Obama calls for a new American revolution

And in emphasising the nation's innovative qualities, he was reaffirming what has always been America's strength; what has carried it to where it is today and what will, he believes ensure it will continue to be a world leader in the future.

History is on his side. At the time of its formation the US was an almost totally agrarian society, dependent on its primary industry to produce the food for itself and other raw materials, notably cotton, for export.

With the Industrial Revolution it reinvented itself to become a manufacturing giant which had overtaken the initial European leaders by the early years of the last century and then, when countries like Japan and South Korea began to make manufactured products cheaper than it could match, it produced Silicone Valley and led the dot com revolution.

Obama clearly believes that there is another revolution coming and his country can lead it – in medicines to combat the new diseases of old age; technologies to meet the challenges of climate change; products now hardly imaginable which will be the 'must haves' of the 2030s, 40s and beyond.

In calling for easier access to education from pre-school onwards and for a new commitment to upgrade the nation's ageing and inadequate infrastructure, Obama is preparing his nation to ride this revolution. His message is one of hope coupled with a fierce belief that a strong and influential America will be around throughout this so-called Asian Century.

He might have ended with a quote from another 60s politician, former Vice President Hubert Humphrey:

The good old days were never that good…The good new days are today, and better days are coming tomorrow. Our greatest songs are still unsung.