Skin colour not the reason for Obama’s approval rating dropping among whites

NEW YORK - An ABC News/Washington Post poll has said that President Barack Obama’s job approval rating, though 53 percent overall, has slipped to just 44 percent among whites surveyed.

Andy Kohut, president of the Pew Research Center, which put out similar approval ratings, said their research shows Obama’s dip in approval among whites has nothing to do with the color of his skin.

“Obama is not being judged through the prism of race by white voters,” Kohut told ABCNews.com.

“It’s because, ‘Hey, I don’t like what he’s doing.’”

Despite slipping poll numbers among whites, surveys find that a relatively low percentages of voters of any race believe Obama is favoring a black agenda.

According to the recent Pew Research Center poll, 13 percent of whites and Hispanics and 1 percent of blacks said they believe he’s paying too much attention to the concerns of the black community.

Simply holding the highest office in the nation is what’s largely buoying Obama’s staggeringly high ratings among blacks — 96 percent for job approval, 92 percent for favorability, according to the ABC News/Washington Post poll-even as the community is disproportionately affected by a lack of health care insurance, foreclosure and job loss.

Sharpton called Obama’s sky-high poll numbers among blacks the result of “natural pride.” Kohut called it unprecedented loyalty.

“We’re willing to give him more time,” Sharpton said. “I think that what he’s done is said to the black community is that he will help them as he helps America. He’s made a point not to single out blacks.”

Many in the black community largely saw Obama’s 2008 election as the biggest civil rights victory in U.S. history. It was a moment of immense pride, not just for blacks, but for voters who participated in a such a defining moment.

Torie Clarke, former Bush administration spokeswoman, told ABCNews.com. “People who have real issues and real problems very quickly don’t care” about skin color.

Clarke charged that the politicians and pundits who make statements that are obviously inflammatory are doing so in hopes of getting a reaction.

Geraldine Ferraro, who made history in 1984 as the first major-party female vice-presidential candidate, attributed the Democratic losses in Massachusetts, New Jersey and Virgnia, not to a dissatisfaction with Obama or a loss of faith among white voters, but because Obama’s victory was in large part fuelled by the chance to make history.

Whether Obama would be able to please both the white and black communities has been continuous fodder for his opponents from the moment he emerged as a viable presidential candidate.

Though color of Obama’s skin will always be perhaps his most distinguishing physical characteristic, black leaders say hope conservatives will eventually concede the seemingly unending need to call attention to the divide between blacks and whites. (ANI)