Call it U.S. exceptionalism or a deep distrust of government. Whatever it is, Americans have demonstrated a historical preference for divided government as a check against one-party dominance. But nobody had ever expected a U.S. election with a hairline split and as much divisiveness as the one that just ended. With a vote margin of 0.01 percent, Texas Gov. George W. Bush beat Al Gore in Florida, in the House of Representatives the Republicans have a five seat margin, and the Senate is split right down the middle between Republicans and Democrats.

And despite efforts of Bush and Gore to present a conciliatory tone in their late evening speeches, the pundits are predicting that this choice for divided government could end in stalemate, political gridlock and a weakened presidency. Overall, the media groan, this was a lose-lose election for everyone and a dismal way to begin the 21st century.

But wait. What about foreign policy and all those countries, like Japan, that take delight in a weakened or at least less hegemonic America? The U.S. ambassador to Japan, Thomas Foley, tried to speak to this issue in Washington on Nov. 20 when he suggested that no matter who the next president was, American policy toward Japan would not "produce a radical shift in relations."