# Romney's support among African-American voters: Zero percent **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 22, 2012, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romneys-support-among-african-american-voters-zero-percent/632244 "2012-08-22T02:50:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romneys-support-among-african-american-voters-zero-percent/632244/1 "2012-08-22T02:50:18Z")
According to [the latest NBC/WSJ poll:](http://www.mediaite.com/online/romney-has-zero-percent-support-from-african-americans-in-new-nbcwsj-poll/) > [@](#): > > A new NBC/WSJ poll out Tuesday shows President Barack Obama with a four-point lead over presumptive GOP nominee Mitt Romney. But as is often the case with polls, some of the more interesting numbers were in the details. For example? Romney snagged zero percent of African-American voters. > > Among key demographics, the poll noted that Obama had a lead over Romney. The most stark being when it came to African Americans: 94 percent to 0 percent. [Via NBC](http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/21/13399788-nbcwsj-poll-heading-into-conventions-obama-has-four-point-lead): > > > [@](#): > > > > Looking inside the numbers, Obama continues to lead Romney among key parts of his political base, including African Americans (94 percent to 0 percent), Latinos (by a 2-to-1 margin), voters under 35-years-old (52 percent to 41 percent) and women (51 percent to 41 percent). > > \ > > Romney, meanwhile, is ahead with whites (53 percent to 40 percent), rural voters (47 percent to 38 percent) and seniors (49 percent to 41 percent). In a sample of 12 swing states, Obama had a three-point lead, “a narrower edge in these battlegrounds than the eight-point lead the president enjoyed in the June and July NBC/WSJ polls.” ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romneys-support-among-african-american-voters-zero-percent/632244/2 "2012-08-22T03:46:34Z")
This brings me perverse joy. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romneys-support-among-african-american-voters-zero-percent/632244/3 "2012-08-22T03:47:11Z")
Well, I assume the poster known as **OMG a black conservative** will vote Romney, probably. And Clarence Thomas. So that’s two. ---
**Author:** ![Victor\_Charlie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7ea924/32.png) [@Victor\_Charlie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Victor_Charlie)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romneys-support-among-african-american-voters-zero-percent/632244/4 "2012-08-22T03:59:23Z")
Anybody think Condoleeza Rice votes for Romney? ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romneys-support-among-african-american-voters-zero-percent/632244/5 "2012-08-22T04:09:52Z")
I assume they rounded up. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romneys-support-among-african-american-voters-zero-percent/632244/6 "2012-08-22T04:10:15Z")
> [@Victor\_Charlie](#): > > Anybody think Condoleeza Rice votes for Romney? I wouldn’t count on Alan Keyes or Herman Cain voting for Romney. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romneys-support-among-african-american-voters-zero-percent/632244/7 "2012-08-22T04:17:52Z")
> [@Victor\_Charlie](#): > > Anybody think Condoleeza Rice votes for Romney? Nah, I believe she’ll vote for Obama. She did last time as well, didn’t she? I thought I read that somewhere. > [@BrainGlutton](#): > > I wouldn’t count on Alan Keyes or Herman Cain voting for Romney. You’re kidding, right? Alan Keyes is the Uncle Ruckus of American politics, not to mention a Birther. He wouldn’t vote for Obama, or any black man, if you paid him. And Cain seems to feel he has something to prove to white folks, in addition to being embarrassingly clueless, so yeah, I see him enthusiastically voting for Romney. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romneys-support-among-african-american-voters-zero-percent/632244/8 "2012-08-22T04:19:17Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > You’re kidding, right? Well, yes. Humorous hyperbole. (Besides, any mention of Herman Cain is _ipso facto_ funny. Which can’t be said of Keyes, more’s the pity.) ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romneys-support-among-african-american-voters-zero-percent/632244/9 "2012-08-22T04:24:45Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > **Romney’s support among African-American voters: Zero percent** Hence the oh-so-urgent need to get the voter [del]suppression[/del] ID laws in place before the November election. ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romneys-support-among-african-american-voters-zero-percent/632244/10 "2012-08-22T04:54:12Z")
> [@](#): > > The poll “was conducted of 1,000 registered voters (300 reached by cell phone) from Aug. 16-20, and it has an overall margin of error of plus-minus 3.1 percentage points.” He could have as much as 3.1 percent right? ---
