WP: 01/14/2008
Race, Sex and the Battle for the Democratic Nod
Race and gender are this week's central flash-points in the race for the Democratic nomination. Here are some data from the latest Washington Post-ABC News poll to add to the mix.
Clinton's advantages in national polling, which basically evaporated in the new poll, relied on overwhelming support among women. Now, a week and a half before the South Carolina primary, the new poll finds a gap emerging between white women and black women. It's a divide that may prove critical: African Americans made up nearly half of the Palmetto state's Democratic primary voters in 2004; black women made up 29 percent.
A month ago both white and black women favored Clinton by wide margins, but there's been a big shift. While white women continue to favor Clinton (though by a diminished margin), black women have jumped to Obama, now preferring the Illinois senator by 24 percentage points.
Notably, the change is not a broad indictment of Clinton, but an improved outlook on Obama. Ninety percent of black women view Clinton favorably, the same as for Obama. But some of the shine is off: 57 percent have "strongly" positive views about Clinton, down from 72 percent in early November.
Black women's greater support for Obama may also hinge on an enthusiasm gap. While black women and white women are about equally likely to say they are more enthusiastic about Clinton's candidacy because of the historic possibility it offers (her being first female president), black women are twice as likely as white women to be so inspired by Obama's shot at being the nation's first African American president....
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/behind-the-numbers/2008/01/race_sex_and_the_battle_for_th_1.html