Tag: world leaders
Mike Pompeo

WATCH: Pompeo Backs Trump’s Attempt To Steal Election

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Tuesday that there would indeed be a peaceful transition in the coming days — but only to a second Donald Trump term.

"There will be a smooth transition — to a second Trump administration," Pompeo said, when asked by reporters if the current White House occupant would allow for a peaceful transfer of power following President-elect Joe Biden's election win. "Right, we're ready. The world is watching what's taking place. We're gonna count all the votes, [and] when the process is complete, there'll be electors selected."

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G7

Measuring Trump’s Pandemic Malfeasance By Comparison With Other World Leaders

Reprinted with permission from DailyKos

Donald Trump's response to handling COVID-19 is the worst in the world. The United States both tops the charts in the number of cases, and before Trump can claim that this is because there's "too much testing," it worth noting that the U.S. also beats all comers when it comes to deaths. With the U.S. sadly set to cross the 200,000 deaths line in the coming week, it's far ahead of even Brazil, where would-be Trump Jair Bolsonaro has done seeming everything possible to spread the disease.

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Obama In Calls To Rutte, Abbott Over MH17 Crash Site

Obama In Calls To Rutte, Abbott Over MH17 Crash Site

Washington (AFP) — U.S. President Barack Obama joined with the leaders of Australia and the Netherlands to demand full access to the crash site of flight MH17.

Speaking in telephone calls with Australia Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte, the leaders agreed to work for a full investigation into the shooting down of the Malaysia Airlines jet last week.

Obama and Abbott agreed that a “prompt, full, unimpeded, and transparent international investigation is an imperative,” a White House statement said.

“They expressed their resolve to push for full, immediate, and secure access for international investigators to the crash site.”

In a separate call with Rutte, Obama offered his condolences to the Dutch victims of the disaster.

“The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to assure that the crash site is properly secured, that all remains are found and returned home, and that a full, transparent, and unhindered international investigation can proceed,” the White House said.

Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 was shot down with 298 people on board a week ago over rebel-held territory in eastern Ukraine in as-yet unexplained circumstances.

AFP Photo / Jewel Samad

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POLL: Obama Still Most Popular World Leader

POLL: Obama Still Most Popular World Leader

Though his popularity is down from its peak in 2009, President Obama remains the world’s most popular leader among the world’s citizens as the G20 gathers for a summit in Russia, according to Pew Research.

“Only Angela Merkel comes close to the breadth of Obama’s popularity,” writes Pew’s Andrew Kohut. However, Obama inspired more confidence than the German chancellor in seven out of eight major German countries polled last year.

Confidence in Obama’s international policies has declined in every country that was polled in 2009 and again during the beginning of his second term — except in Israel.

In Egypt, confidence has declined 16 percent as the U.S. government has been blasted by both supporters of ousted president Mohammed Morsi and the current military government.

Obama’s personal appeal is more responsible for his popularity than his policies.

“A global median of 54 percent across the 39 countries surveyed by Pew Research in 2013 express confidence in Obama to do the right thing in world affairs, while just 47 percent approve of his international policies,” Kohut notes. “The gap between people’s trust in the American president and their support for his policies is particularly large in Canada (+16 percentage points) and some Western European nations, such as Britain (+11).”

President’s Obama’s median popularity of 42 percent is more than double that of G20 summit host Vladimir Putin’s 19 percent. The only country where Putin inspires more confidence than Obama is China.

Both abroad and at home, Obama’s popularity seems much higher when compared to other politicians. The Real Clear Politicsaverage of polls shows his approval at 44 percent and disapproval at nearly 51 percent. Congress, however, has a 15.5 percent approval rating and 76 percent disapproval rating.

Much of Obama’s popularity can be credited to the fact that he’s not George W. Bush. Kohut called the gap between the current and former president as “yawning.”

This comparison remains President Obama’s greatest advantage.

Photo: AFP via Brendan Smialowski