A new poll published yesterday by the BBC World Service, GlobeScan and the Program on International Policy Attitudes asked publics in 22 countries three key questions about the US Presidential election.
First, who do you prefer be the next US President, McCain or Obama?
Second, what effect do you think each candidate's eventual Presidency have on America's relations with the rest of the world?
Finally, would the election of Barack Obama, because he is an African American man, “fundamentally” change your view of the United States?
Here's the results, straight from the horse's mouth.
The First Question:
“All 22 countries in a BBC World Service poll would prefer Democratic nominee Barack Obama elected US president instead of his Republican rival John McCain. Obama is preferred by a four to one margin on average across the 22,000 people polled.The margin in favour of Obama ranges from just 9 per cent in India to 82 per cent in Kenya. On average 49 per cent prefer Obama to 12 per cent preferring McCain. Nearly four in ten do not take a position.”
The second question: “In 17 of the 22 countries surveyed the most common view is that, if Barack Obama is elected president, America's relations with the rest of the world are likely to get better. If John McCain is elected, the most common view in 19 countries is that relations will stay about the same as they are now.
On average 46 per cent think that US relations with the world would get better with Obama, 22 per cent that relations would stay the same, and 7 per cent that they would get worse. However only 20 per cent think relations would get better under McCain. The largest number , 37 per cent , think relations under a McCain presidency would stay the same and 16 per cent think they would get worse.
The countries most optimistic that an Obama presidency would improve relations are America's NATO allies – Canada (69%), France (62%), Germany (61%), United Kingdom (54%), Italy (64%) – as well as Australia (62%) and the African countries Kenya (87%) and Nigeria (71%).”
When asked whether the election as US president of Barack Obama, an African-American man, would "fundamentally change" their perception of the United States, 46 per cent said it would while 27 per cent said that it would not.”
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