World opinion of US rises under Obama, BBC poll finds

[dipsydoodle]

Source: BBC News

Views of the US around the world have improved sharply over the past year, according to a BBC World Service poll.

For the first time since the annual poll began in 2005, America's influence in the world is now seen as more positive than negative.

As in 2009, Germany is viewed most favourably while Iran and Pakistan are seen as the most negative influences.

Nearly 30,000 people in 28 countries were interviewed for the poll, between November 2009 and February 2010.

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/8626041.stm

[jpak]

1. but...but...but..Obama = Bush

I don't believe this

:D

[guruoo]

7. Must be that Old Europe© again

[sumguyb]

20. You're right not to believe it.

The upward trend in US opinion clearly starts in 2007. So unless Obama was influencing opinions of the US in 2007 and 2008 he has nothing to do with this.

Original poll story is linked below:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8626041.stm

[jpak]

22. Obama got a Nobel Peace Prize - for not being Bush

Bush lost

the GOP lost

International goodwill went up

too bad 4 U

:rofl:

[Mike Daniels]

24. In 2007 the Dems were a majority in Congress and Bush and the Repubs were in a tailspin..

Perhaps that had something to do with the increased image?

[Make7]

2. I don't think it was possible for the bar to be set any lower... ( n/t )

[Stumbler]

3. But that's not what my local-friendly Tea-bagger says!!

And they wouldn't lie or "misinform" me about something like that, would they?

[CLANG]

4. No, you're a dumb libtard cuz you don't believe Sean and Glenn

[Bombtrack]

5. Really, Germany is viewed most favorably ?

I know they make good cars and what not but NUMBER ONE?

I'm not anti-modern-day-Germany but you'd think they'd lose half a few points for "residual feelings" for things that didn't end more than half a century ago.

[Turbineguy]

6. Yes, but world opinion was against

George W. Bush. And as we all know, they were wrong about that one.:sarcasm:

[Elmore Furth]

8. World warming to US under Obama, BBC poll suggests

Source: BBC

Views of the US around the world have improved sharply over the past year, a BBC World Service poll suggests.

The improved scores for the US coincided with Barack Obama becoming president, a BBC correspondent notes.

Compared with 2009, positive views of the US jumped 21% in Germany, 18 in Russia, 14 in Portugal and 13 in Chile - though Russia and Germany continued to have a negative view of the US overall.

Meanwhile, negative opinions of the US declined by 23% in Spain, 14 in France and 10 in the UK, with the result that all three lean towards a positive view of the country.


Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/8626041.stm

---

I know it's not a popularity contest but President Obama is a distinct improvement over President Stupid.

"Narrator: As the 21st century began, human evolution was at a turning point. Natural selection, the process by which the strongest, the smartest, the fastest, reproduced in greater numbers than the rest, a process which had once favored the noblest traits of man, now began to favor different traits. Most science fiction of the day predicted a future that was more civilized and more intelligent. But as time went on, things seemed to be heading in the opposite direction. A dumbing down. How did this happen? Evolution does not necessarily reward intelligence. With no natural predators to thin the herd, it began to simply reward those who reproduced the most, and left the intelligent to become an endangered species. "

Idiocracy (2006)

[Xipe Totec]

9. Alternative Headline: World view of US more positive after Imbecile is removed from office (nt)

[rpannier]

17. +1000

Nothing to add, except your headline is far superior and more accurate

[sumguyb]

21. Unfortunately

Unfortunately the chart and data in the original BBC story clearly show the world opinion started improving in 2007. Yes it crossed a threshold recently, but the improvement clearly started several years ago.

[golfguru]

10. World is definitely not warming in this place!!

http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/getForecast?query=-78.44999695,106.87000275

[bemildred]

11. Curse Obama for improving Americas international standing. nt

[Alamuti Lotus]

12. so nice to know that Europeans can be fooled by a friendlier face stapled onto "Business As Usual"

[HughMoran]

14. I like eggs

[JTFrog]

18. .

[HughMoran]

13. "President Stupid"

:rofl:

[jberryhill]

15. It Figures They'd Blame Him For Global Warming /nt

[Regret My New Name]

16. teehee you got it before me. :P

[sumguyb]

19. Opinion started improving in 2007 though

If you look at the graph on the BBC's original story the upward trend in US opinion clearly starts in 2007. So unless Obama was influencing opinions of the US in 2007 and 2008 he has nothing to do with this.

All of these stories titled "Obama effect lifts US opinion" are either bad journalism or spin.

Original poll story is linked below:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8626041.stm

This is why conservatives don't trust the main stream media. Either the journalists are bad with charts, too lazy to actually look at the data, or they have an agenda.

[bemildred]

23. "People ... today view the United States more positively than ... since the second World War"

From the link you provided. The corruption of the media is one thing the left and the right can agree on.
:popcorn:

[scheming daemons]

28. Fixed your last paragraph

"This is why we conservatives don't trust the main stream media. Either the journalists are bad with charts, too lazy to actually look at the data, or they have an agenda. "

That's better.


Hello, freeper.
:hi:

[defendandprotect]

25. K/R --

[Douglas Carpenter]

26. kick and recommend

[Tarheel_Dem]

27. Kick for my president. (nt)