The new numbers are a stark contrast to the hope that accompanied Obama's election. The day after Obama won the presidency in November 2008, Gallup found that 70 percent of Americans predicted race relations would improve with Obama as president.
In the new poll, even those who say Obama's time in the White House has improved race relations do not characterize the change as dramatic. Just seven percent say race relations have "gotten a lot better," while 28 percent say they have "gotten a little better."
Breaking the results down by race, 48 percent of black Americans say race relations have improved under Obama, while 27 percent say they have not changed and 24 percent say they've gotten worse. Among whites, 31 percent say race relations have improved, versus 45 percent who say they haven't changed and 22 percent who say they have gotten worse. By a small margin, then, a higher percentage of blacks than whites say race relations have gotten worse under Obama.
Democrats are more likely to say race relations have improved under Obama, while Republicans are more likely to say they've gotten worse. Among independents, 34 percent say race relations have gotten better, while 40 percent say they are unchanged and 25 percent say they've gotten worse -- almost precisely the same as Gallup's overall national figures.
The poll was conducted August 4-7 in preparation for the dedication of the new Martin Luther King, Jr. memorial in Washington.
Two of there three are really big Jack Asses, the other one is on the right!
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