Partisan divisions aside, all must agree that the president inaugurated in January will have to deal with unprecedented problems that affect not just our nation but the entire globe.

Every American agrees, I hope, that real leadership is required, at home and abroad. Yet for the past few years, international opinion of the world?s most powerful nation has declined, in some nations to the point of hatred. We need to restore our leadership role, but that is impossible with collective self-righteousness and stubbornness disguised as “looking out for our own interests.”

The two past presidential terms have taught us ?hard power? is not everything. Indeed, the world has witnessed the most powerful and wealthiest nation in history stumble because of its reliance on force.

In one sense, the damage is done. America is undoubtedly weaker than it was ten years ago, and trust in the United States will never be fully restored. However, it is still possible for our nation to salvage the credibility we still have.

Bipartisan agreements on many things will play a key role in this transformation, from the economy to foreign policy. Left-leaning Americans (including myself) have tended to focus on John McCain?s supposed opposition to diplomacy and overall support for George W. Bush?s policies. Those on the Right have tended to focus on Barack Obama?s supposed lack of experience, as well as his allegedly frequent ?flip-flops.?

Yet, whatever one?s political affiliations, all should agree that finger pointing might help a candidate win an election. We can blame a set of ideologies for an economic free-fall, foreign policy blunder or terrorist attack. This is, however, never very successful in terms of helping those affected. We need real action to help them.

America must repair its battered image without appearing diplomatically weak, fix its economy so that all benefit and unite without silencing dissent.

Citizens of the United States may disagree on who can bring this much-needed change to our country, but at least we can work together to show that ?change? is not a partisan word.