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Around the world, perceptions of Obama-Romney contest lag reality (Many unprepared for Romney win)
The Washington Post ^ | October 21, 2012 | Michael Birnbaum and Keith B. Richburg

Posted on 10/21/2012 4:52:16 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet

BERLIN — As President Obama and Mitt Romney prepare for a Monday debate on foreign policy and polls show the Republican challenger with a real chance of victory in two weeks, many observers abroad are saying: Wait, what?

From Europe to China to the Middle East, perceptions of the contest have lagged behind indications that the two men are in a virtual dead heat. Obama remains widely popular abroad, and there are signs that many leaders are unprepared for a Romney presidency.

In Western Europe, few people can imagine Romney in office. In China, officials have been focused on the intrigues of their impending leadership transition, though many worry that both American candidates have been beating up on their country instead of pummeling each other. And in the Middle East, political chaos has kept many activists and officials from contemplating the election much at all.

In Europe, leaders have good reason to avoid the issue: From the Scottish Highlands to the heel of Italy, it’s Obama country all the way. One survey last month from the German Marshall Fund found Europeans breaking 75 percent for Obama and 8 percent for Romney...

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Government; Politics
KEYWORDS: china; europe; obama; romney
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To: Ronin

Well, good for them. Unfortunately, their opinion means nothing to us - the voters.


21 posted on 10/21/2012 5:34:35 PM PDT by Catsrus (Ma)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

The Europeans haven’t learned anything from their own situation, unless it’s the wish for Obama to do to us as their leaders have done to them. That would truly put us all
in the same Trans-Atlantic Titanic.


22 posted on 10/21/2012 5:36:06 PM PDT by supremedoctrine
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
To the Freepers who have wondered why Intrade is screwy...here ya go.
23 posted on 10/21/2012 5:36:34 PM PDT by JPG (Make it happen)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
many observers abroad are saying: Wait, what?

Should we call them observers if they aren't observing?
24 posted on 10/21/2012 5:38:44 PM PDT by convocation
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

My friend in the UK emailed me this week “You must be happy, it looks like your guy is going to win.” I was surprised they knew over there.


25 posted on 10/21/2012 5:43:29 PM PDT by Rytas
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
I guess they'll just have to get over it.
26 posted on 10/21/2012 5:43:29 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (Government is the religion of the psychopath.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

They were unprepared for WW1, WW2, the Cold War, the Iranian revolution, the collapse of the USSR, the financial crisis, and the Euro crisis. Go figure.


27 posted on 10/21/2012 5:59:10 PM PDT by rfp1234
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To: AlexW
I guess the Eurowennies were counting on America to become a failure as they are.

Indeed they are. Its why we MUST reduce our ties to Europe. We commited to "security" of 35+ EU countries. NATO ties us to Brussels in unacceptable ways.

28 posted on 10/21/2012 6:07:18 PM PDT by PGR88
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To: mgist

>> UNINSTALLING OBAMA.....…………….

ROFL!


29 posted on 10/21/2012 6:11:42 PM PDT by Nervous Tick ("You can ignore reality, but you can't ignore the consequences of ignoring reality.")
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Back in June, went on an Alaska cruise. Met a very socialist Brit who was confused by me: a polite thoughtful gun-carrying conservative. But one of the first political things he said to me was: “It seems pretty evident that there will be a regime change in the states in November, yes?” That was before I was quite ready to admit it out loud, so anecdotaly, I don’t see much surprise.


30 posted on 10/21/2012 6:15:08 PM PDT by wishuponastarr
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To: seekthetruth
I remember a report during the height of the Lewinsky scandal that the foreign press was overwhelmingly supportive of Clinton and unable to comprehend why Americans were giving him a hard time.

It helped that Clinton and the media successfully framed it as "all about sex" rather than about perjury and abuse of power...but probably they wouldn't have cared about perjury any more than our Democrats did.

31 posted on 10/21/2012 6:17:21 PM PDT by Verginius Rufus
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

“Obama remains widely popular abroad”

Bullcrap


32 posted on 10/21/2012 6:25:42 PM PDT by ilovesarah2012
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To: mgist

Malware, huh?


33 posted on 10/21/2012 6:33:51 PM PDT by madison10
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To: Ronin

I’m glad to hear; and I’m optimistic we’ll deliver.


34 posted on 10/21/2012 6:35:40 PM PDT by Rocko
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To: Ann Archy

“In a SANE world, it would be Romney 75, Obama 25!!!”

In a sane world, there would have never been a first term for Obama.


35 posted on 10/21/2012 6:36:01 PM PDT by Bshaw (A nefarious deceit is upon us all!)
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To: stilloftyhenight

We were in the Hill Country (in Texas) in June for a few days. Met a wonderful older couple from London who were in the U.S. for the first time. All they wanted to talk about was politics in their country and ours and how both had changed so much in the last four years. They were very well informed about the political situation here but had a little trouble understanding why one state is so different from another. I found out I knew almost nothing about their country. They would love to come to America but said it is becoming too much like their country and Europe as a whole.

One of their final questions was, “Why don’t people here realize what is happening to them?”.


36 posted on 10/21/2012 7:28:22 PM PDT by Grams A (The Sun will rise in the East in the morning and God is still on his throne.)
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