So America's narrative, which has waxed for so long, is now waning in its universal appeal. Witness the decline of America's image abroad. In the most recent Pew Research Center poll, favorable opinion of the United States has fallen in most of the 14 countries surveyed, dropping dramatically in Europe, India, and Indonesia, but especially in the Middle East. The main provocation is the war in Iraq. It made anti-Americanism respectable again and crystallized long-standing grievances over American environmental policy and perceived support for globalization, multinational corporations, the death penalty, and friendly authoritarian governments around the world.

These perceptions are badly skewed. They fail to do justice to what is so wonderful about the United States: its individualism, its embrace of diversity, its opportunities for freedom, the welcome it extends to newcomers, and the uniqueness of an entrepreneurial, pragmatic society that is dramatically open to energy and talent. No other country provides the environment for self-help, self-improvement, and self-renovation. No other country possesses our unique mood of buoyancy, optimism, and confidence for the future.

How we portray ourselves positively (while not ignoring the warts) is a challenge to our creative talents--and to all of us.