Poll: 55% of Americans would vote for gay man or lesbian for president

[oberliner]

A new poll indicates that a majority of Americans would vote for a gay person for president. The Gallup survey finds that 55% of respondents would vote for a gay candidate if he or she were "generally well-qualified."

Given the wide range of backgrounds among the current field of 2008 presidential contenders, the poll asked how willing Americans would be to vote for them, and it included hypothetical candidates for good measure. The results, released earlier this week, reveal that 95% of those polled would vote for a Catholic (the religion of Republican hopeful Rudy Giuliani), 94% would vote for an African-American (Democratic contender Barack Obama), 88% would vote for a woman (Hillary Rodham Clinton), and 72% would vote for a Mormon (Mitt Romney, Republican former governor of Massachusetts).

The only category to poll below 50% was atheist.

http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid42230.asp

[MonkeyFunk]

1. I nominate Barney Frank!

or Rufus Wainwright.

[TahitiNut]

19. I'd vote for Barney Frank in a nanosecond.

Ubetcha.

[tkmorris]

2. 45% would NOT?

Almost half of the country would eliminate from consideration for president any candidate, just because they are gay. That is one of the most pathetic things I've ever heard.

Of course, as an Atheist, I am even more of a political leper, but I knew that.

[UrbScotty]

3. Hell I'm surprised 35% would - much less 55%.

This is a pleasant surpriuse for me. Not near where it should be, of course.

[Bozita]

4. Think 2000 -- Seen Jeff Gannon lately?

Perhaps 49% already did.

[Change has come]

5. . . .

:applause:

[GreenZoneLT]

6. Ah, they left out part of the question.

They actually asked if they'd vote for x if running against George Bush.

[Hardrada]

7. I wish Eleanor Roosevelt were still around!

[Bucky]

9. But more importantly, I'm glad James Buchanan isn't

[Hardrada]

13. LOL!

[Forkboy]

8. No love for the atheists in the poll

God forbid one doesn't believe in God.

[Hatalles]

10. Did the poll include Muslim candidates?

I find it hard to believe the only category under 50% would be Atheists.

[muriel_volestrangler]

16. A similar poll from December

Over the years there has been debate over whether a presidential
candidate's religion is an obstacle or an advantage to getting elected. I'm
going to read you some religious affiliations and I'd like you to tell me
whether you think that affiliation would make you more or less likely to vote
for the candidate. (RANDOMIZE LIST)
***** SUMMARY *****
                                  More   Less     (Doesn’t
                                 likely likely Net matter)
A Protestant                        26%    6   +20   64
Roman Catholic                      21%   10   +11   66
Jewish                              16%   10   + 6   70
A Member of the Christian Coalition 19%   24   - 5   47
A Mormon                             9%   32   -23   54
A Muslim                             5%   45   -40   42
An Atheist                           5%   50   -45   40
A Scientologist                      4%   53   -49   35

http://www.foxnews.com/projects/pdf/pdf1.pdf

So being a Muslim isn't quite as negative as an atheist. Still, Tom Cruise better give up any idea of running.

[cooolandrew]

11. There's the answer if Obama says he is gay he's cracked it. just kidding.

[rasputin1952]

12. Interesting...why would an individuals sexual preference have

anything to do with the job they could perform?

IMHO, that is about the last thing people should consider when choosing a candidate.

Intelligence, Common Sense, Empathy, Knowledge, a serious concern as too t he direction the nation is taking far outweigh something like sexual preference. There are straights that could drive this nation further into he ground, and there are gays that could drive this nation further into he ground; the object is to find a candidate that can lift us up out of the misery we are in now; religion of sexual preference have little to do with the equation. Character has everything to do with the equation.

[Jacobin]

14. Um, does anyone remember the tornado around Clinton?

for getting a consensual blow job from an adult?

[JackBeck]

17. Out of curiousity

DO you prefer being gay, bi or straight?

[rasputin1952]

21. I am straight, but I do not judge others by their sexual preferences...

nor do I judge people by the religious preference they hold. In fact, I treat everyone on an even keel unless they do someting to the effect of steal, harm others, rape, murder etc. I will admit to one thing that I have great difficulty dealing with, and that is anyone who would harm a child. To me, there is no excuse for harming a child.

[fla nocount]

15. Here in Fl. we would elect one for Governor.

I am so enjoying the conservative reaction to Crist's wolf in sheeps clothing act. They're in a position to go along to get along or lose the whole thing; Charlie's playing it that way too. I love the way he's been saying, in effect, "the knuckle dragging thugs in my party will probably object....BUT"

[jakem]

18. Then how did we end up with Dick and Bush?!

[JackRiddler]

20. Long as s/he accepts Jesus as a personal savior...

In the end, members of every possible national, racial, gender or sexual orientation group (other than open pedophiles) will become acceptable, but never if they don't

1) say they believe some guy-in-the-sky blessed America and answers their individual prayers

2) "pledge allegiance" to a piece of cloth stitched by Betsy Ross

3) invoke "our children" as the reason to continue imprisoning adults who put bad stuff into their own bloodstreams.