And finally…

In case you hadn’t heard, Sen. Orrin Hatch (r-UT) is a tool.

Everyone reading this blog knows that since George W. Bush ascended to his perch in the Oval office the world standing of the United States has taken a beating.

Everyone can see it, except apparently for Hatch.

Appearing on Fox “News” earlier in the week Hatch denied that America’s standing in the world had fallen under Bush and insisted that world opinion of the US is as strong as it ever was and instead labeled other countries feelings of malaise towards us as “jealousy.”

Said Hatch; “There’s a lot of jealousy of the United States, especially in Europe, and France in particular and some of the other nations as well. So naturally they’re constantly poking holes at the United States. […] Yeah there’s some irritation with the United States but mainly it’s because we’re so powerful and strong militarily and economically and otherwise.”

I’m sorry, what? It has nothing to do with jealousy you pompous ass… it’s frustration, frustration with the absurdity of a George Bush presidency… and one only needs to take a glance at a handful of polls for verification and support.

A 2007 Pew study not only found that the level of distrust of the US has greatly “intensified across the world” but that feelings of anti-Americanism have intensified since 2002.

Another poll, this one done by Readers Digest earlier this year, polled residents of 16 countries and out of those, only five reported higher percentages of people that label themselves “pro-American government” with a majority labeling themselves as “anti-American government.”

And just in case you need more, another study was done more recently that gives the best documentation of just how much damage the Bush presidency has done to world opinion of the United States… easily seen in this handy-dandy graph we borrowed from The Guardian:

We all know Hatch is trying to shill for McCain now, but trying to put a positive spin on this is like putting $150,000 worth of designer clothes on a pitbull.

It may make it look more attractive, but in the end it still has a brain the size of a peanut…