Who Would the World Elect?

Here is a Presidential poll open to anyone in the world. Vote totals are broken down by country. While Ron Paul is in the lead so far, if you take away U.S. votes (which are most of them) Barack Obama seems to be the world's choice. Paul is clearly #2 almost everywhere, and no other candidate is even remotely close. If Hillary's totals are any indication, the world is not hoping to return to the "good old days" under the Clintons.

This does suggest that of non-Americans who follow American politics over the Internet, Ron Paul is well-known. It seems a significant segment of the world is no longer looking for the U.S. to "lead," but would rather the U.S. mind its own business. Obama's popularity is also an indication that the rest of the world - that is, the real and potential victims of U.S. foreign policy - is ready for a fresh face and a new start.

It is still perplexing that of all the candidates, Ron Paul - a supposedly marginal candidate with negligible support - dominates the online and post-debate polls. If Paul's supporters "spam" such polls (an allegation often made but always unfounded), why aren't other candidate's supporters doing the same? If just 20% of "major" candidate supporters are as internet-savvy and enthusiastic about their guy as are Paul's, then Paul should be left in the dust. He is not.

Clearly, Paul's support is larger than what the traditional media's polls indicate. And clearly, it is smaller than what Internet polls would also suggest. Where it is exactly, it seems nobody knows.