Why much of the rest of the world still respects Barack Obama
The poor showing by Democratic candidates in this week’s mid-term elections is being blamed in part on the low approval ratings for Democrat President Barack Obama. But, in many countries of the world, there is still immense respect for a president who has never embarrassed his office by language or conduct, has never rushed to war or military intervention, and really cares about inequality and injustice at home and abroad.
“Outside America, little has changed. Obama is admired for his integrity and statesmanship and world leaders still queue up for visits to the White House, hoping the old Obama kudos will rub off.
And a survey this year by America’s Pew Research Center found the USA’s reputation has soared around the world since he took over. Approval ratings are up by 29% in Spain, 22% in Germany and France and 19% in Japan since the reviled Bush Jnr left the White House.
Ordinary people in most other Western nations still believe he is a man who will do the right thing in world affairs and many voice general approval for his policies.
His attempts to address inequality and his cautious use of America’s military power have earned him respect on the international stage.”
This is an extract from an article in today’s “Mirror” newspaper.
November 7th, 2014 at 5:13 pm
Many people in the US still admire & respect Obama, but there are also many who voted for him did not have high expectations of him in the first place. Even when he was first winning in the Democratic Party Primaries, many of the more progressive elements in the party were not happy with him, because of his centrism. Obama lucked out in not having to compete with candidates farther to the Left in 2008 because of the sad implosion of the candidacy of John Edwards, who was running on a much more populist platform.
This will probably be true also in the Democratic Primaries in 2016. Right now it seems as if Hillary is the most viable candidate (if/when she decides to run), despite there being a couple of truly progressive possible candidates, like Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, or even Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont (an Independent Socialist who caucuses with the Democrats)