Black voters still unsure about Obama

[oberliner]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic U.S. Sen. Barack Obama opened his 2008 drive for the White House with a promise to bridge historic political divides, but so far it is unclear how many black voters will come along for the ride.

Obama, a first-term senator from Illinois, has promised to wage "a different kind of politics" in a run for the White House that could shatter U.S. racial barriers and make him the first black president.

But polls show he lags well behind Democratic rival Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York among black voters, the most loyal Democratic voting bloc, and his candidacy has been greeted cautiously by some veteran black leaders uncertain about his experience and views.

The wary approach is not surprising given Obama is a relative newcomer on the national stage and, unlike many established black leaders, did not build his reputation during the civil-rights struggles of the 1960s, analysts said.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/08/AR2007020801019.html

[FrenchieCat]

1. I think that Obama's perceived handicap is that of

inexperience on issues that New Yorkers are still very concerned about....National Security and Foreign policy. New York, which happens to be the home of Hillary Clinton on top of it.

With Hillary, many voters feel that they get Bill's experience....and that is effecting who they are choosing.

And it won't be just Black voters.....although this is what this article is measuring.

[Benhurst]

2. Yeah, I'm unsure about him, too. And as a "white" person, I'm unsure

about our "white" candidates as well.

[mtnsnake]

3. The fact that he trails Hillary among black voters doesn't mean they don't like him

It only means that for the time being they like her more than they like him. As he gains more exposure, I think they'll like him just as much as they like her. It's nice that they like both of them.