Barack Obama ran for president in 2008 based in part on the promise that he would restore America’s standing in the world, and a new Gallup poll released today shows that he has done just that. Respondents in 100 countries were surveying and the United States was the most popular world power at 47%. This is a roughly 14% increase in America’s global standing since the Bush administration.
Gallup found that Obama has managed to turn the US from the power that trailed Japan, Germany, France, Russia, and even China from 2007-2008 into the most popular of the world’s global powers. US leadership is now approved of by 47% of the world and only 25% disapprove. Germany is second with a 40%/17% approval to disapproval ratio. France was third with a 39% approval rating followed by Japan (37%), the UK (35%), China (31%), and Russia (27%).
The poll also found that by nearly a 4 to 1 margin, the US is the most popular migration destination. Canada and the UK were tied for second at 7%. I can already hear conservatives snickering and saying, “Of course Obama made us popular around the world, he is always apologizing,” and then throwing in some variant of their belief that real leaders like tyrants must be despised.
Even though Republicans like Sarah Palin love to paint Obama as a globally reviled international failure, the opposite looks to be true. Obama and his administration’s policies have rebuilt America’s image aboard. The rest of the world is beginning to trust America to lead again.
Palin and her fellow Republicans like to accuse the President of apologizing for the United States.
Well to that I say, after eight years of George W. Bush we have a hell of a lot to be sorry for. Having President Obama acknowledge the mistakes that America has made in the past, and promise to do better in the future, was a brilliant and successful diplomatic approach to a ticklish problem we faced with the rest of the world.
So I certainly hope my fellow Americans take notice of how effective America can be when everybody does not hate our guts, and come to realize that threats and aggression are far less useful as tools against terrorism than are diplomacy and more humble approach to foreign relations.
Which reminds me. President Obama sir, can we get the hell out of Libya just as soon as possible please? Thank you sir.
Color me stupid but you assume that there is a difference between Democrats and Republicans.
ReplyDeleteFinally. After hearing the Plains and the Gingriches call us 'laughingstocks' because the President dares to admit that the almighty republic is sometimes WRONG,
ReplyDeletethis poll verifies what we knew. Being human and admitting mistakes are admirable things. Being arrogant and hanging onto the 'might makes right' motto is just ridiculous in this day and age, but there you have it. One side is peopled with those who would take us back to cold wars and threats, and the other with reasoned and reasonable people who want to move forward by accepting a global economy, everyone's right to exist (yes, Sarah, even Palestine!) and that America is not ordained by God any more than France or China is.
I can't count the number of times I have read blogs accusing the president of being an apologist or claiming that Sarah Palin would do no such thing and that she has the guts he doesn't. Actually, the jingoistic nonsense coming from her and other Republicans is dangerous. One result of its danger is the number of wars this country is involved in, particularly in Iraq. Their jingoism is dangerous also because the world is in a state of constant change, and other countries take exception to the "exceptionalism" jingoists claim for this country. I watched the president's first foreign policy speech on the day of his inauguration. He acknowledged that this country had indeed made mistakes, and he also took some countries to task for what he called their reflexive anti-Americanism. Palin and other ideologues are clearly still stuck in the 20th century, and people with that mentality speak with longing about the days when this country had what some bloggers who support them call a "swagger."
ReplyDeleteIt is just as immature and emotionally stunted for the leaders of a country as it is for an everyday individual to think there's something wrong with owning up to mistakes. GW showed that kind of juvenile thinking as a leader, and that is what would be in store for this country if the Republicans won the White House. It's encouraging to know that Obama has improved our standing in the world, and the last thing we need is for it to be negated. That's what would happen if any of the court jesters mulling a run for the GOP nomination won the presidency,
Obama 2012!
ReplyDeleteGryphen this is off topic but it has been really bugging me for the last day or two. Remember Palin's diatribe against Bill Maher when she said the following:
ReplyDelete"I’ve been inundated with requests to respond to petty comments made in the media the past few days, including one little fella’s comment which decent people would find degrading."
Is it just me or did anyone else find reference to "little fella" very sexually demeaning and completely hypocritical in that sentence?
I'm surprised that it didn't get more attention.
She is one sick bitch.
A LOT of the credit has to go to the amazing job Hillary Clinton has done as Secretary of State. I honestly think she has been able to live up to her many talents in this role, and I'm looking forward to her appointment to the Supreme Court.
ReplyDeleteNo other cabinet position in this day and age is as important as Sec State. Obama showed tremendous wisdom in asking her to join him.
I'm glad to see an adult in the WH. Obama 2012!
ReplyDeleteTo Anon5:37am. "Little feller" - her whole speech was full of repressed anger and thinly disguised desire to see Bill M. humbled like Letterman, and issue a personal apology to her. Haha! Won't happen.
