Poll: African-Americans lack confidence in Bush

From CNN Polling Director Keating Holland

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- African-Americans contend that George W. Bush stole the election from Al Gore in part because they don't believe blacks' votes in Florida were counted fairly, and attempts by Bush since the election to mend fences with the black community have not worked so far, according to the latest CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll.

Only about one in five blacks say that Bush will work hard to represent their views. Six in 10 say Bush's actions over the past week -- which include naming blacks as secretary of state and national security adviser -- have lowered their confidence in the Bush administration. Powell is popular among blacks, but his favorable rating is lower among them than among whites.

Three-quarters of African-Americans say the way votes are cast and counted in the country is discriminatory -- although they see no discrimination in the voting system in the community where they live -- and two-thirds feel cheated by the outcome of the presidential election this year.

Nonetheless, most blacks do not feel angry or bitter about the result of the election and most are willing to accept Bush as the legitimately elected president. That does not, however, translate into support for Bush among African-Americans. Only one in seven consider themselves Bush supporters, and only 18 percent have a favorable opinion of the president-elect (down from 38 percent just after the GOP convention in August).

African-Americans accept the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in the Florida recount but disagree with it. More importantly, unlike whites, African-Americans believe that Gore would have won Florida if the high court had allowed the recount to continue -- probably the principal reason they feel cheated and believe Bush stole the election. As a result, their confidence in the Supreme Court is extremely low, and they have an unfavorable view of Clarence Thomas, who was part of the majority on the court that ended the recount -- and the election.

The poll consisted of interviews with 1,011 adult Americans, including a special oversample of 297 African-Americans and was conducted December 15-17, 2000. It has a margin of error of 7 percentage points.

CNN/USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL
December 15-17

Which comes closest to your view of the way George W. Bush won the election -- he won fair and square, he won, but only on a technicality, or he stole the election?

                          African-

                 Whites  Americans


Fair and square     54%       7%

On a technicality   31       39

Stole the election  14       50

Sampling error: +/-7% pts

Do you feel cheated by the outcome of the election?

                        African-

               Whites  Americans


Yes             28%      68%

No              72       29

Sampling error: +/-7% pts

Asked of African-Americans only: Do each of the following describe or not describe your reaction to the fact that George W. Bush has been declared the winner of the presidency?

               Yes      No


Cheated        68%      29%

Bitter         37       62

Angry          36       62

Sampling error: +/-7% pts

Were the votes of African-Americans in Florida less likely to be counted fairly?

                        African-

               Whites  Americans


Yes              30%     68%

No               58      24

Sampling error: +/-7% pts

Who would have won if the Florida recount had continued?

                          African-

                 Whites  Americans


Bush            50%       14%

Gore            42        81

Sampling error: +/-7% pts

Now that George W. Bush has been declared the winner and will be inaugurated next January, will you accept him as the legitimate president, or not?

Whites             86%

African-Americans  58

Sampling error: +/-7% pts

Do you consider yourself to be a supporter of George W. Bush?

                        African-

               Whites  Americans


Yes              55%      13%

No               44       84

Sampling error: +/-7% pts

Have George W. Bush's statements and actions over the last week made you more confident or less confident in his ability to serve as president?

                         African-

                Whites  Americans


More confident   59%      18%

Less confident   23       60

Sampling error: +/-7% pts

Will President-elect Bush work hard to represent African-Americans?

                        African-

               Whites  Americans


Yes              67%      22%

No               28       70

Sampling error: +/-7% pts

Asked of African-Americans only: Will President-elect George W. Bush work hard to represent African-Americans?

             Now    August


Yes           22%     37%

No            70      54

Sampling error: +/-7% pts

Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of Colin Powell?

                        African-

               Whites  Americans


Favorable        87%      68%

Unfavorable       4       18

Sampling error: +/-7% pts

Asked of African-Americans only: Is there discrimination in the voting system in the country, and/or in your community?

                Yes     No


The country      76%    20%

Your community   34     61

Sampling error: +/-7% pts

Does the American voting system discriminate against some people?

                        African-

               Whites  Americans


Yes              39%      76%

No               57       20

Sampling error: +/-7% pts

Does the voting system in your community discriminate?

                        African-

               Whites  Americans


Yes              11%      34%

No               87       61

Sampling error: +/-7% pts

Do you have a high level of confidence in the U.S. Supreme Court?

                          African-

                 Whites  Americans


Yes              54%      25%

No               43       69

Sampling error: +/-7% pts

Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas?

                        African-

               Whites  Americans

Favorable        49%      35%

Unfavorable      30       52

Sampling error: +/-7% pts

Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of George W. Bush?

                        African-

               Whites  Americans


Favorable       63%       18%

Unfavorable     33        71

Sampling error: +/-7% pts

Asked of African-Americans: Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of George W. Bush?

             Now    August


Favorable    18%     38%

Unfavorable  71      46

Sampling error: +/-7% pts

CNN/USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL
December 15-17

Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of Jesse Jackson?

                        African-

               Whites  Americans


Favorable        40%      92%

Unfavorable      54        6

Sampling error: +/-7% pts