Most Europeans know the US better, and have a better grasp of its politics and even which states is which, than the majority of Americans who can't even name their own Vice President.

And this is not some pop culture instilled notion, but my empirical observations on the ground. Heck, I've talked with too many people who didn't even know the major cities in their own state, 100 miles away from their town, or major parts of its own history, and might as well never even left their county...