Black U.S. voters favor Clinton, Obama

WASHINGTON, Nov. 28 (UPI) -- A poll of black U.S. voters indicates the majority favor the front-running Democrats, Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama.

The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies in Washington found 83 percent of 750 blacks polled had favorable opinions of Clinton, versus 74 percent for Obama, the Chicago Tribune reported.

David Bositis, a senior analyst at the think-tank, said the poll wasn't about how blacks intended to vote, but rather their favorability to presidential candidates.

"There is Hillary Clinton and there is Barack Obama. Really none of the other candidates exist in the realm that Clinton and Obama occupy," he said.

Bostitis said one possible reason for Clinton's edge may be name recognition based on the last 15 years of being first lady and as a senator.

Another possible factor is gender-based -- 86 percent of black women named Clinton as most favorable. Bostitis point out Census Bureau data showed nearly 60 percent of all black voters were women in 2004.