World Has Soured on Obama

The world doesn't like President Obama nearly as much now that it's gotten to know him. Approval of Obama's international policies fell by double digits in every part of the world in a new Pew Research Center poll. Europe is still broadly supportive of Obama, but approval there has still taken a 15-point hit since 2009, falling from 78% to 63%. And that was the smallest hit he took. In China, he fell all the way from 57% to 27%.

Muslim countries were Obama's biggest detractors, with just 15% supporting Obama's policies, down from 34% in 2009. Views of the US overall have largely slipped as well, with many complaining that the US acts unilaterally, and the vast majority of countries disapproving of Obama's drone campaigns. At the same time, many believe US power has waned, with solid majorities in Germany, Britain, France, and Spain all saying that China has eclipsed the US as the top economic superpower. (More poll numbers stories.)