Oh No. This Is Just Awful. Absolutely Terrible (Sobs)...

[BlooInBloo]

I feel like self-immolating over this horrific news. :cry:

http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSTRE59447120091005

U.S. most admired country globally: survey

By Patricia Reaney Patricia Reaney – Mon Oct 5, 2:40 pm ET

NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) – The United States is the most admired country globally thanks largely to the star power of President Barack Obama and his administration, according to a new poll.

It climbed from seventh place last year, ahead of France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Japan which completed the top five nations in the Nation Brand Index (NBI).

"What's really remarkable is that in all my years studying national reputation, I have never seen any country experience such a dramatic change in its standing as we see for the United States for 2009," said Simon Anholt, the founder of NBI, which measured the global image of 50 countries each year.

He believes that during the previous administration of George W. Bush the United States suffered in the world ranking with its unpopular foreign policies but since Obama was elected, and despite the recent economic turmoil, the country's status has risen globally.

"There is no other explanation," Anholt said in an interview, referring to the impact of Obama.

The global survey, conducted by GFK Roper Public Affairs & Media, involved 20,000 people in 20 rich and developing countries around the globe. They were asked to rate 50 nations in categories such as culture, governance, people, exports, tourism, landscape and education.

(All emphases mine.)

To make matters worse, the Vikings just got their first turnover! :P


EDIT: Went straight to the horse's proverbial mouth for a new link, since DU software choked on the original link.

[louis-t]

1. And, once again, crickets in the MSM.

[caballero]

2. Shaddup and watch Mavrelous Favre

:D

[BlooInBloo]

4. Too busy trying to watch AP.

[caballero]

5. Heh...yup

;-)

[BlooInBloo]

13. Whoop! The boys are playin some football!!

[ZombieHorde]

3. An unexpected, yet nice, surprise. Thanks for posting. K&R

[Warpy]

6. Gee, all it took was dumping Bush and electing a black guy

with an Arabic name. I guess people around the world think we've grown up, or something.

I guess they haven't been paying attention to the spiteful GOP and their shrieking foot soldiers.

[BlooInBloo]

7. Somehow I suspect that *any* black guy wouldn't have done the trick....

I do acknowledge that the difference is lost on many, many Americans, however.

[Kaleko]

18. Give those furreigners some credit, will ya?

Michael Steele, for example, would certainly not have done the trick!

Though Denzel Washington might. ;)

[BlooInBloo]

20. "Though Denzel Washington might." - I suspect we're talking about different tricks.

:P

[Fumesucker]

26. How about Morgan Freeman?

He played POTUS in "Deep Impact" and God in some other movie that I can't recall the name of right now.

[Kaleko]

34. Morgan Freeman is universally admired

for his acting chops and gravitas. In all seriousness though, if another actor had been nominated to run for Prez, the whole world would have groaned in abject disgust and written America off as lost beyond redemption.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

39. They run that movie on cable.

Every time I see the scene where Morgan Freeman tells the country to bend over, grab its ankles and kiss its ass goodbye, metaphorically, I would think "That's Hollywood. We would never elect a dignified old black guy President".

So what happened? We elected a dignified young black guy President.

Wonders never cease.

[FrenchieCat]

30. Actually, that's not all that it took......

The "Black" guy you are speaking of actually said and did shit that
help restore our reputation.

I hope your aim was sarcasm, when you made that statement.....

Cause it isn't because of Obama's skin color that the world sees us as better people....
it's because we are being represented by someone they respect......
and Barack Obama earned that respect....it wasn't just a given.

[BlooInBloo]

31. "I hope your aim was sarcasm" - It wasn't.

[FrenchieCat]

43. Well if it wasn't....that's a sick sad ass puppy posting then....

[msongs]

8. celebrity rules the world lol nt

[BlooInBloo]

10. I was sure one of you would be along presently to explain precisely WHY it's so terrible...

Thanks for not disappointing!

[CakeGrrl]

42. Really? The RW "Obama rockstar" meme is being trotted out

to trivialize the fact that the world is starting to view the U.S. more favorably?

Wow.

The bitter is really strong on this site lately. It's getting toxic.

