Southern U. Weighs Prospect of First Black U.S. President

“Will he or won’t he?” After so many months of asking that question, Obama-watchers at Southern University are now asking “Can he or can’t he?” … win the Presidency, or at least his party’s nomination.

In a report on Black College Wire, Kim Butler, a student at Southern University who writes for the Southern Digest, interviewed students and faculty about Illinois Senator’s chances – especially against Hillary Clinton.

On the whole, most people interviewed concluded that Obama’s relatively short time in high-level politics was an asset.

"If anything, his inexperience is an advantage because he has had less time for corruption," said Niiobli Armah, president of Southern University's Student Government Association.

Excitement over Obama as a “fresh face” in politics is consistent with the findings of a 2006 study by the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE).

While voters’ weariness with a culture of corruption certainly contributed to last November’s increased turnout and party seachange, the CIRCLE found that a lack of confidence in government was pronounced among youth voters and particularly among young African Americans.

Fifty-four percent of African American youth surveyed responded that government is “almost always wasteful and inefficient,” which was up 20 points from a similar survey conducted in 2002. This attitude was high among all youth voters surveyed, but highest among African Americans. (Report in PDF here.)

For more, see Butler’s “Southern U. Weighs Prospect of First Black U.S. President”.