Posted on 06/17/2010 2:31:00 PM PDT by Tabi Katz
FEED Obama, Struggling on Homefront, Still a Global Pop Star, Poll Finds 6 hours ago 107 Comments
Say Something » Print Text Size EmailMore Tom Diemer Editor Author Bio » Contact Author » Subscribe :At home it's all about oil spill, a staggering deficit, high unemployment and the blood and treasure pouring into two wars. But in most parts of the world, American President Barack Obama remains highly popular, an international pop star leading a country that is more warmly received in most quarters than it was under his predecessor, George W. Bush.
Yet the favorable findings in an extensive Pew Research Center survey do not extend to the Muslim world, and approval of Obama elsewhere does not necessarily equate to approval of his policies. In Egypt, America's favorability rating slipped from 27 percent to 17 percent, compared to 2009, while in Turkey, a key U.S. ally, confidence in Obama dropped 10 points to 23 percent. In many Muslim nations, the United States is still seen as a military threat.
Beyond Muslim countries, Obama get mixed marks on foreign policy, as many of those sampled still think the U.S. moves unilaterally in world affairs, according to the Pew Global Attitudes Project, which polled more than 24,000 people in 22 nations between April 7 and May 8. (From country to country, the margin of error ranged from 2.5 to 5 points, plus or minus.) About as many approve as disapprove of his handling of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the tense situation in Iran.
But Pew noted that "in a striking difference from the Bush years, these policy disagreements have not significantly dented the U.S. image. The U.S. favorability rating in Western Europe is overwhelmingly positive, and confidence in Obama to do the right thing remains high." This is especially true in Germany, Pew said, where 90 percent trust Obama, and in France (87 percent) and Great Britain (84 percent). In the United States, 65 percent of those surveyed said they thought Obama would do the right thing in world affairs.
"In most countries, especially in wealthier nations, President Barack Obama gets an enthusiastic thumbs-up for the way he has handled the world economic crisis," a summary of the findings said. "The notable exception is the United States itself, where as many disapprove of their president's approach to the global recession as approve." With unemployment at 9.7 percent, the oil still spilling into Gulf Coast waters and a constant battering from conservative talk show hosts and bloggers, Obama's troubles at home have grown. Groups, like the Tea Party movement, work actively to elect candidates opposed to his policies.
In late March, a CNN/Opinion Research poll gave Obama a 46 percent approval rating on job performance and found a majority disapproved of his handling of five of seven domestic issues, including the economy. And yet, the same survey found 70 percent of Americans liked him -- that is, approved of him on a personal level. Pew put his approval rating in the United States at 47 percent -- down from 64 percent the month after he took office in 2009. Just prior to the White House announcement that BP had agreed to set up a $20 billion relief fund, a USA/Today Gallup Poll found that 71 percent of Americans did not think the president had been tough enough on the giant oil company responsible for the disastrous spill.
From the outset of his administration, Obama seemed intent on improving America's image abroad and using his personal charisma and platform as the first African-American president to charm foreign audiences. In his first year in office, he traveled extensively, taking seven international trips to 16 foreign countries. This year the schedule slowed down. Other than a surprise visit to Afghanistan in March and a trip to the Czech Republic in April to sign a new arms agreement with Russia, Obama has stayed home to wrestle with domestic issues. Twice, the White House postponed planned trips to Indonesia and Australia, the first time to focus on health care reform; the second time because of the spill.
But a positive impression abroad lingers. The United States is viewed favorably by 73 percent of the French, compared with 42 percent feeling positive in 2008 -- Bush's last year in office. In China, 58 percent have a favorable view, compared with 41 percent in 2008. America is off the charts in African nations, like Kenya -- Obama's father's birthplace -- and Nigeria, at 94 percent and 81 percent, respectively. Most of those nations also generally support America's anti-terror efforts, though the numbers narrow when it comes to keeping troops in Afghanistan.
But it is a different story in Muslim countries. In Pakistan and Egypt, only 17 percent of the public hold America in a good light, down a little from 2008. In Jordan, Israel's Arab neighbor, only 21 percent see the United States positively. And just 11 percent in Turkey, a NATO country, want the United States to stay in Afghanistan.
America's image also took a hit in Mexico after passage of a state law in Arizona giving the police the right to check the immigration status of individuals they deem suspicious. The country's favorability rating tumbled to 44 percent from 62 percent before enactment of the law.
Significantly, given the 2009 worldwide recession, less than half the population was satisfied with the direction of their respective countries -- that finding included only 30 percent in the United States.
WGAS!
FUBO!!
I thought France and, lately, Britain, were down on the bamster. This after scattering rose petals in the anointed one’s path.
Agreed.
Make him an offer he cannot refuse. . .
Europe will be looking for a marxist mosselim dictator in the near future - they can have ours!! Please!!!!
I do not believe this at all, I think the world has been awakened to the fact that Obama is nothing more than a democrat repugnant pig...
Of course they think that! They don’t freaking have to live here!
He will be a laughingstock worldwide by the time he leaves office in January, 2013. He has already achieved that status here.
Fawning masses, a party every night, golf every day, cocaine, weed, all the waffles, arugula and Wagu beef the b@stard can choke down....never mind, he already has that.
His plan is to rule the world so world oppinion is all he cares about. If I remember correctly there’s “another” who’s plan is to rule the world and he, too, will have high worldly poll numbers. Are they one and the same?
My tin foil is getting so wrinkled I’m starting to believe everything. Such as BP planned this whole thing in order to give islamabama more power. Will he be given credit for “saving” the world when “he” stops the oil flow?
Hey 0bama, so what if they hate you in America. They still love you in Pango Pango.
Of course Europe loves the way Obama handled the economic crisis. He bailed out the European banks thru TARP and AIG.
“He will be a laughingstock worldwide by the time he leaves office in January, 2013.”
Our enemies are already laughing. If the Islamists still have doubts, he’ll just pander a little more and bow a little lower. He’ll win them over. Destruction of this country and culture is what they want; they could hope for no better friend in the White House.
As for those nations that are singing his praises according to this poll, notice the first one mentioned: Germany. Nothing against the German people today, but I seem to recall another leader of whom their grandparents were also enamored. France? No surpise there. I’m sure Poland and the Czech Republic are not too happy with the knives he’s stuck in their back. Not to mention our one and only ally in the MIddle East.
Media a—holes can’t find any support for their Messiah here so they go to other countries where it don’t mean s—t. They need to ask the Brits what they think of him now. I don’t think they are too happy with him.
I’m sure the Third World see nothing wrong with him-at it’s a bonus that he’s dismantling us and bringing us down to their level-a lot easier than them improving their own sorry asses.
When Liz Taylor was in her 40s, fat alcoholic and living in DC married to Sen. Warner, a woman the same age said “My whole life, I wanted to look like Elizabeth Taylor, and now I do”
The woman didn’t become beautiful, Liz just got ugly. Hey, six of one....
So seeing us get led to the dumpster by a “man of color” is popcorn time for much of the world—that’s how folks like that think-when they think.
Can we rent him out to Europe and the Middle East for a handful of trillions.
And there is 'Lady Michelle'. Yes, it is all too much. Perhaps if Obama were offered an African country, as a gift. . .they do these things. It might work. Of course, the ultimate is the 'power trip'; but we know Obama is not really the 'man in charge' so perhaps, a small country. . .It might work./lol/sigh. . .
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