Rummy blowing smoke big-time

Yesterday, on CNN’s Sunday talk show "State of the Union," ex-Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld showed us again why he is as hollow as a rotten tooth cavity.

When asked if he thought the world now viewed the U.S. more positively under President Obama’s leadership, Rumsfeld said, “No, and I don't think there's data that supports that. I think he has made a practice of trying to apologize for America. I personally am proud of America.”

In one fell swoop, Rumsfeld repeated a wingnut falsehood and then insulted a sitting president. We can dispense with the slur that Obama is obsequious since the notion is preposterous on its face.

As for America’s revived popularity under Obama, let me count the ways. And let’s start with this reminder of where things stood at the height of the Bush presidency. In Feb. 2007, a BBC World Service poll of 25 nations found that only 29% viewed the U.S. positively – a precipitous drop from 40% in 2005. Put another way, 71% of the world thought we sucked.

Then Obama happened. Behold the sea change:

Oct-2009 (Nation Brand Index poll): Found the U.S. to be the “most admired country in the world.” Main reason cited: Obama. Feb-2010 (Gallup-Meridian Global poll): 51% of the world approved of Obama’s job performance, up from 34% in 2008 when Bush led. Dec-2010 (Gallup EU poll): Obama, 50% approval compared to Bush’s 19% in his last year of office. Feb-2011 (Gallup poll): 52% of Americans say foreign leaders respect Obama (a figure higher than what Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton rated during most of their terms). Plus the world thinks Americans are the most attractive looking people on the planet to boot, according to a just released British survey. Heartthrob Obama probably has something to do with that, too. By any measure, the contrast to Team Bush is striking and obvious.

So, yeah, Rummy, the data you swore did not exist says Obama (and by extension, America) is way more popular on the world stage than your guy ever was. Given his astonishing inability to see reality or facts, is it now becoming clearer why Team Bush invaded Iraq to destroy WMDs that never existed on the fabricated advice of a defector named Curveball? As my British friends would put it, America never stood a chance with this crew of wankers at the helm.