I think my colleague Pete has a point here, but I'd still that liberals should think twice before trying to reimagine history so that Obama was as much an American exceptionalist as Ike. (Or any other pre-1992 Republican.) I mean, at some point, that's just risible. /1
In fact, I cannot imagine Obama or the Democrats back in '08 saying: "Barack Obama: Just as committed to American exceptionalism as Ike!" The whole POINT was that Obama was a global citizen, who loved America but did not see it as having a special right or claim to lead. /2
Moreover, there is no evidence in policy that Obama believed it. Sure, he said it. But his policies were to reduce U.S. influence and leadership *everywhere*, from NATO to Asia, and especially in the Middle East, where he clearly saw the U.S. as a baleful presence. /3
Indeed, Obama was so committed to the idea of America as a toxic presence in the ME that he engineered a nuclear deal that was less about nukes and more about removing America from the region, even if it meant granting more Iranian (and Russian) influence. /4
I get it that in the shadow of Trump, everyone looks better. But "Obama was just as much an American exceptionalist as Ike" - ask Central America about Ike's view of exceptionalism, btw - is the kind of dumb claim that liberals will want to think twice before making. /5x
