The gathering at Mr. Neely's apartment was one of the first tests of that ambition, as thousands of supporters simultaneously threw open their doors to strangers they had met through his Web site, along with friends and relatives, to watch Mr. Obama in a live Webcast from Iowa.
But as this series goes along, the test of its ambition will be whether it lets other strands of history that are harder to illustrate — religious thought, scientific inquiry — have an equal place.
Now Mr Rudd wants to go further, building up Australia's ties in East Asia and working more through multilateral institutions, while seeking to be a partner of, not a deputy to, America.The first test of that ambition will come in Afghanistan.
Scottish Greens co-convenor Patrick Harvie said the response of the Scottish government to the report would be a "test of their ambition for a fairer Scotland".
The test of her ambition begins Tuesday, when the new incarnation of Catalina's, on Sunset Boulevard just down the street from the ArcLight Cinemas, has its official opening night.
For China, the disaster has become a test of its ambitions as a global and regional steward of the seas, especially at a time when it is reinforcing its territorial claims, including disputed territories with Japan in these waters.
These crises nonetheless amount to an important test of Britain's ambition to be an active, collaborative, medium-sized Western power, which its leaders are flunking.The Foreign Office is underfunded and demoralised.
But the 1992-93 "Zoo TV" tour was the most graphic test of U2's ambition and daring.
They set an appropriate level of ambition.
Followed closely by lack of ambition.
