President Obama told graduates of the U.S. Air Force Academy Wednesday that the coming 100 years will be a new "American century."
"I see an American Century because we have the resilience to make it through these tough economic times," Obama told graduates in remarks prepared for delivery.
The president predicts a new American century throughout the speech, tying "another great American century" to American military prowess, economic strength, and individual character.
Twice in the speech, the president mentions that America is an "exceptional" nation.
Henry Luce, the founder and publisher of Time magazine, famously coined the term "American century" to refer to the United States’ enhanced geostrategic position at the end of World War II.
Over the last decade, however, the term has come to be associated with the Project for a New American Century, a small think tank based in Washington, D.C., which advocated for an assertive foreign policy that matched American power with American ideals. The project was an early and famous supporter of the war to depose Saddam Hussein.
The chairman of the Project for the New American Century, William Kristol, was pleased to hear about the president’s speech.
"We’re giving President Obama an honorary degree from PNAC," Kristol said in a phone interview.