Republican Voters are Demoralised as the World Waits for Obama.

It's been evident all across the race for both parties to choose their presidential nominee. We've seen it in the huge crowds that turn out for Barack Obama compared with the tiny audiences that John McCain attracts. It's been evident in the relatively small number of Republicans who have turned out to vote for McCain when contrasted with the very large amount of people who voted for Obama or Clinton.

Sixty-three percent of Democrats questioned say they are either extremely or very enthusiastic about voting this year. Only 37 percent of Republicans feel the same way, and 36 percent of Republicans say they are not enthusiastic about voting.

"Republicans are far less enthusiastic about voting than Democrats are, and enthusiasm has plummeted among GOPers since the start of the year," said Keating Holland, CNN polling director. "There was already an 'enthusiasm gap' in January, when Democrats were 11 points higher than GOPers on this measure. Now, that gap has grown to 26 points."

"Bottom line: After eight years of the Bush presidency, Republicans are demoralized," said Bill Schneider, CNN senior political analyst.

Bush has kicked the Republicans to the ground. He was supposed to be one of their own but he ran the country oblivious to public opinion and has left many Republicans unable to defend him or Republicanism. His personal popularity - and the amount of people, of any political persuasion, who think the country is moving in the right direction - are both at an historic low.

Then there's the fact that the Republicans have chosen John McCain as their candidate; a man who promises more of the same failed Bush policies and isn't extreme enough to please the rabid Republican base.

It's really not a very good year for their party so I can understand why many of them have simply lost interest in this years election.

One of their own has badly let them down, and his successor is promising more of the same failed policies. What's to get excited about there?

In the battle for Congress, 54 percent of those questioned say they would vote for the Democrat in their congressional district, with 44 percent saying they'd vote for the Republican candidate.

"Democrats lead Republicans by 10 points in the congressional vote. At this point in 2006, the Democratic lead was seven points. Democrats went on to win a landslide in 2006," Schneider said.

It all looks good, at this point, for an Obama landslide.

Which is good news for the rest of the world who, according to a new study by the nonpartisan Pew Research Center, are all wanting to see Barack Obama made the new American president.

People around the globe widely expect the next American president to improve the country's policies toward the rest of the world, especially if Barack Obama is elected, yet they retain a persistently poor image of the U.S., according to a poll released Thursday.

Andrew Kohut, president of Pew, said many seem to be hoping the U.S. role in the world will improve with the departure of President Bush, who remains profoundly unpopular almost everywhere.

"People think the U.S. wants to run the world," said Kohut. "It's not more complicated than that."

Bush's presidency has been an unqualified disaster, certainly in terms of how the US is viewed by the rest of the world. I have never known anti-Americanism to be as prevalent in Europe as it has been during the arrogant times of Bush and Cheney. It says a lot that Bush is coming to London this weekend and that Downing Street are playing it down to such an extent that one would be forgiven for not even knowing that he is here.

However, even though they are refusing to release any itinerary for the visit for fear of public outrage, they have nevertheless tried to ban any protest near parliament.

Protesters need permission to march near parliament and the police have told the campaigners that their march will not be allowed.

A Stop the War spokesman said: "It seems that when George Bush visits this country, traditional rights of assembly and movement are removed from the people.

"This would be unacceptable for the visit of any foreign leader, but for this one - a war criminal - it is doubly unacceptable and we will defy the ban."

Even though Bush is a lame duck President, his actions have been so despicable that he continues to encounter loathing and disapprobation wherever he goes.

With McCain offering more of the same, it's no wonder that the Republicans feel disheartened.

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Tags: Republicans, Democrats, US election 2008, McCain, Obama, Bush