The World Loves Obama: So What?

Recent polling by the BBC indicates that an awful lot of the world loves our President, Barack Obama, even as polls of Americans show that they do not believe that he is doing a good job. They also show that trust in the federal government is around 20 percent, the lowest point in ages.

The main reason for the world's perception is that they believe that the President has been more open to it, rather than go it alone as former President Bush was wont to do. Yet this cannot paint a very full picture; it isn't as though Bush didn't attempt to curry world favor but merely that world favor was generally against him. Sure, he said at times that he was acting no matter what. But isn't that what Barack Obama has done, a la health care? Yet he is seen as a leader acting like a leader, while Bush is a pariah. That's simply hypocrisy.

Especially as it is not unusual for the rest of the world to want us to do what they want us to do. They are envious of American power and stature so they want to control it. They see in our current President a pliability which they can use to their ends. It is no different than an America goes it alone attitude for Americans.

To be fair, neither attitude is particularly right or wrong on their own merit. It is the content of particular actions and ideas which make them good or bad. But as to what the rest of the family of nations feel about our President, that can be summed up in two words: so what? Americans should expect a leader who acts in their best interests. When these coincide with the best interests of others, great. When they don't, so be it. If what we're doing is right, that doesn't matter. It's only when were wrong, which has and will happen, that we need be concerned with differing opinions.

Yet openness to other views does not mean abiding by them. Listening doesn't mean we must support them. We can debate all the live long day as to where exactly those lines are marked. And we do need to be aware that we are as human as anyone else and subject to human flaws and failures. Yet so does everyone else. If the only reason you're against us is jealousy, then who is truly being shallow and inconsiderate?