The politics of American exceptionalism

You're going to hear a lot about "American Exceptionalism" as the 2016 campaign warms up.

In a recent column, David Brooks noted it has become a "rallying cry" for Republican candidates.

"Even more than normal, Republicans seem to want their candidate for president to be drenched in the red, white and blue," he wrote.

How do American voters really perceive this idea of a country that stands above all others? Do candidates say it because Americans want to believe it?

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