Chart of the Day
| Fri Jul. 24, 2009 9:19 AM PDT
Here's a fairly astonishing survey from the Pew Global Attitudes folks. When they polled various countries on their general favorability toward the U.S., attitudes were improved since Barack Obama's election, but for the most part not improved dramatically. European countries were generally far more favorable toward the U.S. compared to last year, but most of the rest of the world was only moderately more favorable.
But they also asked if respondents were confident that the U.S. would "do the right thing," and the results there were stunning. With the sole exception of Israel, every single country registered an increase in confidence toward the U.S. A few of the increases were moderate (Pakistan, Lebanon), but most of them were stratospheric (Egypt, Spain, Canada, Japan, Brazil).
Time will certainly erode this goodwill. That's just the nature of these things. But for now, the rest of the world has a spectacularly improved view of how they expect the United States to act on the world stage. As Dan Drezner says, this is a hard measure of Obama's — and America's — newfound soft power.
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Comments
It Is A Pity
Submitted by bob h (not verified) on Fri Jul. 24, 2009 9:34 AM PDT.
that we cannot get these people to vote on things like our healthcare reforms, instead of our home-grown knuckleheads.
WTF does do the right thing
Submitted by James2 (not verified) on Fri Jul. 24, 2009 11:00 AM PDT.
WTF does do the right thing mean? Maybe they all think we're going to watch that Spike Lee joint? What a worthless poll.
Bloody furiners
Submitted by SRW1 (not verified) on Fri Jul. 24, 2009 11:02 AM PDT.
With the sole exception of Israel, every single country registered an increase in confidence toward the U.S.
What, didn't Liz Cheney clearly say that Obama is going abroad and not standing up for America.
I'm pretty sure "doing the
Submitted by MacGruber on Fri Jul. 24, 2009 11:26 AM PDT.
I'm pretty sure "doing the right thing" in the Middle East means one thing to a Palestinian and a totally different thing to an Israeli.
I echo James2's sentiment: what a crock.
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'But they also asked if
Submitted by Mike (not verified) on Fri Jul. 24, 2009 11:28 AM PDT.
'But they also asked if respondents were confident that the U.S. would "do the right thing,"...'
They asked something different: Whether 'U.S. President Barack Obama [George Bush] would do the right thing...'
That makes the result much less stunning
Isn't it striking that there was a 51 point increase in South Korea? For a country that very much relies on the existence of the U.S. for its own self-defense to distrust the "tough on foreign policy" Bush that much less than Obama ought to disabuse the notion that Obama is somehow weak on foreign policy.
Clearly if the rest of the
Submitted by thersites on Fri Jul. 24, 2009 11:54 AM PDT.
Clearly if the rest of the world, which is full of socialists and minorities, approves, Obama is doing something seriously wrong.
(Note -- just to be clear: since the majority of the world's population is non-caucasian, I am using the word "minorities" in a facetious manner.)
Does this mean I no longer
Submitted by alex (not verified) on Fri Jul. 24, 2009 12:02 PM PDT.
Does this mean I no longer have to put those ugly Canadian flag stickers on my luggage when I travel internationally?
Bush was unique in the
Submitted by Luther on Fri Jul. 24, 2009 2:05 PM PDT.
Bush was unique in the history of Amercan aggression.
a betrayer rather than a disappointment
Submitted by tpx on Fri Jul. 24, 2009 3:43 PM PDT.
The goodwill developed through the promises of hope and change will dissipate quickly as deeds that are counter to expectations continue to be perpetrated by the Obama regime. Obama's campaign promises set high expectations for foreign policies that he had no intention of fulfilling. People will soon consider Obama a betrayer rather than a disappointment.
"this is a hard measure of
Submitted by Trashhauler (not verified) on Fri Jul. 24, 2009 4:21 PM PDT.
"this is a hard measure of Obama's — and America's — newfound soft power."
How can it be a hard measure of anything? What is the mechanism by which we can use an additional, say, 15 points of greater favor? It's not that kind of measure, you say? Okay, then you just meant "hard measure" as a rhetorical device meaning good.
The President's overseas popularity should remain high, until he does something. Then it will fall, as has that of every American President.
Really, maybe Obama should
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri Jul. 24, 2009 9:53 PM PDT.
Really, maybe Obama should use that new found soft power to get North Korea to stop threatening to fire missiles at Hawaii.
Its not which idiots in the street will say they like you, its what countries will actually send resources on your behalf.
Really, maybe Obama should
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri Jul. 24, 2009 9:53 PM PDT.
Really, maybe Obama should use that new found soft power to get North Korea to stop threatening to fire missiles at Hawaii.
Its not which idiots in the street will say they like you, its what countries will actually send resources on your behalf.
You missed the obvious
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat Jul. 25, 2009 6:52 PM PDT.
You missed the obvious point. 69% of Jordanians oppose Obama!
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