Referring to the gloomy mood in some quarters in America caused by incessant reports about the rise of China and India and "perhaps the coming of somebody else`s century," Rice took a swipe at the ancient legacy the two countries invoked, saying "I`m optimistic because in America it does not have to matter where you came from. It only has to matter where you want to go." She could also have been referring to a country built on immigrant enterprise.