Obama The Preferred Candidate Around The World: Poll

[DeSwiss]

Obama The Preferred Candidate Around The World: Poll

The Huffington Post (AP) | ALAN FRAM | June 12, 2008 11:29 PM EST



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WASHINGTON — People around the globe widely expect the next American president to improve the country's policies toward the rest of the world, especially if Barack Obama is elected, yet they retain a persistently poor image of the U.S., according to a poll released Thursday. The survey of two dozen countries, conducted this spring by the nonpartisan Pew Research Center, also found a growing despondency over the international economy, with majorities in 18 nations calling domestic economic conditions poor. In more bad news for the U.S., people shared a widespread sense the American economy was hurting their countries, including large majorities in U.S. allies Britain, Germany, Australia, Turkey, France and Japan.

Even six in 10 Americans agreed the U.S. economy was having a negative impact abroad. Views of the U.S. improved or stayed the same as last year in 18 nations, the first positive signs the poll has found for the U.S. image worldwide this decade. Even so, many improvements were modest and the U.S. remains less popular in most countries than it was before it invaded Iraq in 2003, with majorities in only eight expressing favorable opinions.

Substantial numbers in most countries said they are closely following the U.S. presidential election, including 83 percent in Japan _ about the same proportion who said so in the U.S. Of those following the campaign, optimism that the new president will reshape American foreign policy for the better is substantial, with the largest segment of people in 14 countries _ including the U.S. _ saying so.

Andrew Kohut, president of Pew, said many seem to be hoping the U.S. role in the world will improve with the departure of President Bush, who remains profoundly unpopular almost everywhere. "People think the U.S. wants to run the world," said Kohut. "It's not more complicated than that."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/06/13/obama-the-preferred-candi_n_106887.html">MORE

- Even if they had any money, the Repukes couldn't buy a friend right now.....
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DeSwiss


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[DFW]

1. They felt the same way about Al Gore and John Kerry

Fat lot of good it did them--or us :-(

[DeSwiss]

3. Yeah well....

...they were right then too.

[DFW]

4. Exactly: THEY were right!

An Indian diplomat once said that the office of President of the USA was a
decision far too important to be left to the voters of the United States.

The past two elections have certainly proved him correct.

[FrenchieCat]

2. The French really love him....as do the Italians......

all of Western Europe in fact.

USA numbers need to be updated. OBama is in the lead! Ha! :)

[davidpdx]

5. I'm glad someone else posted this

I live in South Korea and people here are very interested in what's going on in the US. Most people here don't know a lot about Obama, but there have been some good documentaries on TV and constant coverage of the campaign on Korean TV.