AKjah: I don't doubt that you have cause for cynicism regarding our current two party system - it could be greatly improved.
ReplyDeleteHowever, the difference in how W. Bush handled himself, and how Obama is now approaching the same situations is the difference between a spoiled, entitled adolescent and an adult.
Except for one little detail, Gryph.
ReplyDeleteBarry went to war with Libya and managed to circumvent the Congress.
Article 1, Section 8 of the US Constitution reads in part: (the) Powers of Congress shall pay the Debts and provide for the common Defense.
How can President Obama make a decision that appears on the merits to ignore this nation’s guiding document?
What's more, he (and Gates and Hillary) said this would be over in "days." Today, Robert Gates said "months."
I know you really adore Obama but, it's time for a reality check. The Constitution is very clear about the separation of powers.
Obama has opened himself up to impeachment.
Thank you, President Obama.
ReplyDeleteDamn right, Gryphen. Just add Afghanistan and Iraq to your plea and I'll sign the petition, too.
ReplyDeleteObama 2012, indeed!
The US has long been seen as an overreaching, meddling, unwanted interloper in parts of the world, and we have a history of propping up tyrants that suit us, all the while decrying tyranny.
ReplyDeleteUnlike Palin, who would have, with one of her typical knee jerk reactions, gone off on her own and bombed our own civilians and those of our allies in Libya and earned us deserved hatred, Obama waited until our people had time to evacuate and he had checked the pulse of the rest of world before deciding what to do in cooperation with other countries.
I may not agree with all he does but at least our president is thoughtful and able to work with others for the benefit of our country. He's also a big enough man to admit mistakes. Palin never takes responsibility for anything. Thanks be that she is nowhere near the White House.
Gryphen, of all the thousands of images that are available of our president you chose THAT one? Why?
ReplyDeleteIt is not a very positive message and definitely does not support the article and the very important results of this poll.
What was your reasoning to use this image? You can do a lot better than this. I've watched you use powerful and poignant images through the years of reading your blog and this one is a huge disappointment.
It leaves one to think that you covertly hold disdain for our president, which I find hard to fathom, but subliminally that is the message that you just sent and it comes across loud and clear.
With his looking down, as if ashamed,the emphasis of shadow that darkens his skin more than usual, the physical stance of powerlessness, he looks downtrodden, defeated, humiliated, contrite as if he did something wrong... it's disturbing and does not resonate with your post at all.
Please be more mindful of the message in the future with your image choices. I suspect you didn't realize what you were doing and it was the result of carelessness, rather than outright disdain, since I perceive you to be way more cogent in your worldview than this image projects. We need to support our president in ALL ways, including the visual messages that we project into the cybersphere.
>>Barry went to war with Libya and managed to circumvent the Congress.
ReplyDeleteWell, well, well Christopher, how quickly you reveal who you are with your disrespectful moniker for the president. And you're 100% off base. There is no WAR with Libya and that is a GOP talking point. Do you support bloodbaths and annihilation of the citizens of a country? The people of Libya are deeply grateful for this intervention. Seems like their voices are way more important than your partisan dribble. There is no impeachment issue, as much as you would like to go there. But there is a dire humanitarian issue that is being addressed. Shame on you for not seeing the truth of things.
And...
ReplyDeleteUS military gets new respect with Japan aid
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4788851
To Christopher:
ReplyDeletePresident Obama will NOT be impeached, 'to impeach' means 'to bring criminal charges'. President Obama has not committed a criminal act.
Btw,
On March 1st the U.S. Senate passed a resolution (S.Res.85) regarding Libya. The resolution was a request to the U.N. to impose a No Fly Zone in Libya.
I am so proud that President Obama is our President - love his family too!
ReplyDeleteThe Republicans spewing constant negative commentary about President Obama throughout the past two years is going to bite them in the ass this next election cycle.
They have absolutely no one they can put up against him that could beat him.
6:35 I watched the Bill M. show on Friday and he didn't mention Palin...but, did a terrific segment on a Republican running against President Obama. Funniest thing I ever saw!
ReplyDeleteLetterman isn't mentioning Palin anymore either and Jay Leno publically knocked her last week. She hates the lamestream media SO MUCH - perhaps she'll get no more notice from them. God (if there is one!) I hope so.
For those not following her (and the Palin family) in Alaska, she is getting very negative press there too.
I can already hear conservatives snickering and saying, “Of course Obama made us popular around the world, he is always apologizing,”
ReplyDeleteThe same exact thought crossed my mind.
AKjah - I'm not sure if you're being sarcastic. If not, could you elaborate?
ReplyDeleteI chose hope over Country First and will do it again. He may not accomplish the leftist agenda in one term, but I'll proudly cast my vote for him again. Let's see 2012 as a given for President Obama, who do we have readying for 2016?
ReplyDeleteThe Muslim Brotherhood thanks you.
ReplyDelete