"The World Wants Kerry."

For president. That's what the Beeb says.

It sounds like he's running for the wrong office. He should be gunning for Kofi's job. It's certainly one to which he's more temperamentally suited.

Did the Beeb survey Iraqis, Afghans, citizens of former Communist countries, and other foreign beneficiaries of American military and/or diplomatic "unilateralism?" Did the Beeb poll South Vietnamese, whose cause for independence Kerry fought against when he co-founded VVAW?

That should read "whose cause for continued independence..."

Fascinating what different reactions "advanced Western" countries have to problems with domestic Islamist crazies (France, U.K., etc.) compared to those of the citizens of countries which are neither (i.e., Nigeria, Thailand, the Philippines and - effectively - India). The former are afraid of getting splashed because George Bush has chosen to stir the pot. The latter apparently just wish he'd use a bigger spoon.

India is an interesting case too. Combatting

Oops! Must have hit some magic key by mistake. The tail end of that last should read:

India is an interesting case too. Combatting Islamists rings an obvious bell with Hindus weary of sectarian atrocities in their own country, but I suppose the fact Bush has leaned heavily on Musharaf to make nice and settle the Kashmir quagmire counts for something too. My guess is if Bush wasn't quite so outspoken in naming Pakistan as an "ally," he'd probably poll a slight plurality instead of a near-miss.