President Bush destroyed the world's confidence in United States leadership. By 2008, the last year of his presidency, only 34% of people in other countries approved of leadership in the United States -- ranking us fourth among the economic giants (Germany 42%, European Union 40%, and China 37%).
President Obama has restored the confidence in American leadership. The United States is currently ranked first -- U.S. 45%, Germany 43%, European Union 39%, China 30%, and Russia 24%. This is where we want to be ranked -- with the world having more confidence in our leader than in the leaders of the other countries.
The top chart reflects the results of the Gallup Poll questioning at least 1,000 residents of 132 other countries. The bottom chart shows the results of a YouGov Poll done last April in 19 other countries around the world. I doubt these feelings have changed, especially with all the revelations about Donald Trump.
The YouGov Poll shows that only one nation would prefer Donald Trump be elected president of the United States -- Russia, who has been trying to affect our election through hacking. All the other nations want Hillary Clinton to be elected president. To be frank, they are as scared of a Trump presidency as most Americans are.
Electing "the Donald" would destroy confidence in American leadership, maybe even putting it lower than it was under George W. Bush. This would make the world a much more dangerous place -- for Americans and everyone else.
