Hackney: Poll says America isn't ready for a gay president like Buttigieg. Who cares? It’s an interesting if puzzling dichotomy — voters who say they would not penalize Buttigieg for being gay, but are fearful others would.

Suzette Hackney | IndyStar

Show Caption Hide Caption Pete Buttigieg speaks at NAACP event in Indianapolis Democratic presidential candidate South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg spoke at an Indianapolis NAACP event on Oct. 4, 2019.

Is America ready to elect its first openly gay president? I hate that I just started a column with a question, and I hate that the question has to be asked.

Yet as South Bend Mayor and presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg's campaign continues to build momentum, particularly after the last Democratic debate, his electability is being carefully examined. Buttgieg, 37, is the first openly gay Democrat to run for president. And for some Americans, his sexuality could become an issue.

According to a Politico/Morning Consult poll published Wednesday, half of U.S. voters say they are personally ready for a gay president, but they are divided on whether they think the country is ready. Fifty percent of respondents say they are either “definitely” or “probably” ready for a president who is openly gay, compared with 37 percent who say they are definitely or probably not ready.

But only 40% — four in 10 voters polled — say they think America is ready for a gay president; 45% do not believe so. The poll was conducted Oct. 25-28.

Similarly, a Quinnipiac University poll released in early May, showed that 70% of voters said they were open to electing a gay commander in chief, though only 36% thought the country was ready.

In essence, these voters are saying: ‘Yes, I’m progressive. Yes, I’m open-minded. Yes, I denounce homophobia and bigotry. But my neighbors Becky, Jack and Billy are not and do not.’

Can we trust the polls? Or the voters?

It’s an interesting if puzzling dichotomy — voters who claim they would not penalize Buttigieg for being gay, but are fearful others would.

I call bologna.

I want to believe these folks, really I do. But I think it’s easier to point the finger at a fellow countryman than to acknowledge that one may have bigoted or prejudiced feelings about Buttigieg. Because who wants to admit to homophobia?

People tell pollsters what they think sounds good, and more so what they think makes them sound good. How many Americans flat-out lied about supporting Donald Trump's candidacy for president in 2016? No one wanted to publicly declare it, but behind the privacy of an election booth Trump was their guy.

Democrats, desperate for an electable nominee, are likely squeamish about these tolerance indicators. On one hand, it would easy to ignore polls of this sort because they are so unreliable these days. But it would be a fool's errand to dismiss them and the sentiments of potential voters — even if the numbers aren't precise.

So, can Buttigieg become the country's first openly gay president?

Echoes of Barack Obama's campaign

During Barack Obama’s first presidential campaign, we were barraged with a similar question: Is America ready for its first black president? More directly, will white people vote for an African American man?

Remember all the think pieces? The constant punditry by cable news commentators? It took Obama’s victory in the Iowa caucuses, with its heavily white electorate, to convince Democratic voters around the country that a black candidate could win.

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And it turns out, America did elect the nation’s first black president. That doesn’t necessarily mean America was ready to elect Obama, and some argue the current occupant of the Oval Office is evidence of that.

This country has struggled with race and homosexuality — no, I’m not comparing the two — for generations. But America is also experiencing an evolving view of homosexuality and acceptance of LGBTQ individuals, particularly in the last decade.

A focus group of black voters in South Carolina and commissioned in mid-July by Buttigieg's campaign, found that his sexual orientation could be part of the reason Buttigieg isn't gaining ground among African Americans.

What criteria should voters consider in choosing a President?

Still, it comes down to another question in my estimation: Is a president’s personal life or sexual orientation aligned with his ability to do the job? Absolutely not.

And let’s not lose sight of Buttigieg’s pedigree. This man is a Rhodes Scholar and Ivy League graduate. He’s a war veteran who served in Afghanistan. Buttigieg has the money to stay in the race for the long haul, and voters are taking notice of his proposals.

In a crowded field, Democrats would be smart to suss out the real issues with each candidate.

After all, there can be arguments made that some of the Democratic candidates are too old. Some could certainly debate — given past voter behavior — whether the field of candidates is too, um, female. (Shout out to Hillary Clinton!) My point is this: Buttigieg, like all candidates, must pass the most important test of all, the political test. If he is to win the Democratic nomination and a shot at the White House, he needs people to believe in his proposals and his ability to get the job done.

Should voters reject Buttigieg or that potential because he is gay? Of course not. But I have no doubt that there are some who will.

Pete Buttigieg: What we know about the South Bend mayor and his presidential run Pete Buttigieg, a two-term mayor of South Bend, Indiana, is now running for president at the age of 37. Here's what we know about the man and his campaign.

Email IndyStar columnist Suzette Hackney at suzette.hackney@indystar.com. Friend her on Facebook at Suzette Hackney and follow her on Twitter: @suzyscribe.