"One of the reasons why the international stage is so important (in this campaign) is there's a sense of real doubt in the rest of the world about America," said Steve Clemons, a foreign policy blogger who writes "The Washington Note" and a policy analyst with the New America Foundation, a D.C. think tank.

Despite their differences over Iraq, Clemons said, both Obama and McCain want to prove to U.S. voters that they would represent a break with Bush style and doctrine and "restore America's prestige and credibility in the world."

One way to do that is to show voters at home that they have credibility abroad.

"I see this dynamic . . . where they're almost trying to reach those foreign audiences. I think that's something new," Clemons said. "You've got to sell the international audience to make yourself look credible."

That political need, along with the globalizing effects of the Web, has created a more visible role for foreign opinion, foreign leaders and foreign media in the U.S. election.

Public opinion has clearly favored Obama abroad, polls show, bolstering his argument that he could help change America's image overseas.

Elite opinion abroad is harder to measure and appears more mixed in many countries.

"When I was in China the last two weeks, my general sense was they want McCain's economic policy and Obama's foreign policy," said Clemons, alluding to McCain's staunch support for global trade agreements, which puts him closer to many foreign governments than Obama is on that issue... LINK