voters afraid of him. Nearly half of those surveyed said race relations were in bad shape. Three in 10 acknowledged feelings of racial prejudice. The survey was meant to help gauge the effect of both race and age on the November election in which Obama and Republican John McCain are vying to succeed Republican President George W Bush. Age weighs more than race McCain, who will be 72 in August, would be the oldest elected first-term US president. McCain's age was a more pronounced concern than Obama's race, the survey found. The 46-year-old Obama, born to a white mother from Kansas and a black father from Kenya, has cast himself as a candidate who can bridge divides within the country, including those involving race. Some 51% of those surveyed said race relations were excellent or good but the gap between white and black views on race was the widest since polls dating to 1992, with blacks holding more negative views, according to the survey. Assessing public sentiment on race, particularly among white Americans, is notoriously difficult. On Friday Obama predicted that Republicans, unable to play up their stewardship of the economy or handling of foreign policy under Bush, would run a campaign of fear. "They're going to try to make you afraid of me: 'He's young and inexperienced and he's got a funny name. And did I mention he's black?'" Obama said.

 

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