Opinion: Barack Obama dominates in new poll -- of folks who can’t vote here

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This is the way matters have been going of late for Barack Obama. New poll numbers are in that give him an overwhelming advantage over John McCain -- and it will help him not one whit.

Indeed, Republicans will probably figure out a way to spin the results against him.

The BBC World Service poll gauged attitudes toward the U.S. presidential race in 22 other countries -- and found Obama the preference in every one, in many cases by overwhelming margins.

Obama’s best showing was in Kenya -- his father’s home country. There, a whopping 87% supported him, whereas 5% backed McCain.

Italy emerged as his second hotbed of support; Obama was favored there over McCain, 76% to 12%.

The Democrat’s overseas trip this summer that included stops in France, Germany and Britain may have sparked taunts from the GOP, but it paid off in this poll. In each of those countries, support for Obama swamped McCain’s showing.

The findings for America’s two closest neighbors? Canada: Obama 66%, McCain, 14%. Mexico: Obama 54%, McCain 16%.

The race was closest in India, where the figures were Obama 24%, McCain 15%. As those figures indicate, a large number of India’s citizens did not care to make a pick between the two candidates -- an attitude that was even more pronounced in ...

... Russia. There, fully 75% did not express a preference; among those who did, the findings were Obama 18%, McCain 7%.

Overall, among the 22,000 foreigners interviewed, Obama was backed by 49% and McCain by 12%, with the rest of the respondents taking a pass.

The survey also found that in 17 of the 22 nations, the most common view is that with Obama in the White House, ‘America’s relations with the rest of the world are likely to get better.’ Under a President McCain, in 19 of the countries the prevailing opinion is that ‘relations will stay about the same as they are now.’

-- Don Frederick