A new Newsweek poll out this weekend shows Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama may face serious obstacles in the upcoming general election.
Many Americans aren't even sure of Obama's religion.
Asked to identify his religion, 58 percent of respondents correctly said Obama was a Christian. But a surprising 11 percent said he was a Muslim. And 22 percent said they did not know what his religion was.
Almost one-fifth of white Democratic voters polled also said they had an unfavorable opinion of Obama because of his name.
Apparently, such bias is having an effect on Obama's chances to secure the presidency. Though the Democrats seemingly
have significant landscape advantages this year with Bush's approval ratings in the tank and a weakening economy,
Obama ties McCain in the poll, 46 percent to 46 percent.
Obama's woes are more apparent when voters are asked to give their party identification. More than half, 53 percent, say they are Democrats with 38 percent saying Republican.
But the poll data has a silver lining for Obama. Some 70 percent of voters says the country is ready for a black man to serve as president, up from just 37 percent in the 2000 election.
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