In 2001, before George W. Bush set out on his first European visit as president, a group of senior American diplomats sent him an open letter. They pointed out to the president, who, as Texas Governor, had a reputation for presiding over a record number of executions, that he should be aware that nations in the European Union viewed the United States as an international outlier. The practice of capital punishment, they warned, damaged the international reputation of the United States. It provided a negative example of American exceptionalism. It is conceivable that one reason the United States stands apart from most other modern nations in the practice of capital punishment is found in the tradition of American exceptionalism. The notion that the United States enjoys a unique role in the world is not new. It has long been a theme in American political discourse. Numerous observers and scholars have attempted to identify the nature of the differences that may set the United States apart as well and to explain the roots of these differences. Often a discussion of this exceptionalism has involved an exploration of positive American characteristics such as a commitment to democratic forms of government. Others have framed the question in terms of the lack of a genuine political left in the United States. However, one might also argue that its sense of distinctiveness has a bearing on the current US willingness to stand outside the international community on matters such as human rights and capital punishment.