It is wonderful to see Michael Phelps do what he has in Olympic competition. Eight gold medals in eight tries-once by the tips of his fingers. It's certainly something to be proud of, especially now. It's that kind of gutsy American confidence that has made this country so successful in its short history. This country won't be applying for sainthood anytime soon, but so much of what has been accomplished here has been done so with a purity of passion, intelligence and a can-do attitude. Look at all the medicinal progress originating out of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, for example. How about Michael Debakey? Debakey was one of the greatest physicians in the country and an inventor, too. Debakey, who passed away this summer, helped develop Dacron grafts used in heart-bypass surgery among dozens of other innovations. And what about Atlantic Records producer Jerry Wexler, who died last week? Would we have known about "The Genius" Ray Charles or "The Queen of Soul" Aretha Franklin had not Wexler and partner, Ahmet Ertegun, brought their amazing talents to American radio?Sure, these days we've got the overexposure of pretty people doing nothing, the kind of constant exposure that makes you think this country is heading off a cliff. But when you think of all the meaningful things people in this country do every day, even as basic as making sure your family has food and shelter, it instills pride and even more so, confidence that, when we really want to, we Americans can do great things.[[In-content Ad]]
