For the past 8 years, when I have travelled outside of the US, people have treated me differently. I have gotten this feeling that they understand that it wasn’t me that put Bush in the White House, but nonetheless, how could that have happened? On some level, they got it. Germany certainly has had their share of bad decisions. France periodically has had a clunker of a President. And really, Mexico doesn’t have much room to talk.
But they also are not the sole remaining superpower. Our burden is greater. The expectations are higher.
I saw Queen Noor this morning on MSNBC. She made the point that the rest of the world is again marvelling at our ability to reinvent ourselves. They are watching us and wishing for us to succeed again. We have taken the first step in redeeming ourselves in the eyes of the world. They want us to lead.
They want us to lead the way in renewable energy. They want us to lead in environmental preservation. They want us to lead a new economic boom. They want us to lead in real freedom. They want us to lead by example.
The bar is set high, but if we can get past our need to waste as much as we want, be as negligent as we want, be as ignorant as we want and get past our fear of being attacked by others, we can and will lead again. And when America takes the lead, America thrives. Even in these dark days of economic turmoil, this is what gives me hope.