America has a legacy that has been hugely impactful on making democracy better.

But we're no longer the leader on this.

What is striking is actually how well the institutions of democracy in America have performed.

Hey everybody, I'm John Don Van and this is Intelligent Squared US and today a debate about

reputation and not the reputation of a person and individual. The reputation of the United States

of America. After January 6th, that appalling assault by American citizens against literally

the very seat of American Democratic government, the US Capitol. Where does America's reputation

stand as of today? As a model of democracy to the rest of the world? Has that reputation survived?

Was it there to begin with? Was it exaggerated? And can it be taken away by one president and

civilians on a rampage? I have two guests with me, two debaters, who will examine these questions

from what we know going in will be competing points of view. I want to welcome Corey Shachy,

currently at AEI, who has a distinguished career in government spanning the defense department

and the state department and the White House and also Brian Klass, a political scientist and host

of the Power Corrupts podcast. Corey and Brian, thank you so much for joining us at Intelligent Squared.

It's a pleasure. Thanks for having me. Before we get started, I want to ask you a very short

series of yes-no questions, a little bit of a questionnaire, just to stake out the ground,

we'll be covering and to find out early on where you agree and where you disagree. Just a yes or

no to these four questions. You can elaborate on them later on. The first one comes just from a

historical perspective. Here it is. Has the US, not now, but at any time in the past, been seen

outside its borders as a beacon of democracy that inspires imitation. Corey. Yes. And Brian. Yes.

Okay. Two yeses on that one. Now a couple of questions in the Does It Really Matter category.

The first one, is it in the interest of the American people for the United States to be seen

...