Restoring America's reputation

Even among those who disagree on every other aspect of this election -- from those who find Barack Obama dangerously inexperienced to those who see John McCain as frighteningly irresponsible, from those who can't stand Joe Biden's grin to those who can't abide Sarah Palin's wink -- there is a common hope. Partisans of all types can realistically imagine that the next administration will improve this nation's standing in the world, if only because the last eight years have seen it decline to a degree unknown in modern times. From the bottom, there's nowhere to go but up.

October 18, 2008