World

Obama: the first post-American president

by Shimshon | July 4, 2009 at 06:25 am

174 views | 17 Recommendations | 7 comments

Obama is the first post-American President. Central to his worldview is rejecting American exceptionalism and the consequences that flow therefrom. Since an overwhelming majority of the world's population would welcome the demise of American exceptionalism, they are delighted with Obama.

One student interviewed after an Obama town hall meeting during his first presidential trip to Europe said ecstatically, "He sounds like a European." Indeed he does.

Of course, as a successful politician, Obama is never going to admit expressly that he rejects a unique US role in the world. Asked during his trip about this very subject, Obama responded, "I believe in American exceptionalism, just as I suspect that the Brits believe in British exceptionalism and the Greeks believe in Greek exceptionalism." This answer, of course, proves precisely the opposite of what Obama is ostensibly saying. If every country is exceptional, none is. Obama is too smart not to know this and just slick enough to hope that US listeners would tune out after his first phrase.

It fell to an admiring media commentator to lift the cover more fully, and indeed unknowingly since he intended a compliment. Following Obama's D-Day 65th anniversary speech, Newsweek editor Evan Thomas contrasted him with Ronald Reagan in 1984:

"Well, we were the good guys in 1984, it felt that way. It hasn't felt that way in recent years. So Obama's had, really, a different task....Reagan was all about America....Obama is ‘we are above that now'. We're not just parochial, we're not just chauvinistic, we're not just provincial. We stand for something. I mean in a way Obama's standing above the country, above — above the world, he's sort of God...He's going to bring all different sides together."

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sara star

at 07:31 on July 4th, 2009

Well at the least he isn't so arrogant, and shows understanding and respect to other peoples.

Shimshon

at 07:39 on July 4th, 2009

I think it is more a sign naivety. Just see how the Iranian President is reacting to his overture!

ProphetPX (not verified)

at 07:42 on July 4th, 2009

Obama worship makes me SICK!
Good article though :-\

amyjudd

at 08:30 on July 4th, 2009

Thanks for your post here. Do you know about our highlight tool? We ask all our members to use it to cross post if the material already appears on another site. If you have any questions, just let me know.

Rory Cripps

at 11:13 on July 4th, 2009

I sure hope that President Obama brings all different sides together, but I doubt if anyone can accomplish that. There's an awful lot of crazies out there running various countries throughout the world. Just to make eye contact with them, let alone attempt to bring them together, is probably not a wise thing to do. If President Obama is really a "European", then we'll all know within the next few years. It's entirely up to the American voter to make the determination as to whether or not America remains America.

sara star

at 11:41 on July 4th, 2009

What is this "European" vs "American"?

Are we not from the same species (homo sapiens) existing on this planet? We may have individual preferences, but we all have the same basic needs, and we want a peaceful existence with our loved ones. We have more in common than not.

Why does it have to be "them against us" - or "we do it better".... This is the mentality that causes war in the first place.

How about just honoring each other, like Obama seems to be trying to do?

Rory Cripps

at 12:22 on July 4th, 2009

According to the above story a student in Europe said that, "He [President Obama] sounds like a European." I, myself, don't know what that means exactly, but what I gather from the above story is that "Europeans" have a different view from Americans. Other than those people from the old country that lived in my hometown when I was a kid (most of them were from Germany and Italy) I haven't come across any "Europeans" that I recall. And I, myself, the provincial that I am, have never been to Europe. Therefore I rely upon other's information in regard to "Europeans". I'm with you 100% sara star . . . I'd like nothing better than for all of us to get along.