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It's Official: The World Prefers Kerry
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| Renegade |
| quote: | Poll Of 35 Countries Finds 30 Prefer Kerry, 3 Bush
Traditional US Allies Strongly Favor Kerry
Bush Preferred in Philippines, Poland and Nigeria
Most Say Bush Foreign Policy Has Made Them Feel Worse Toward US
Washington DC: In 30 out of 35 countries polled, from all regions of the world, a majority or plurality would prefer to see John Kerry win the US presidential election�especially traditional US allies. The only countries where President Bush was preferred were the Philippines, Nigeria, and Poland. India and Thailand were divided. On average, Kerry was favored by more than a two-to-one margin�46% to 20% (weighted for variations in population, the ratio was not significantly different). Overall, one-third did not give an answer.
The poll of 34,330 people was conducted mainly during June through August, with some countries being polled as early as May. Polling was conducted by GlobeScan and its worldwide network of research institutes, in conjunction with the Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA) of the University of Maryland. Due to the difficulties of polling in developing countries, in eleven countries, polling was limited to metropolitan areas. The margin of error ranged from +/- 2.3-5%.
Steven Kull, director of PIPA, comments, �Only one in five want to see Bush reelected. Though he is not as well known, Kerry would win handily if the people of the world were to elect the US president.� Support for Kerry was greater among those with higher education and income levels.
Asked how the foreign policy of President Bush has affected their feelings toward the US, in 30 countries a majority or plurality said it made them feel �worse� about America, while in 3 countries, more of the respondents said that it had made them feel �better� towards America, and in 2 countries, people were divided. On average, 53% of respondents said Bush�s foreign policy made them feel worse about the US, while 19% said it made them feel better.
GlobeScan President Doug Miller says, �Perhaps most sobering for Americans is the strength of the view that US foreign policy is on the wrong track, even in countries contributing troops in Iraq.�
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Kerry was strongly preferred among all of America�s traditional allies. These included Norway (74% for Kerry to 7% for Bush), Germany (74% to 10%), France (64% to 5%), the Netherlands (63% to 6%), Italy (58% to 14%), and Spain (45% to 7%). Even in the UK, Kerry was preferred by more than 30 percentage points (47% to 16%). Among Canadians, Kerry was preferred by 61% to 16% and among the Japanese by 43% to 23%.
The exception for Bush in Europe was a new ally, Poland, where he was preferred by a narrow plurality of 31% against 26% for Kerry. Another new ally, however, the Czech Republic, went for Kerry (42% to 18%), as did Sweden (58% to 10%),
Asia was the most mixed region, though Kerry still did better. He was preferred by clear majorities in China (52% to 12%) and Indonesia (57% to 34%), as well as by a large margin in Japan (43% to 23%). But publics were divided in India (Kerry 34%, Bush 33%) and Thailand (Kerry 30%, Bush 33%).
Asia was also the sole region in which Bush garnered more than 50 percent support from a country, with 57% of Filipinos favoring him (Kerry 32%). Bush�s post-9/11 aid to the Filipino government�s efforts against the terrorist group Abu Sayyaf may have engendered significant goodwill.
Latin Americans went for Kerry in all nine countries polled. In only two cases did Kerry win a majority�Brazil (57% to 14%) and the Dominican Republic (51% to 38%)�but in most cases the spread was quite wide. These included Venezuela (48% to 22%), Colombia (47% to 26%), Argentina (43% to 6%), Mexico (38% to 18%), Uruguay (37% to 5%), Peru (37% to 26%), and Bolivia (25% to 16%).
Bush was preferred in Nigeria with 33%, as compared to 27% for Kerry. However, Kerry was preferred in the five other African states polled, including Kenya (58% to 25%), Ghana (48% to 24%), Tanzania (44% to 30%), South Africa (43% to 29%), and Zimbabwe (28% to 6%).
In Eurasian states, Kerry led, though a significant number did not express a preference. In Russia, Kerry was preferred 20% to 10%, Turkey 40% to 25%, and in Kazakhstan 40% to 12%.
Interestingly, among countries that have contributed troops to the operation in Iraq, most favored Kerry and said that their view of the US has gotten worse with Bush�s foreign policy. These include the UK, the Czech Republic, Italy, the Netherlands, the Dominican Republic, Kazakhstan, Japan, Norway, and Spain. Thailand was divided on Kerry and Bush (33% Bush�30% Kerry). But slightly more Thais said their view of the US has gotten better (35% to 30% worse).
