"And this assertion of the sharia's seamlessness is exactly the problem. Can the sharia be reinterpreted to fit modern times? Does it require the stoning of adulterers? Do women victims of rape have to produce four male witnesses? Even so, does that make it right?"

No, this is not the problem at all. The problem is thus: how could a nation better dismember itself than by ceasing to require that all are subject to the same Law? It defies understanding. The Archbishop is a fool, with either a pitiful need for perceived relevance, a shocking misunderstanding of history, or both.

...as if they have feet of clay... I mean, compare and contrast with either his rival for the nomination, the Republican nominee, or the current incumbent (Har har!!)

Somewhat off topic, this kind of impressive stuff has, I think, got Rupert Murdoch rather concerned... there have been a suspicious number of nasty columns and editorials in the Times of London labelling Obama a dangerous left-winger... and this for the UK market!! Must be awful to start life with ambitions to be a journalist, get hired by the grandaddy of all newspapers, and then find you're reduced to taking dictation from Rupert!!

Mr. Obama is inspirational... to me a great leader is one who changes our perceptions of possibility... for ourselves and for the world..., all of our actions are predicated on what outcome we believe is possible... in a leader we need the urging towards optimism, the renewal of precisely the message that change IS possible, that we don't need to succumb to helplessness and cynicism. That's what leadership IS... not "just trust me, and I'll do what's best for you". At the very heart of the very American and wonderful (speaking as a Brit who has made his home here) emphasis on self-help is the belief that change is possible, from a national level to an individual level... I have not heard another politician with such a purely and fabulously American message. I hope that he wins the nomination precisely so that America can at least choose between acknowledgment that ideals are really worthless windowdressing and cynicism is all, or embracing the concept that we cherish ideals not as dusty trophies of an earlier life, stuck away in an attic, but as the living, breathing DNA of the country, and of ourselves. The choice needs to be clearly delineated, and he is the only candidate who can credibly and convincingly present that choice.

Don't be distracted by the frustration of the naysayers... you'd have to be pretty obtuse not to recognize that this was a significant moment, and for those not into the idea of Obama, I'd imagine they're now a whole lot more worried about the challenge THEIR preferred candidate faces, having seen the man take a potential slip-up and turn it into possibly the strongest moment of his campaign so far. Come on people... this is not only formidable inspiration we're seeing, but formidable politics.

For maggieb, I wonder how you think you can change that which you cannot acknowledge? I loved my grandparents dearly, but they were racists. I am not defiling their memory by speaking the truth. I pray my grandchildren are more enlightened than I am, and should they be, I pray they have the courage to speak the truth about that enlightenment, even if that includes referring to their grandfather's lack thereof for illustrative purposes... hmmm... MUST put that in my will... " I hereby permit and encourage...."

As for Hillary not getting her "Free Speech", when she makes a speech this good, and manages to articulate an inspiring vision that blows everyone away, she'll get the coverage. At some point one has to ask, of the two, who so far seems to react best under pressure? Who keeps their cool and ups their game? Who inspires? Who is a leader?

...just because it really needs to be rammed home...

It seems pretty obvious that there are a fair few trolls here with an agenda of driving division as far as they can... it's very unlikely that any of these trolls are in fact genuine supporters of the Democratic Party, whoever the nominee may be... don't be fooled, people. Given the Dems' much vaunted online and netroots strength, it's obvious that this would be among the first places to divide and conquer. What could be nicer for that nice Mr. McCain than a Democratic Party helpfully fighting itself, not him.

Don't be fooled. Just ignore them. No real Democrat is going to vote for four more years of the same. On the other hand, if you were a Republican strategist, this is precisely the kind of McCain-benefiting activity you'd be carefully engineering.

Don't be fooled. It'll get worse between now and the election.

Don't be fooled.

What a cranky old dodderer he is....