Poll: Obama's effect on race relations disappoints
Since the 2008 election, fewer people in the U.S. now say that Barack Obama's presidency is one of the most important advances for blacks, according to a Gallup poll released Thursday.
The poll found that only about a third of respondents, 32 percent, said that Mr. Obama's presidency is one of the most important advances for the black community, which is down from the 71 percent who said the same immediately after his election.
Among blacks, 71 percent in October 2009 considered Mr. Obama's election as one of the most important advances for their community and 51 percent believe that's the case today.
Forty-six percent of people in the U.S. said that race relations have worsened during Mr. Obama's presidency and 29 percent said that they've improved. In November 2008, 70 percent expected race relations to improve and 10 percent said they would worsen.
The latest survey found that a third of people said the president's policies haven't gone far enough to help blacks, which is up from 8 percent who said the same after his election and 18 percent during his first year in office.
The poll surveyed 3,270 adults between June 7 and July 1 with a 3 percentage point margin of error.