However, this group also included the two countries most favorable to Bush�the Philippines and Poland. Among Filipinos, 57% said they prefer Bush over Kerry, and 58% say that their view of US foreign policy has gotten better. But among Poles, though a modest plurality favored Bush (31% to 26%), a plurality of 41% said that their view of US foreign policy has gotten worse, while only 15% said it has gotten better.
Strongest negative views of US foreign policy were held in Germany (83% say �worse�), France (81%), Mexico (78%), China (72%), Canada (71%), Netherlands (71%), Spain (67%), Brazil (66%), Italy (66%), Argentina (65%), and the UK (64%). The only countries in which more said that the Bush foreign policy made them feel better toward the US were: the Philippines, (58% better-27% worse), India (38% better�33% worse) and Thailand (35% better and 30% worse). Nigeria was divided (36% better�34% worse) as was Venezuela (33% better-34% worse).
GlobeScan Incorporated is a global public opinion and stakeholder research firm with offices in Toronto, London and Washington. GlobeScan conducts custom research and annual tracking studies on global issues. With a research network spanning 40+ countries, GlobeScan works with global companies, multilateral agencies, national governments and non-government organizations to deliver research-based insights for successful strategies.
The Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA) is a joint program of the Center on Policy Attitudes and the Center for International and Security Studies at the University of Maryland. PIPA undertakes research on attitudes in both the public and in the policymaking community toward a variety of international and foreign policy issues. It seeks to disseminate its findings to members of government, the press, and the public as well as academia. |
http://www.pipa.org/OnlineReports/P...ew_9_08_04.html
Somehow I doubt that the Bush supporters will be too bothered by this, but it does underline how damaging Bush has been for the reputation of the US around the globe. We foreigners just don't understand how someone like Bush could ever be elected (let alone be in with a strong chance of re-election) and these sort of polls make me wish that the views of the average American were more in-tune with those of us in the rest of the world. If Bush gets another 4 years, it will be interesting to see how many allies the US has left by the end of it. |
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| PhloTron |
| quote: | Originally posted by Renegade
We foreigners just don't understand how someone like Bush could ever be elected (let alone be in with a strong chance of re-election) |
That's a very good point...most views on our leader(s) are simply because most people in the rest of the world don't know very much about the whole of US Politics...They know about who is in charge and the policies they carry toward their (foreign)nation...(foreign policy). And no matter how crappy it is right now and how are relations are strained...and some decisions poor (very poor), there is so much more at stake in many peoples minds that just one topic.
Also, most people would base their opinion, for/against the person in charge (Bush)...and if against, simply pick the other candidate...I'm guessing 99% of the rest of the world never even heard of John Kerry prior to his nomination to run in the election.
Yes, most of the world probably can't fathomm how we could possibly re-elect Bush. But, there is a lot more to a candidate/party than one or two things...and there are many people that bennefited or felt comforatable with the first 4 years of service (no matter how hard that is to believe). But just like people will vote for Kerry, not because they like him, but they hate Bush...people will vote for Bush based on the same thing...they aren't happy with what Kerry has to say either.
I don't know what this poll was exactly like, but if you put a poll out in the world...or the US...that had a choice of Bush, Kerry, or "someone else"....these days "someone else"...might just run away with it.
| quote: |
and these sort of polls make me wish that the views of the average American were more in-tune with those of us in the rest of the world.
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...or that the views of the rest of the world knew what ALL the issues we are faced with in this upcomming election...and the next 4 years...guessing the #'s would move closer to the middle though they still may favor Kerry.
I can make an opinion on who I think should run, say Austrailia...but I don't think it would be an educated choice, based on the fact I only know a little bit (mostly foreign policy) about what the country and leaders follow. I would expect this to be the same for most people looking from the outside in. Hell...I can barely make an educated decision about the best candidates here...because you don't know if anything is true anymore...except the dollar signs coming out of their campaigns. :)
With all that in mind...maybe it's not as far fetched as it should seem that we are 50/50 out here right now...and that it's possible that Bush may win the popular vote and lose the electoral...and get slapped in the face just like the "intraweb inventor" did in 2000.
