Visiting my daughter Laura in San Francisco, I'm determined to get my finger on the pulse. So reading over breakfast that Puneet Talwar, assistant secretary of state for political and military affairs and liaison with the Dept of Defense, is speaking to the Commonwealth Club is an opportunity not to be missed. Laura rings the venue, a hotel in the business district, and registers me. I'm not on the list when I get there but, having given my my name again, I'm admitted to a rather grand reception room with cameras and lighting all in place, the event will be broadcast. The room gets about half full with maybe 120 people, some enjoying a free glass of wine. Most look well heeled, some are post graduate students.
The president of the club, a retired general, welcomes us and introduces Puneet Talwar, formerly an adviser to Biden and much else, specialising in the Middle East. Talwar quickly sketches an overview of American foreign policy, unashamedly emphasising the importance of US dominance. He quotes Teddy Roosevelt on the unavoidability of American leadership. He speaks firmly, a carefully trained delivery, a straightforward presentation of the liberal superpower imperialist in the increasingly challenging twenty first century.
Very non partisan, always speaking from the standpoint of the White House, he progresses like a Cook's tour of the world's trouble spots, starting with the Middle East and an apology that discussions with Iran are at such a delicate stage he can't talk about them. He's telling the truth here, the preliminary deal on Iran's nuclear programme is announced just two days later.
Speaking with a very hard edge, he describes how ISIL (Islamic State) is being dealt with. We get a detailed military hit list: how many air strikes, what targets. It's a narrative of clear progress: while ISIL isn't beaten, 'the allure of the caliphate is shattered'. I think, that isn't how it looks in Britain where young Islamists are still making their way to Syria. Some of what he says is valid. He correctly challenges simplistic 'Sunni v Shia' analyses: there are other dimensions such as ethnicity.
There is a need to confront the enemy ISIL ideologically but "those that go in that direction will have to be dealt with". Egypt has not been certified as "moving towards democracy" but is still being helped in accordance with the legality laid down by Congress under a budget line for "security".
There are slips on our seats for questions but the friendly moderator politely generalises with people have written so the reply can be in similarly general terms and there is no danger of being put in an awkward spot. So Talwar's talk of 'our values' is of a general commitment to freedom and democracy and there's no possibility of a challenge about Chelsea Manning, Edward Snowden or Guantanamo. His responsibility being for international security with a budget of $6bn, it's interesting that he's spent the earlier part of the day with Twitter.
He claims the strength of the US is in its values but his talk is mainly about how the big stick is being used. It is hard not to conclude that the US today hasn't shifted from when President Teddy Roosevelt said 'Talk softly and carry a big stick and you'll go far'.
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