AMERICANS JOIN THE REST OF THE WORLD IN RATING BUSH THE TOP VILLAIN OF 2006

I travel a lot. I'm not quite in the Travelers' Century Club (68 out of the 100 needed), but since 1969 I've been all over Europe (where I lived for over 4 years), Asia (I spent 2 years driving from London to India and back), Africa and Latin America. I've never experienced the degree of contempt for our country's leadership that exists everywhere for the Bush Regime. No matter where I went in the world, especially in the past 4 years, people have expressed nothing but fear and loathing for Bush and his cronies. Even in remote villages in Turkey people would manage to say "America good, Bush bad."

Only in the most backward regions of America, in places steeped in bigotry, paranoia, hatred and sheer ignorance and religionist intolerance-- you know, like in Texas and Alabama and Utah-- did I see any sympathy whatsoever for Bush and his policies. Somehow, because of support in these areas, he has managed to stay above the 30% mark in his approval rating.

Yesterday, though, the Associated Press conducted a poll that shows Americans view Bush as a bigger villain-- the world's worst-- than Osama Bin Laden, Saddam Hussein, Iran's Ahmadinejad, Kim Jong II, Donald Rumsfeld and Satan combined. 25% of respondents voted for Bush as the Villain of the Year. (A paltry 13% saw him as Hero of the Year, more than voted for Jesus, Oprah, Bono, Barack Obama or Angelina Jolie.) 43% of Democrats chose Bush as Villain of the Year and 27% of Republicans picked Bush as their Hero.

As far as the "culture wars" plaguing Americans, the three worst-faring celebrities, in terms of their suitability as role models, are shallow Republican airheads Britney Spears, Paris Hilton and Mel Gibson.
(Thanks to John Amato from Crooks & Liars for the classic graphic.)


UPDATE: HANG HIM?

I'm happy enough to see Saddam hang. It sets a good precident that exceptionally bad political leaders pay the ultimate price for their crimes. I might add that a helluva lot of Americans seem to think Bush is a helluva lot worse than Saddam. Does that mean they'd support hanging him too? I'm not even advocating a kangaroo court for Bush, like he gave Saddam. Bush should have a fair trial before he's hung.