--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: America has long stood before the world…" description: "\"America has long stood before the world as an exceptional country.\" — Sheldon Whitehouse" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00e/sheldon-whitehouse-3144_america_america-has-long-stood-before-the-world_2300377.png" --- # America has long stood before the world as an exceptional… ![“America has long stood before the world as an exceptional country.” quote by Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00e/sheldon-whitehouse-3144_america_america-has-long-stood-before-the-world_2300377.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00e/sheldon-whitehouse-3144_america_america-has-long-stood-before-the-world_2300377.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00e/sheldon-whitehouse-3144_america_america-has-long-stood-before-the-world_2300377.png) > “America has long stood before the world as an exceptional country.” [Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. America has historically presented itself as an exceptional nation on the world stage. **In simple terms:** America claims unique global role. Key Takeaway Examine claims of national uniqueness. Themes political theory history national identity Mood critical thoughtful Type analytical political When to use this quote - educational curricula - policy debates - media analysis Key Concepts international relations public policy Questions to Reflect On - What defines a nation's exceptionalism? - How does this view affect foreign policy? A Different Perspective Exceptionalism can ignore systemic issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Patriotism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriotism/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [I've been fortunate enough to travel to 58 different countries and I thank God everyday that I was born in this country. The most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/i-ve-been-fortunate-enough-to-travel-to-58-different-countries-and-i/) [Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/) > [ First of all, what we \[in USA\] need to understand is the middle class is what makes us different and exceptional. Every country has… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/first-of-all-what-we-in-usa-need-to-understand-is-the-middle-class-is/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [America still is an exceptional country. We love to lead and we love to win. And we do it, when we take on any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeb-bush/america-still-is-an-exceptional-country-we-love-to-lead-and-we-love/) [Jeb Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeb-bush/) > [I think, in America, for a long time you had groups that wanted to be stars more than they wanted to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/i-think-in-america-for-a-long-time-you-had-groups-that-wanted-to-be/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [When Germany and England and America will long have lost their present identity or purpose, we shall still be strong in ours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-samuel/when-germany-and-england-and-america-will-long-have-lost-their/) [Maurice Samuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-samuel/) > [America is one long expectoration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/america-is-one-long-expectoration/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Despite our best efforts and our highest hopes, America's long struggle with race is far from finished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/despite-our-best-efforts-and-our-highest-hopes-america-s-long/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [How are we to write The Russian novel in America As long as life goes so unterribly?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/how-are-we-to-write-the-russian-novel-in-america-as-long-as-life-goes/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [Hunger has been a struggle in America for a long time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/weston-mckennie/hunger-has-been-a-struggle-in-america-for-a-long-time/) [Weston McKennie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/weston-mckennie/) > [In America, we have long stood by the principle that the protections of the law are not meant just for some.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-maloney/in-america-we-have-long-stood-by-the-principle-that-the-protections/) [Carolyn Maloney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-maloney/) > [“So is America over? A long time ago we "lost" China, we've lost Southeast Asia, we've lost South America. Maybe we'll lose the Middle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/so-is-america-over-a-long-time-ago-we-lost-china-we-ve-lost-southeast/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“The history of whiteness in America is one long scroll of affirmative action.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eric-dyson/the-history-of-whiteness-in-america-is-one-long-scroll-of-affirmative/) [Michael Eric Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eric-dyson/) > [America has long been the land of immigrants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-mcmorris-rodgers/america-has-long-been-the-land-of-immigrants/) [Cathy McMorris Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-mcmorris-rodgers/) > [If all countries are exceptional, the word loses its meaning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-craig-roberts/if-all-countries-are-exceptional-the-word-loses-its-meaning/) [Paul Craig Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-craig-roberts/) > [Affirming belief that America is an exceptional nation has become a test of patriotism in American politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ignatieff/affirming-belief-that-america-is-an-exceptional-nation-has-become-a/) [Michael Ignatieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ignatieff/) ## More by Sheldon Whitehouse > [How arrogant - how very far from humility - would be the self-satisfied, smug assurance that God, a tidy-up-after-us God will come and clean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/how-arrogant-how-very-far-from-humility-would-be-the-self-satisfied/) [Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/) > [Muzzling our leading scientists benefits no one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/muzzling-our-leading-scientists-benefits-no-one/) [Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/) > [Make your life your work, not your talk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/make-your-life-your-work-not-your-talk/) [Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/) > [Citizens United is a disgrace of a decision, holding that corporate money is corporate speech and entitled to the same First Amendment protection as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/citizens-united-is-a-disgrace-of-a-decision-holding-that-corporate/) [Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/) > [We must unequivocally reject any cuts to Social Security or Medicare benefits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/we-must-unequivocally-reject-any-cuts-to-social-security-or-medicare/) [Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/) > [Implementing the so-called 'Buffett Rule' would restore some badly needed fairness to our tax system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/implementing-the-so-called-buffett-rule-would-restore-some-badly/) [Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/) > [To be clear, I don't know whether the fossil fuel industry and its allies engaged in the same kind of racketeering activity as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/to-be-clear-i-don-t-know-whether-the-fossil-fuel-industry-and-its/) [Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/) > [The fossil fuel industry has taken control of, and powered up, architecture and methods originally built by the tobacco industry and others to attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/the-fossil-fuel-industry-has-taken-control-of-and-powered-up/) [Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/) > [Getting past the influence of the fossil fuel industry will take courage, especially on the part of the Republican majority whom they so relentlessly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/getting-past-the-influence-of-the-fossil-fuel-industry-will-take/) [Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/) > [We have seen the big loan servicers drag their feet in the Obama administration's well-intentioned mortgage modification program.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/we-have-seen-the-big-loan-servicers-drag-their-feet-in-the-obama/) [Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/) > [We are here to do God's work. He's not here to do ours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/we-are-here-to-do-god-s-work-he-s-not-here-to-do-ours/) [Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/) > [Talking to my Senate Republican colleagues about climate change is like talking to prisoners about escaping. The conversations are often private, even furtive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/talking-to-my-senate-republican-colleagues-about-climate-change-is/) [Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/) > [If everyone on the Court always voted for the prosecution against the defendant, for the corporation against the plaintiffs, and for the government against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/if-everyone-on-the-court-always-voted-for-the-prosecution-against-the/) [Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/) > [These core principles - helping patients, preventing medical errors, promoting best practices and improving quality - are the reasons that health IT is featured…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/these-core-principles-helping-patients-preventing-medical-errors/) [Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/) > [The Heartland Institute is about as biased as they come, and it's funded by the likes of Exxon and the Koch brothers. This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/the-heartland-institute-is-about-as-biased-as-they-come-and-it-s/) [Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/) [Explore all 138 Sheldon Whitehouse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "America has long stood before the world as an exceptional country.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sheldon Whitehouse" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/america-has-long-stood-before-the-world-as-an-exceptional-country/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "America" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/america-has-long-stood-before-the-world-as-an-exceptional-country/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00e/sheldon-whitehouse-3144_america_america-has-long-stood-before-the-world_2300377.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00e/sheldon-whitehouse-3144_america_america-has-long-stood-before-the-world_2300377.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00e/sheldon-whitehouse-3144_america_america-has-long-stood-before-the-world_2300377.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“America has long stood before the world as an exceptional country.” — Sheldon Whitehouse", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Sheldon Whitehouse", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "America has long stood before the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/america-has-long-stood-before-the-world-as-an-exceptional-country/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/america-has-long-stood-before-the-world-as-an-exceptional-country/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```