World prefers Kerry, poll finds by Reuters 11:35am 8th Sep, 2004   September 11, 2004    The world wants George Bush out of the White House, according to a poll that shows people in 30 of 35 countries preferred the Democratic candidate, John Kerry.    Senator Kerry was particularly favoured among traditionally strong US allies and beat the President by 46 per cent to 20 per cent, the survey by GlobeScan, an international research firm, and the University of Maryland found.    The survey of attitudes around the world contrasts with US polls that show the US electorate closely divided and that Mr Bush has been gaining momentum since the Republican convention in New York.    The US-led invasion of Iraq last year over the objections of many governments, including allies, was the first US pre-emptive war.    Senator Kerry has said he will pursue stronger international alliances if he wins the presidency.    Steven Kull, director of the university's program on international policy attitudes, said: "Only one in five wants to see Bush re-elected. Though he is not as well known, Kerry would win handily if the people of the world were to elect the US president."    The only countries where Mr Bush was preferred in the poll of 34,330 people, conducted mainly in July and August, were the Philippines, Nigeria and Poland. India and Thailand were divided. Asked how Mr Bush's foreign policy had affected their feelings towards the US, a majority of respondents in 30 countries said it made them feel worse about the US, while in three countries more respondents said they felt better.    A separate survey of 11,000 people in the US and 10 European countries,sponsored by the German Marshall Fund, echoes other recent surveys showing a continuing decline in the US image abroad.But it reveals a widening gap over how the US should conduct foreign and military policy.
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