The obstacle is not one of personnel. But the times are different. In those days, Europe instinctively followed America's lead. Soviet leaders wanted help and approval from the United States. At the same time, the ideological and institutional disagreements within the administration will be strong.
Republican conservatives seek more assertive policies in dealing with North Korea, Iraq and China.
The new president will have to be not only skillful but also extremely lucky to match that sort of harmony. You will not be charged to look for stories, only to retrieve one.