CBSNEWS/NEWYORKTIMESPOLLForrelease:Thursday,July23rd,2015

6:30pmEDT

CBS NEWS/NEW YORK TIMES POLLThe State of Race Relations in the U.S. July 14-19, 2015 Q1. Do you feel things in this country are generally going in the right direction or do you feel things have pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track?

TOTAL RESPONDENTS Total White Black May15c % % % %

Right direction 27 24 37 33 Wrong track 66 71 54 63 Don't know/No answer 7 5 9 5 Q2. Which comes closer to your view? In today's economy, (everyone has a fair chance to get ahead in the long run) or in today's economy, (it's mainly just a few people at the top who have a chance to get ahead)? Everyone has a fair chance to get ahead 38 37 39 35 Just a few people at top get ahead 58 59 59 61 Don't know/No answer 5 5 3 4 Q3. Do you think race relations in the United States are generally good or generally bad?

Apr15d Generally good 37 37 28 34 Generally bad 57 56 68 61 Don't know/No answer 6 6 4 5 Q4. Do you think race relations in the United States are getting better, getting worse or staying about the same? Getting better 21 21 18 17 Getting worse 38 40 40 44 Staying the same 39 38 40 37 Don't know/No answer 1 1 2 2 Q5. Do you think race relations in your community are generally good or generally bad?

Feb15d Generally good 77 79 67 79 Generally bad 20 17 29 16

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Don't know/No answer 3 4 4 5 Q6. In general, who do you think has a better chance of getting ahead in todays society (white people), (black people), or do white people and black people have about an equal chance of getting ahead?

TOTAL RESPONDENTS Total White Black Jun14c2 % % % %

White people 39 35 60 30 Black people 5 7 1 5 Equal 51 55 35 61 Don't know/No answer 4 4 3 4 Q18. In order to make up for past discrimination, do you favor or oppose programs which make special efforts to help minorities get ahead?

Mar11a Favor 58 51 83 51 Oppose 35 41 14 40 Don't know/No answer 8 8 4 10 Q7. Some people say that since the 1960s there has been a lot of real progress in getting rid of racial discrimination against blacks. Others say that there hasnt been much real progress for blacks over that time. Which do you agree with more? Would you say theres been a lot of real progress getting rid of racial discrimination or hasnt there been much real progress?

Feb15d Been a lot of real progress 71 75 56 76 Hasn't been much real progress 24 21 41 20 Don't know/No answer 5 5 3 4 Q8. How important is improving race relations to the future of the U.S. --is it the single most important issue, or is it important but so are other issues, or is it not important to the future of the U.S.? The single most important issue 10 6 20 Important, but so are other issues 82 85 74 Not important to the future of the U.S 7 7 4 Don't know/No answer 2 2 1 Q9. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling race relations? Approve 46 40 72 Disapprove 44 50 20 Don't know/No answer 10 10 8

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Q10. Regardless of how you usually vote, do you think the (Republican Party) or the (Democratic Party) is more likely to improve race relations in this country?

TOTAL RESPONDENTS Total White Black Feb00a % % % %

Republican Party 23 29 10 21 Democratic Party 44 40 65 49 Both (Vol.) 3 3 2 3 Neither (Vol.) 15 15 15 11 Don't know/No answer 14 13 8 16 Q11. Do you think most people you know would vote for a presidential candidate who is black, or not?

REG Jul08a

Would 62 64 64 70 Would not 25 24 28 18 Don't know/No answer 12 12 8 12 Q12. Would you personally vote for a presidential candidate who is black, or not?

REG Jul08a

Would 82 85 77 92 Would not 10 8 15 4 Don't know/No answer 8 6 9 4 Q13. In general, who do you think is more likely to encounter problems when trying to vote (white people), (black people), or isnt there much difference?

Feb15d White people 3 3 2 3 Black people 27 24 50 27 No difference 67 71 47 67 Don't know/No answer 3 3 1 3 Q14. In recent years, some state legislatures and officials have shortened the voting hours and times available for people to vote early or absentee. From what you may have heard, do you think such efforts are (mainly an attempt to save money for states with budget problems), or (mainly an attempt to make it harder for minority and lower income groups to vote), or haven't you heard enough about this yet to say? To save money 18 19 11 To make it harder for minorities to vote 22 20 46 Haven't heard enough to say 54 53 40 Both (Vol.) 1 1 *

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Neither (Vol.) 3 3 * Don't know/No answer 3 4 2 Q15. In general, do you think the policies of the Obama Administration favor (whites over blacks), favor (blacks over whites), or do they treat both groups the same?

TOTAL RESPONDENTS Total White Black Apr10a % % % %

Favor whites over blacks 4 3 7 2 Favor blacks over white 22 27 2 11 Treat both the same 67 62 85 83 Don't know/No answer 7 8 5 4 Q16. Has Barack Obamas presidency (brought blacks and whites closer together), has it (pushed blacks and whites further apart), or hasn't it had much effect one way or the other? Closer together 15 11 30 Further apart 34 41 15 No effect 47 45 50 Don't know/No answer 4 3 5 Q17. In general, do you think most Americans have judged Barack Obama more harshly because he's black, less harshly because he's black, or has his being black not affected how most Americans have judged Barack Obama ? More harshly 45 37 80 Less harshly 9 10 4 Not affected 42 48 14 Don't know/No answer 4 5 3 Q19. In general, do you think the criminal justice system in the United States is biased in favor of blacks, or is it biased against blacks, or does it generally give blacks fair treatment?

