Bill Clinton from his interview with Chris Cuomo, was predictably laudatory of the Obama administration, I mean, what else is he going to say? But one statement caught my attention

Its worth reminding people that everyone who bet against America in the last 230 years has lost money. Its a mistake to bet against the country in the long-run.

Nice point, but an easy one to gloss over. What does he mean by America?

Nothing is more effective than socialism that killing the human spirit. It penalizes ambition (except political ambition), effort and excellence, celebrates mediocrity and encourages whining. This isn't theoretic for me--I've seen it with my own eyes--all over the world.

The absolutely oddest thing about the U.S. is this: failure is an option. In fact, as a culture, we don't trust people who have moved from grace to grace (like someone recently elected to high office). This country celebrates humble origins and the hardening that comes from dealing with failure. There used to be, on the I-15 going through Salt Lake City, a large billboard with a picture of Abraham Lincoln and the caption, "Failed, failed, failed and then..."

Its a celebration of possibility and redemption and its a culture that creates extremely mentally tough people. The people who can endure loss and failure and still keep trying are forces to be reckoned with. They are endowed with wisdom and courage far beyond anyone's genetic endowment. They will fight beyond all conventional reason because it is unconventional wisdom that is attuned to reality--it ain't over, until its over. I have little doubt that Abraham Lincoln persevered because of the lessons he learned from his failures.

Failure is no stranger in other countries, but the attitudes towards it are so very different. It is feared beyond almost anything else. Failure is a disqualification, not a resume enhancer and people that can't fail, can't face the prospect with the courage they need to conquer.