What a difference an election makes! After eight years of George Bush cowboy wars and embarrassing stupidity, during which the United States suffered a great decline in global opinion; America is back again on the top of the list of most admired nations.

Barack Obama in a word (or two). Prior to November 4, 2008, the United States had developed an image as a belligerent country consistently thumbing its nose at the world. The election of a black man of Kenyan, Muslim heritage named Barack Hussein Obama was a reminder to the world that America is not George Bush, but, rather, a nation where all is possible and more.

Barack Obama single-handily changed the image of his country and sparked a euphoria for the United States not seen since Kennedy. That is why the new Nation Brand Index (NBI) survey published annual by GFK Roper Public Affairs & Media is surprising but unexpected.

The United States rose from number 7 to number 1 to be the most admired nation in the world in a polling conducted in 20 rich and developed countries involving some 20,000 people.

France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Japan rounded the top five in a survey that asked respondents to rank nations on culture, governance, people, exports, tourism, landscape and education.

China recorded a major improvement in public image landing the on the 22nd spot this year in a fact most likely due to the successful hosting of the Beijing Olympics.

At the end of the list, Columbia and Kenya tied for 47th due most likely to the image of drug violence and the deadly riots that followed recent elections respectively. Angola, another not-too-long-ago war torn nation, came in 49th while Iran, whose authoritarian regime brutally repressed protests after a disputed election this summer, came in last at 50.