BBC poll: Rest of world favours Obama (50% vs 9%)

[kpete]

Source: BBC

BBC poll: Rest of world favours Obama

A BBC World Service opinion poll has found sharply higher overseas approval ratings for US President Barack Obama than Republican challenger Mitt Romney.

An average of 50% favoured Mr Obama, with 9% for Mr Romney, in the survey of 21,797 people in 21 countries.

Only Pakistan's respondents said they would prefer to see Mr Romney win November's election.

France was the most strongly pro-Obama (72%).



Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-20008687

[NRaleighLiberal]

1. Ouch! UK - 7% vs 65%. Spain - 1% vs 45%. Double Ouch!

[independentpiney]

2. I think the most telling thing is that the only country to prefer Rmoney

is Pakistan.

[Kolesar]

19. Ignorance and illiteracy--we have a swath of that in America too!

Geographically and demographically.

[yends21012]

3. What is it about Romney that Pakistan prefers?

[JackN415]

7. They hate Obama - invaded airspace to kill Bin Laden, drone strikes,... n/t

[CanonRay]

9. Teh Stupid

it clings to him, and they can sense it.

[Posteritatis]

25. I wouldn't call either of those approval ratings a preference. (nt)

[cleduc]

4. I posted PEW polls from last June on this

What those countries generally think of Americans and their approval of America has also risen since Obama took office - in many cases substantially. And that is good for American business & trade, good for diplomacy - getting the UN behind things America wants to do and therefore, good for peace and the safety of Americans.

There's no way Romney, with 75% of his foreign policy team neocon Bushies, offers that to the American people. It's not remotely close. On Day 1, he'll have a trade war with China and will be muscling up to start a war with Iran.

I would note that outside of Libya (North Africa) and a few others, a number of countries in the Middle East area are not as fond of Obama. I suspect Israel probably has bought into the Romney BS but they probably haven't heard the "kick the can down the road" policy from behind closed doors.

[dipsydoodle]

5. Noted

so that when Advanced search deems to reappear I will respond.

[R Merm]

11. I would not be so sure on Israel

Was over there this summer during Romney's trip, and I really did not see an out poring of love for him or much hatred for Obama. The trip seemed more for the Americans living there then for the Israelis, and the nut job settlers are mostly American so this is a bit of a skewed audience. Wish BBC included Israel in the poll would be interesting to see.

[Kolesar]

20. the nut job settlers are mostly American

That's not good.
Thanks for the update.

[CanonRay]

12. Romney won't start a trade war with China

I think that's just campaign bs on his part. Plus, it would hurt his own investments, and Mitt will never do that. Now, a shooting war with Iran? That he might start. As long as Tagg stays in Paris.

[pampango]

29. His not backing down from the prospect of a trade war with China is certainly pandering (bs), but

his answer to Schieffer's question about the prospect of a trade war may be appealing to some voters who may think "Now here is a guy who is willing to take some risks to stand up to China".

Obama's answer to the question was more factual centering on the steps he has taken to punish China in cases where it has violated trade rules, Romney's role in the outsourcing of jobs and the administration's actions to preserve auto jobs. A great answer in many ways, but to remaining undecided voters (who by definition must be low-information voters) I'm not sure that the 'take-charge' sentiment-based assertions from romney may not be more effective.

We all know that romney will never actually do what he says he will do on this or any other policy choice, but as a pandering gambit it may be very effective.

...the most misguided statement on China comes out of Romney’s mouth. That concerns China’s currency. Here’s what Romney said during Monday’s debate:

On day one, I will label [China] a currency manipulator, which allows us to apply tariffs where they’re taking jobs … We have to understand that we can’t just surrender and lose jobs year in and year out.

Obama is much more reasoned on the currency issue. He noted in the debate that the yuan has appreciated, saying that “actually currencies are at their most advantageous point for U.S. exporters since 1993.”

Obama ... does see America’s relationship with China in much broader terms than Romney.

http://business.time.com/2012/10/24/obama-vs-romney-whos-right-on-china/

[liberalla]

6. Headline: Pakistan Supports Romney for President!

Ha! that's one endorsement he doesn't want.

[keeganspaa]

8. No wonder

Of course the rest of the world prefers Obama. They can judge him on his actions without the FOX News/Republican/Tea Party distortions getting in the way.

Keegan Fife VerBurg
[link:

|

[primavera]

10. So what the hell is wrong with us?

"How much longer are we going to think it necessary to be 'American' before (or in contradistinction to) being cultivated, being enlightened, being humane, and having the same intellectual discipline as other civilized countries?"
- Edith Wharton, letter to Barrett Wendell, 19 July 1919

[truthisfreedom]

13. rMoney can't buy me love

[redwitch]

23. I don't care too much for Rmomney, Rmoney can't buy my love

Can't buy my love, oh
Rmoney can't buy my love.

Beatle earworm now, thanks!

[johnlucas]

14. Ironic that Kenya seems to be the highest AGAINST Obama

That whole birther bullshit about Obama being from Kenya & look at the Kenyans going for Romney the most out of all these countries.

Either way, the world knows what's best.
Obama won't get any shoes thrown at his head like that last idiot we had in the President's chair.
Obama is respectable.

John Lucas

[valerief]

15. Even China doesn't want Romney!

[agentS]

16. The rest of the world doesn't want American bombs raining on them

Despite Mr. Romney's 'peace' talk, everybody else ain't buying it. When you have the 'bomb Iran' guys running your foreign policy team, people aren't gonna believe you.

I'm a little surprised about the results for China and Japan. President O is not wading into the empty islands disputes (Senkaku, Dokdo, etc) on any particular side forcefully, other than to state hopes for the region to resolve the issue peacefully. A wannabe Reagan like Romney WOULD muscle his way into these disputes, making matters worse for our allies (Japan) and trade partners (China).

After his capping on Greece in the previous and this debate, I bet Romney's approval rating in Greece is like, what? 0 percent? minus 50?

[toby jo]

17. The middle eastern countries/religions that hate us

would be well-advised to go with the republicans. In them we have the party that drains resources for wars, lets education and infrastructure go, and sends our economy into tailspins. Their money would be far better spent sending it over for ads for republicans than in any thing else.

We shoot our own foot off when they're in control.

Send it over to the NRA, too. The domestic violence here at home robs us of our integrity.

[SpankMe]

18. Part of this might be name recognition.

The world has known Obama for almost four years, and R-Money less than one (in terms of media bombardment). Some of this skew might be attributable to that type of psychology.

[caraher]

27. Plausible, but I don't think so

They did similar polls in 2008 and 2004. In 2008 both McCain and Obama would be somewhat unfamiliar to those who don't know US Senators, and Obama had a similar margin over McCain in the survey. But as the first African American major party nominee the bias you mention could still be present. But in 2004, when Bush was certainly much better known than Kerry (for all the obvious reasons), the survey also gave a huge edge to Kerry.

I think there's just a strong (correct) impression in much of the world that the Republicans are out of touch with reality.

[DinahMoeHum]

21. "The Obama Brand In China - Beware Of Cool Cat" - Tom Doctoroff

per Doctoroff's book: What Chinese Want - Culture, Communism and China's Modern Consumer

http://www.amazon.com/What-Chinese-Want-Communism-Consumer/dp/023034030X

[ffr]

22. 538 moved again this morning too

GOTV and let's make this a landslide!

[savalez]

24. So much for that France mission. nt

[PMcDee]

28. Small wonder the French don't like Romney;

think of how many of them he must have annoyed going door to door in his white short-sleeved shirt, thin black tie and bicycle helmet.

[Uncle Joe]

26. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, kpete.