Alexandra Loesser

Clinton, Obama, Romney…What polls say.

When it comes to presidential elections the typical candidate is a white male Christian other races, religions, and sexes rarely come in to play. This election is mixing things up a bit with a woman running, a mixed race candidate, and a Mormon, not to mention a candidate in his 70s.
Barack Obama is the son of a white mother and a black father. The US has never before elected a president of this descent but 79 percent of respondents to a poll said they would be willing to vote for an African /American president. However Canseco brings up a point that the responses could represent a “politically correct” way of answering a poll, and that when faced with a woman or an African American in the ballot many Americans would react differently that when responding to a survey. Something else that is out of the norm to consider is Mitt Romney who is a Mormon. This candidate in particular has created a larger controversy that gender, age, and ethnicity. Only 38 percent of respondents of a poll said they would consider voting for a Mormon presidential candidate. However 61 percent in another study said they would be less likely to support a presidential contender who does not believe in God at all.
Aside from religion ethnicity has also become in issue. New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson is the son of a Mexican mother. As qualified as he may be 48 percent of respondents polled in the Princeton Survey Research Association said the U.S. is not ready for a Hispanic president. John McCain also does not have numbers on his side, 58 percent of respondents said they are less likely to vote for a presidential candidate who is over age 72 which is how old McCain will be come November 2008.
It will be very interesting or very disappointing to see if gender, age, ethnicity, and religion get in the way of electing a great president.

Canseco, Mario. "Clinton, Obama, Romney...what the poll say." The Tyee 09 19 2007 09 20 2007 .