D'oH! :D :D |
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| trancaholic |
Nice post PhloTron.
| quote: | Originally posted by PhloTron
...or that the views of the rest of the world knew what ALL the issues we are faced with in this upcomming election...and the next 4 years... |
Sometimes, however, the conduct shown on one point can outshine all other matters. To me, for instance, having been lied to by my government (as the world was lied to by the Bush administration) would render its efficiency on health care, crime etc. inconsequential: The act of deception tells of a twisted ethical code, and hence, I would be hesitant to trust the government with more years. |
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| Q5echo |
the world would prefer the teletubbies to Bush.
still doesn't say a whole lot about Kerry. |
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| JM |
its funny now people in other countries have no clue what the is going on here in the USA and what the issues are. i would guess most of these people polled know besides what they know about the war, and nobody like war... of course, if i was ignorant on issues other than media's coverage of the war, and terrorism in general didn't affect my country, i'd be up for kerry too.
actually on second though, i wouldnt. because i KNOW the issues apart from the war.
>JM< |
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| Yoepus |
Its official: The US doesn't care.
;) |
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| jrbuddha |
| quote: | Originally posted by Yoepus
Its official: The US doesn't care.
;) |
in fact, reading this article makes me even happier to vote for Bush. |
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| Arbiter |
| I agree the the world would probably go for pretty much any candidate running against Bush at the moment. The opinions of the rest of the world doesn't mean much to me, though. Those outside the U.S. are typically neither qualified nor empowered to select a leader for this country. Those inside the U.S. suffer only from the former impediment. |
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| policerobots |
| whoever wins, the whole world will still watch the movies hollywood makes (+tv shows), wear american brand clothes, and listen to rappers from the us. |
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| NYCTrancefan |
Why is it so hard for many Americans here to even consider what others are saying. Is it that we are that arrogant and bullish that listening to others is not even to be considered. I see comments like who cares, so what, oh well they'll still listen to our music, etc. It is this very kind of American arrogance that the world is complaining about. Nothing is lost in treating others with respect, partnership and trusted leadership. Maybe it is because I share a deep appreciation for other cultures and socieities, what I refer to as a global mentality that I have these views.
My fellow Americans, America is a nation that I want to see be of positive leadership in the world not negative domination of others. No one wants to be told what to do by others, yet we do it all the time to other nations, yet when told how we are we don't like it:conf: |
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| LiquidX |
| quote: | Originally posted by Renegade
http://www.pipa.org/OnlineReports/P...ew_9_08_04.html
Somehow I doubt that the Bush supporters will be too bothered by this, but it does underline how damaging Bush has been for the reputation of the US around the globe. We foreigners just don't understand how someone like Bush could ever be elected (let alone be in with a strong chance of re-election) and these sort of polls make me wish that the views of the average American were more in-tune with those of us in the rest of the world. If Bush gets another 4 years, it will be interesting to see how many allies the US has left by the end of it. |
That's easy to answer. Most people around the world arent as ignorant as it tends to be here in the US. People here are not too into politics, and usually take what they are fed, and FOX news has done a pretty good job to be as biased as possible, and deliver distorted news. Most of it's viewers have the most untrue and distorted answers .. and sadly, major news networks here in the US tend to be very restricted when it comes to this Administration. It's the first time that reporters are soooo restrcited on asking BUSH questions, and this administration takes everything so secretly. All that plays a role on how people in the US see it.. it's all about been educated and researching, something that most of the people in the US dont bother doing, thinking that FOX is " FAIR AND BALANCED". |
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| NYCTrancefan |
| quote: | Originally posted by LiquidX
That's easy to answer. Most people around the world arent as ignorant as it tends to be here in the US. People here are not too into politics, and usually take what they are fed, and FOX news has done a pretty good job to be as biased as possible, and deliver distorted news. Most of it's viewers have the most untrue and distorted answers .. and sadly, major news networks here in the US tend to be very restricted when it comes to this Administration. It's the first time that reporters are soooo restrcited on asking BUSH questions, and this administration takes everything so secretly. All that plays a role on how people in the US see it.. it's all about been educated and researching, something that most of the people in the US dont bother doing, thinking that FOX is " FAIR AND BALANCED". |
I witnessed the other day that Fair and Balanced cut away from John Kerry outlining his points to deal with Iraq and terrorism to show Bush talking about kids who sent gifts to children in Beslan. Which one was more important, they could have certainly recorded that and showed it 10 minutes later. While the other three networks was showing Kerry they were talking about that. Fair and Balanced for sure, guess that's why they always have to pat themselves on the back with that line.
While I am no U.N lover Fox has gone overboard with their U.N. attacks on a daily basis, you would believe that the U.N. was part of the War on Terror and the badguy. Fox News caters to an audience that appreciates what they have to say but just don't call that Fair and Balanced. I agree wholeheartedly with you Liquid. |
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