**Author:** ![I\_Know\_Nothing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f04885/32.png) [@I\_Know\_Nothing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Know_Nothing)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romneys-support-among-african-american-voters-zero-percent/632244/11 "2012-08-22T05:00:06Z")
> [@boytyperanma](#): > > He could have as much as 3.1 percent right? Or as little as -3.1 percent. ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romneys-support-among-african-american-voters-zero-percent/632244/12 "2012-08-22T05:12:18Z")
> [@I\_Know\_Nothing](#): > > Or as little as -3.1 percent. But that would probably be better news for Romney. At least he could claim the voter ID laws are needed, people are literally stealing his votes right? ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romneys-support-among-african-american-voters-zero-percent/632244/13 "2012-08-22T05:36:15Z")
Erhm so what about the remainder of six percent? ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romneys-support-among-african-american-voters-zero-percent/632244/14 "2012-08-22T05:42:15Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Erhm so what about the remainder of six percent? Probably no preference or undecided. It’s not a very good poll and can’t really be used for anything besides making fun of Romney. A 3.1 margin of error on a poll of a thousand people shows not even the pollsters were taking it seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romneys-support-among-african-american-voters-zero-percent/632244/15 "2012-08-22T05:53:14Z")
> [@boytyperanma](#): > > A 3.1 margin of error on a poll of a thousand people shows not even the pollsters were taking it seriously. I don’t think that’s how margin of error works. I mean, they talked to those thousand people and got them to answer questions. There’s no margin of error on what they think; the pollsters know it exactly. The margin of error is how accurately those thousand represent the larger group they’re a part of. Or am I misreading you? But a ~3% margin of error seems to be as accurate as most of the political polling I’ve been seeing, so there’s no reason to say they’re not taking it seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romneys-support-among-african-american-voters-zero-percent/632244/16 "2012-08-22T05:53:48Z")
Serious statistics question: since the “real” proportion can’t be “negative 3.1 per cent,” do stats sort of “bunch up” when you get towards an end-point? In other words, does the +/- 3.1 per cent you might expect in the middle turn in to + 6 per cent/ - 0 per cent at an end-point? Or does it go the other way, to, say, + 2 per cent/ - 0 per cent? ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romneys-support-among-african-american-voters-zero-percent/632244/17 "2012-08-22T05:54:39Z")
> [@boytyperanma](#): > > a 3.1 margin of error on a poll of a thousand people shows not even the pollsters were taking it seriously. How do you mean? That’s the usual margin of error for N=1000 1/sqrt(1000)=3.1% ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romneys-support-among-african-american-voters-zero-percent/632244/18 "2012-08-22T06:05:33Z")
Of course, the margin of error for any subset of the poll would be larger. Without looking into the actual numbers, I’m going with about 14% of the respondents are black, as, IIRC, that’s their portion of the total US population. That would mean a margin of error of about 8% for that group. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romneys-support-among-african-american-voters-zero-percent/632244/19 "2012-08-22T07:52:13Z")
Here’s a fact that might enlighten an alien trying to understand American politics, given the huge tendency of Blacks to vote Democratic: Ignoring D.C. there are six states with populations more than 25% Black: Mississippi, Louisiana, South Carolina, Georgia, Maryland, Alabama. Except for Maryland, these are all strong _Republican_ strongholds. In Alabama and Louisiana, Obama got less than 40% of the 2008 vote despite the large Black populations. These are lower percentages than Gore got in 2000, despite the higher Black turnout of 2008. In case the dots are hard to connect, here’s a variation on the thread title: Obama’s support among bigots: Zero percent ---
**Author:** ![enomaj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/59ef9b/32.png) [@enomaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enomaj)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romneys-support-among-african-american-voters-zero-percent/632244/20 "2012-08-22T09:19:16Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > Nah, I believe she’ll vote for Obama. She did last time as well, didn’t she? I thought I read that somewhere. > > You’re kidding, right? Alan Keyes is the Uncle Ruckus of American politics, not to mention a Birther. He wouldn’t vote for Obama, or any black man, if you paid him. And Cain seems to feel he has something to prove to white folks, in addition to being embarrassingly clueless, so yeah, I see him enthusiastically voting for Romney. Condi endorsed Romney. I think it’s assumed that she voted for Obama because she refused to say who she was voting for in 2008. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romneys-support-among-african-american-voters-zero-percent/632244.md?page=2)