World Poll: Obama more Likely to 'do the right thing' Than McCain

Just another reason to vote for Obama and not McCain. The world is sick of the warmongering of Bush, and his Republican would be successor:

The matchup between John McCain and Barack Obama is close in nationwide surveys in the USA, but around the world it's no contest: Obama prevails.

A survey of 24 nations taken by the Pew Global Attitudes Project finds high levels of interest in the U.S. presidential election and broad optimism that American foreign policy "will change for the better" after the inauguration of a new president next year.

In all but three nations, those polled express more faith in Obama than in McCain to "do the right thing regarding world affairs." They were essentially tied in the USA. In Pakistan and Jordan, neither inspires much confidence.

"Obama obviously has an appeal that has crossed the waters," says Andrew Kohut, who directs the Pew project. "Some of it may have to do with his being associated with opposition to the war in Iraq, which is consistent with views of people around the world. Some of it may have to do with his charismatic qualities and the fact that he's different than the typical American presidential candidate."

Among the findings:
•Interest is high. Japanese are even more likely than Americans to say they are following the election closely. At least of half of those surveyed in Germany, Australia, Jordan and Britain say they are paying attention. In most of the nations surveyed, a third or more are tuning in.

However, the countries where people are paying the least attention include Indonesia, where Obama spent four years as a child. Just 15% of Indonesians say they're following the election closely.

•Optimism about a new president is broad. About two-thirds of those surveyed in France, Spain, Germany, Nigeria, South Africa and Tanzania predict U.S. foreign policy will improve after the inauguration. In 20 nations, more say U.S. foreign policy will change for the better than for the worse.

Supreme Court: Terror Suspects at Guantanamo Bay Can be Tried in Civilian Courts

This is a historic decision that will be debated for months and years to come. It is also a major defeat for Bush and the neocons:

Foreign terrorism suspects held at the Guantánamo Bay naval base in Cuba have constitutional rights to challenge their detention there in United States courts, the Supreme Court ruled, 5 to 4, on Thursday in a historic decision on the balance between personal liberties and national security.

“The laws and Constitution are designed to survive, and remain in force, in extraordinary times,” Justice Anthony M. Kennedy wrote for the court.

The ruling came in the latest battle between the executive branch, Congress and the courts over how to cope with dangers to the country in the post-9/11 world. Although there have been enough rulings addressing that issue to confuse all but the most diligent scholars, this latest decision, in Boumediene v. Bush, No. 06-1195, may be studied for years to come.

The justices rejected the administration’s argument that the individual protections provided by the Detainee Treatment Act of 2005 and the Military Commissions Act of 2006 were more than adequate.

“The costs of delay can no longer be borne by those who are held in custody,” Justice Kennedy wrote, assuming the pivotal rule that some court-watchers had foreseen.

Joining Justice Kennedy’s opinion were Justices John Paul Stevens, Stephen G. Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and David H. Souter.

The dissenters were Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justices Samuel A. Alito Jr., Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas, generally considered the conservative wing on the tribunal.

The 2006 Military Commission Act stripped the federal courts of jurisdiction to hear habeas corpus petitions filed by detainees challenging the bases for their confinement. That law was upheld by the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in February 2007.

China Hacks Computers of U.S. Congressmen

This is very serious. It is a breach that threatens the lives of human rights activists within China, not to mention American national security:

China on Thursday dismissed accusations from two United States lawmakers that it had hacked their office computers as alarmist and unfounded.

U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf, a Virginia Republican, said his office computers had been compromised in August 2006 and that he was told by the FBI and other officials the source of the attack was inside China.

Rep. Christopher Smith, who sits on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said his computer had also been attacked from China.

[...]Wolf said the computers that were targeted contained sensitive information about human rights in China, while Smith, a New Jersey Republican, said he had "every reason to believe" the Chinese government was to blame.

NY Landmarks for Sale to Foreigners, Including Flatiron and Chrysler Buildings

This is another example of America being sold out. It's a disgrace:

Is another New York landmark being sold to foreign investors?

The New York Post reported Wednesday that the Abu Dhabi Investment Council, a fund based in the United Arab Emirates, is in negotiations on an $800 million deal to buy a 75 percent stake in Manhattan's Chrysler Building. The report was based on information from unnamed sources.

Potential players in the deal weren't talking Wednesday. Theresa Miller, a spokeswoman for Prudential Real Estate Investors -- which owns a 75 percent stake in the building -- declined to comment on whether a sale was in the works.

The Post had reported that the Atlanta-based company TMW was the prospective seller, but Miller said TMW had been fully integrated into Prudential since the latter bought TMW several years ago.

An attempt to reach Abu Dhabi Investment Council was unsuccessful. Real estate company Tischman Speyer, which owns the remaining 25 percent stake in the building, declined to comment.

It's the second time this week that news has broken of a foreign buyer investing big-time in a prominent New York address. Time magazine reported on Tuesday that Sorgente Group, the company led by Italian real estate investor Valter Mainetti, has acquired a majority share of Manhattan's famed Flatiron Building, a historic structure known for its triangular shape.

Polls: Obama Beating McCain Among Women

McCain has a big problem on his hands. All this nonsense about Obama not winning workers, women, or hispanics is backed up by the evidence. In fact, Obama beats McCain in many categories of voters. The Republicans base of support seems to be dwindling:

Barack Obama has moved into double-digit leads over Republican John McCain in two new polls of women voters, suggesting he is drawing support from women who once backed Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Obama led McCain 51%-38% in Gallup polling of 2,263 registered female voters June 5-9. The 13-percentage-point lead among women was up from 5 points the previous week, before the Democratic nomination ended. Obama now matches Clinton's performance against McCain, Gallup said Wednesday.

The Gallup results mirrored Obama's 52%-39% lead among women in a Rasmussen Reports poll of 3,000 likely voters June 8-10. The polls' margins of error are +/— 2 to 3 percentage points. Clinton on June 4 signaled her intent to withdraw and officially suspended her campaign Saturday. Some of her supporters said they would never vote for Obama, and one man, Ed Hale, started a website for former Clinton supporters now backing McCain.

[...]Obama's gender advantage is larger than Democratic nominee John Kerry's 51%-48% showing against President Bush in the 2004 general election. But it is similar to a Gallup Poll in June of that year showing Kerry with 54% support from women to 39% for Bush.

Strategist Mark Mellman, who polled for Kerry and was neutral this year, said attacks on Kerry helped erode his standing — but his greater problem was that the "underlying fundamentals" of the race favored Bush. This year, he said, they "point pretty strongly to Democrats and Obama."

Mellman said he is not surprised to see women starting to coalesce behind Obama. Some Clinton supporters are angry, he said, including some members of his extended family. "There are such people," he said. "But they seem to be a distinct minority and over time they will be a shrinking minority."