I agree with your examples of American popularity, but in my experience talking to foreigners and following the news and reading commentators I trust, America's image has suffered in much of the world, largely due to the Eurotrash elite, the non-Euro elite, the global news media, and perhaps most importantly, envy, reinforced by specific incidents of boorishness or some such when folks overseas get to meet an American firsthand. I think of the business rule of thumb, where a positive experience will be retold ~3 times and a negative ~30 times.
"Yet to see us frequently stub our fingers on the international business or political stage is deeply troubling. We can do better. We should do better."
I disagree with you on this one. I like the fact that she left whatever specifics she may have been thinking of OUT of the speech, leaving it to the graduates to form their own opinion. Remember, Clinton's admin was noted for its arrogance and GWB ran in 2000 promising a more humble foreign policy, a humility I think they've shown though shockingly the media doesn't see it that way.
"Yet to see us frequently stub our fingers on the international business or political stage is deeply troubling. We can do better. We should do better."
I think that we can agree that she is not talking about billybob's administration. She is speaking in the present tense.
"I agree with your examples of American popularity, but in my experience talking to foreigners and following the news and reading commentators I trust, America's image has suffered in much of the world, largely due to the Eurotrash elite, the non-Euro elite, the global news media, and perhaps most importantly, envy, reinforced by specific incidents of boorishness or some such when folks overseas get to meet an American firsthand. I think of the business rule of thumb, where a positive experience will be retold ~3 times and a negative ~30 times."
If you read the American msm you'd get the same view although you know it's not true. I've also talked to many soldiers, aid workers and missionaries. These views are not widespread. If you read the quotes from the speech she is not saying that they are the views of the foreign elite but the world.