Miami Herald - Obama most popular leader of the Americas -

[FrenchieCat]

BY ANDRES OPPENHEIMER

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad -- -- What a difference! At the last 34-country Summit of the Americas in 2005, former President George W. Bush was received as Public Enemy Numero Uno. On Thursday, when President Obama arrived here for the hemispheric gathering, he got a hero's welcome.
snip
''There is a sea-change in Latin America's attitude toward American leadership,'' says Richard Feinberg, a former Clinton White House official who organized the first Summit of the Americas in Miami in 1994. ``From reactions of distrust and disdain, we have gone to high expectations and warm embrace.''

...A Latin America-wide survey released Thursday by the CIMA polling group, entitled Ibero-American Barometer 2009, shows that Obama is the most popular leader of the Americas -- by far.

Obama has a 70 percent approval rate in the region, followed by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva with 59 percent, according to the poll of 10,000 people in 22 Latin American and Caribbean countries. By comparison, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez got a 28 percent approval rate in the region, the poll shows.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/columnists/andres-oppenheimer/story/1005568.html



The big three: According to a survey conducted by Colombia's
Ibero-American Consortium of Colombia, U.S. President Barack
Obama, Colombian President Álvaro Uribe and Brazil President
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva are the most popular leaders in Latin
America.


Least Popular? Argentine President Cristina Fernandez Kirchner,
who entered office directly after her husband Nestor Kirchner's
term ended in 2007. She garnered just 30 percent support from
the people of her country in this year's survey.

and Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega who has only a 35 percent approval among his people.



Additional Source: http://worldmeets.us/eltiempo000061.shtml

[BlooInBloo]

1. Heh. Obama's only friend is...

The People Of The World.

[cali]

2. oh dear. this is going to come as challenging news to some here.

[FrenchieCat]

4. I'm sure the poll results will be "questioned".....

after all, many polled in this Latin America survey must be unquestioning non thinking koolaid drinking cheerleading admirers. However, I figure...whatever hope they can muster in order to wake up each and every morning to get out there and make their lives a success, I say more power to them.

In the United States, people of Latin American descent approve of Barack Obama by 85%.
Guess that means there are even more unquestioning non thinking koolaid drinking cheerleading Latin American admirers here in the states! :)

In the case of the President Obama, 85 percent of Latin American residents in his nation support him. http://worldmeets.us/eltiempo000061.shtml

[EFerrari]

7. Do you have a link to the poll? I can't find the thing.

I knew Latin America was supporting Obama in the election but this is really surprising!

[FrenchieCat]

8. I couldn't find it.....

I think that it was done in Spanish.....

and I see past year polling report,
but none for this new one yet.

[EFerrari]

10. That's what I found, too.

But, even so, I knew Obama was going to be a hit at this summit just as he is everywhere he goes. Progressive Latin American leaders were all rooting for him to win.

What a relief, to deal with Obama after dealing with BUSH.

LOL!

[jberryhill]

18. It may be less of a "relief" to some leaders than others

What Freeptards will possibly never understand is that foreign leaders have a peculiar problem if Obama is more popular in their own country than they are.

Leaders in that position refuse to work constructively with the United States at their own political peril.

[Cha]

3. Wow! It's exciting to live

in these times and have the last 8 years of Orwellian nightmares behind us.

[monmouth]

5. So Grandmom Robinson, Michelle and the girls are sitting on the

couch hearing how POTUS is the most popular, being oooohed and aaaaahed by the lady fan base, cameras flashing and the whole shebang. Michelle looks at Mom and says "It's going to be weeks before we get him back to normal." Grandmom smiles her wonderful smile and nods in agreement, the girls look at each other and crack up. At least that's what I'm thinking is going on right now....LOL.

[FrenchieCat]

6. LOL!

I'm sure his poll numbers in the house are not as high......
probably hovering at about 65%! LOL!

[depakid]

9. That's a good starting point- and to be expected under the circumstances

Now let's wait and see what policies come out of the renewed cooperation.

[amborin]

11. hopefully, Obama can convince them to implement a greener agenda

and muscle China out to some extent

China is purchasing huge swaths of latin america's resources, to no good environmental end

[depakid]

12. I would love to see that sort of thing come to fruition

just as I'd love to see a responsible trade and diplomatic relationships restored with Cuba.

Obama's playing that one brilliantly, btw.

As he is with Chavez.

Not many Presidents command the sort of presence and international respect that Obama wields- In fact, there really isn't any precedent.

(one of the reasons why ole Sarkozy got so pissy recently, LOL).

[Adelante]

13. Dios mío, now you've done it, Frenchie

Pop go illusions.

[Thrill]

14. Lula usually wins these Polls

[Tarheel_Dem]

15. Off to the Greatest! Thanks for posting. Pres. Obama has 100% approval..

in this household.

[Scurrilous]

16. K & R

:thumbsup:

[HamdenRice]

17. Considering how Latin America has thought of us for so long - it's amazing! K&R nt