[Captain Hilts]

9. It's the free refills on beverages in restaurants. nt

[Fumesucker]

15. Well, that and the supersized happy meals with extra grease and salt.

For the kiddies you know..

[BlooInBloo]

16. Um... excuse me? I still have 3 hours left on my slowcooking ribs...

Don't poke the hungry bear plz...

:P

[Fumesucker]

21. Just think of Jeff Beck playing Amazing Grace..

That should occupy your mind.. :evilgrin:

[BlooInBloo]

25. Oooh - that was a damn good one - was that you who posted it?

[Fumesucker]

27. Yep, that was me..

I forget who it was that said Jeff Beck plays the weirdest licks but they still sound great..

Here's Jeff and Stevie Ray playing "Going Down".. Take yer mind off'n the ribs..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UIptI2rcjg

[Captain Hilts]

17. No happy meals in Moscow. So, when I was at the McD's once, Yeltsin came in...

and he had a shake, french fries and a Big Mac. He said it was too salty for him, and it probably was!

Actually, I didn't eat McDonald's even when I lived in Moscow. I happened to be across the street at Central Telegraph.

[Fumesucker]

23. Yeah, but did he wash it down with a liter of Stoli?

Enquring minds want to know, you know..

[Captain Hilts]

32. I know folks that have seen him do it! In the US he liked Old Grand Dad. nt

[orpupilofnature57]

11. I think it's because we survived Shrub.

[Kaleko]

37. No. It's because a majority of voters rejected Bush II,

the sickeningly opportunist McCain and his squeaking Barbie doll running mate who is universally deemed functional, but insane.

[orpupilofnature57]

45. Poppy ,overstepped his bounds ,but having Shrub for 8 years was detrimental

And the world knows better than us ,why?? no American MSM .

[stuball111]

12. So.. the immigration requests to Canada will go down?

Fact: After the last term that Bush won 04(?) , requests for information to the Canadian Immigration offices for immigration from the US to Canada went up 400%. I got this from a friend that works in Immigration up there!

[Fumesucker]

14. Well, hopefully all those other so called "civilized" nations will now get with the program.

And implement tax cuts for the wealthy while getting rid of their soshulistic medical-care-for-all systems in order to be more like the shining city on the hill.

[calimary]

19. Kick!!!!!

Oh boo hoo hoo!

[BlooInBloo]

22. Do you have a hanky i could possibly borrow?

[calimary]

29. What I want to know is - what about all that "Country First" business last year, GOP?

Did you just forget the "Destroy the" part of that slogan on all their campaign placards that they were waving around all over the place. HAH!!!! Just heard Rachel Maddow bring that up!!!! Glad somebody finally has!


Remember those assholes last year? "Country First"?


:rofl:

[BlooInBloo]

36. As always, they lie.

[spanone]

24. i thought they hated Obama and proved it by rejecting chicago

[timeforpeace]

28. "They" are so darned fickle, hate yesterday, love today.World Opinion,it's our #1 national priority!

That and $10 can get you a cup o' joe at Starbucks.

[BrklynLiberal]

40. From what I heard the rejection was not a rejection of the US as a country, as much

as a slap at the USOC..which had been the subject of scandals and accused of a bit of arrogance in the recent past.

[lpbk2713]

33. The rethuglicans "startegery" is backfiring on them beautifully, as usual.

I was just watching Rachel's show and she had an article on how a number of rethuglican Congressmen are going abroad with the specific purpose of dragging the USA through the mud with their own lies and other falsehoods relating to the performance of the Obama administration. Thanks for the help, assholes. They can see right through you just as well as the American voter can.

:rofl:

[Quasimodem]

41. Foreigners see through Rethuglican lies better than the average American voter.

Because they get their information from real newspapers with honest-to-gosh investigative reporters.

[Raine]

35. We're FINALLY on the right track

THANKS to President Obama!:patriot: :thumbsup: :applause:

[BlooInBloo]

44. Yep. The world hates republicans, and the feeling is quite mutual.

[BrklynLiberal]

38. Enough to give the RWingnuts apoplexy, no doubt.