the right vs. the left on american exceptionalism

read this. it's a really good article. i personally believe that obama is the first President of the United States to not believe in american exceptionalism, but you can judge for yourself.

"Oates, as is true of the far left generally, dislikes much of what America has traditionally stood for — individual political and economic freedom to make one's own choices. The left prefers collective decision-making through government. Indeed, it is the singular importance of the individual in this country that is at the very heart of American exceptionalism, so it is not surprising that the left doesn't like the idea.

President Obama doesn't go as far as the anti-American left. Asked about American exceptionalism, he responded with a clever dodge —saying that "I believe in American exceptionalism, just as I suspect that the Brits believe in British exceptionalism and the Greeks believe in Greek exceptionalism." In other words, to Obama, American exceptionalism is nothing more than casual chauvinism."

http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2010/07/04/2010-07-04_bring_back_the_old_glory_its_time_to_rescue_the_idea_that_america_is_exceptional.html