Aug13a Biased in favor of blacks 5 5 1 5 Biased against blacks 49 44 77 35 Treat fairly 40 46 17 43 Don't know/No answer 6 6 5 17 Q20. In general, do you think the criminal justice system in the United States is biased in favor of whites, or is it biased against whites, or does it generally give whites fair treatment? Biased in favor 26 22 43 Biased against 6 7 4 Treat fairly 59 61 47 Don't know/No answer 9 10 6

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Q21. How would you describe your feelings about the police in your community? Would you say they make you feel mostly (safe) or mostly (anxious)?

TOTAL RESPONDENTS Total White Black Apr15d % % % %

Mostly safe 76 82 58 75 Mostly anxious 21 17 37 21 Don't know/No answer 3 2 5 3 Q22. In general, do you think the police in most communities are more likely to use deadly force against a (black person), or more likely to use it against a (white person), or dont you think race affects police use of deadly force? More likely against black person 41 34 74 44 More likely against white person 1 1 - 2 Race does not affect 52 58 22 46 Don't know/No answer 6 7 4 9 Q23. In the last year, do you think the number of unarmed black people killed by police has (increased), (decreased) or stayed about the same? Increased 38 31 64 Decreased 4 4 1 Stayed the same 48 54 31 Don't know/No answer 11 11 4 Q24. Have you ever felt you were stopped by the police just because of your race or ethnic background, or not?

Jul08a Yes 13 5 41 13 No 86 95 57 86 Don't know/No answer * * 2 1 Q25-Q29 Released separately Q30. How comfortable do you think most people feel when they have conversations about race with someone of another race -- very comfortable, somewhat comfortable, somewhat uncomfortable or very uncomfortable?

Aug14b %

Very comfortable 11 10 6 8 Somewhat comfortable 22 23 20 36 Somewhat uncomfortable 45 46 48 36 Very uncomfortable 17 14 23 13 Don't know/No answer 6 7 3 7

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Q31. What about you? How comfortable do you personally feel when you have a conversation about race with someone of another race -- very comfortable, somewhat comfortable, somewhat uncomfortable or very uncomfortable?

TOTAL RESPONDENTS Total White Black Aug14b % % % %

Very comfortable 47 47 50 49 Somewhat comfortable 26 28 23 31 Somewhat uncomfortable 17 18 17 13 Very uncomfortable 6 3 8 5 Don't know/No answer 3 4 2 3 Q32. Was there ever a specific instance when you felt discriminated against because of your race, or not?

Aug13a Yes 42 31 72 36 No 57 69 27 62 Don't know/No answer * * 1 2 Q33. Do you personally know any black people who are prejudiced against white people, or not? Yes 49 46 58 No 49 53 40 Don't know/No answer 1 1 2 Q34. Do you personally know any white people who are prejudiced against black people, or not? Yes 65 68 61 No 34 31 38 Don't know/No answer 1 1 1 Q35. About how many of the people you regularly come in contact with are black none, a few, about half, or almost all?

Aug14b None 4 4 - 7 A few 58 64 24 57 About half 29 27 43 24 Almost all 7 3 32 11 Don't know/No answer 1 1 1 1 Q36. About how many of the people you regularly come in contact with are white none, a few, about half, or almost all?

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None 1 * 4 A few 14 9 31 About half 37 34 48 Almost all 47 56 16 Don't know/No answer 1 1 * Q37. About how many of the people who live in the immediate area around your home are black none, a few, about half or almost all?

TOTAL RESPONDENTS Total White Black Feb15d % % % %

None 16 18 3 16 A few 58 61 33 55 About half 18 17 31 20 Almost all 7 3 32 7 Don't know/No answer * * 1 3 Q38. About how many of the people who live in the immediate area around your home are white none, a few, about half or almost all? None 3 1 11 3 A few 18 12 40 15 About half 26 24 27 31 Almost all 52 62 21 49 Don't know/No answer 1 1 1 2 Q39. Are you currently employed - either full-time or part-time or are you temporarily out of work, or are you not in the market for work at all? Currently employed 58 56 64 Temporarily out of work 10 9 12 Not in the market for work 14 15 10 Retired 18 20 14 Don't know/No answer * * * Q40. About how many of the people you work with are black none, a few, about half or almost all?

AMONG EMPLOYED Apr09b None 22 25 10 28 A few 55 56 39 46 About half 19 16 35 20 Almost all 5 3 16 4 Don't know/No answer * * * 2 Q41. About how many of the people you work with are white none, a few, about half or almost all?

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AMONG EMPLOYED

None 6 4 6 A few 14 10 22 About half 30 28 39 Almost all 51 58 32 Don't know/No answer * * * Q42. Are any of your close friends black, or not?

**** NOT BLACK **** Total White % %

Yes 69 69 No 31 30 Don't know/No answer * * Q43. Are any of your close friends white, or not?

**** NOT WHITE **** Total Black % %

Yes 76 77 No 23 23 Don't know/No answer 1 -

Unweighted Weighted Margin of error Total Respondents 1,205 3pts Whites 751 839 4pts Blacks 312 148 8pts

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