Tone Deaf: Obama's Mosque

The New York Times tells the story.

WASHINGTON — President Obama delivered a strong defense on Friday night of a proposed Muslim community center and mosque near ground zero in Manhattan, using a White House dinner celebrating Ramadan to proclaim that “as a citizen, and as president, I believe that Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as anyone else in this country.”

“I understand the emotions that this issue engenders. Ground zero is, indeed, hallowed ground,” the president said in remarks prepared for the annual White House iftar, the sunset meal breaking the day’s fast.

But, he continued: “This is America, and our commitment to religious freedom must be unshakable. The principle that people of all faiths are welcome in this country, and will not be treated differently by their government, is essential to who we are.”

In hosting the iftar, Mr. Obama was following a White House tradition that, while sporadic, dates to Thomas Jefferson, who held a sunset dinner for the first Muslim ambassador to the United States. President George W. Bush hosted iftars annually.

Aides to Mr. Obama say privately that he has always felt strongly about the proposed community center and mosque, but the White House did not want to weigh in until local authorities made a decision on the proposal, planned for two blocks from the site of the Sept. 11 attack on the World Trade Center.

It's difficult to imagine any US President as utterly tone-deaf to his country as Barack Obama. It's like he's from another planet, or some other country, or some other dimension, place and time.

He's been willing to use the safety of Arizona's citizens to try to get John Kyl to vote his way on immigration. He just leaves a big bunch of the border open to the criminals until Arizona knuckles under. He's been willing to let the entire Gulf Coast twist in the wind until He gets the energy bill He thinks He deserves.

So, a simple question: If he's willing to do that, why wouldn't he be willing to propose a deal with the Saudis, to wit:

1. You get to have your mosque near Ground Zero. But you have to engrave in marble on the face of your mosque, in English, a condemnation of the murderers who attacked on 9/11. Consign them to whatever Perdition you think bad Muslims go to.

2. You allow and actively support the building of a large Catholic church near the largest mosque in Riyadh, and you absolutely guarantee the safety of the clergy, staff and parishoners. You declare that religious freedom and full equality for women are the new law of the Kingdom, and you enforce it. When the Pope shows up to say Mass in Riyadh, you can open your new mosque in lower Manhattan.

3. You denounce all persecutions of Christians and Jews within Islamic environs, and you open diplomatic and trade relations with Israel and the Vatican to prove you mean it. That gets you a building permit.

Shoot-fahr, Bubbah! It's The Chicago Way to horse-trade, ain't it?

Why, a President would damn-near have to be some sort of closet Muslim himself not to pick up the phone and tell Hizzoner Bloomberg this is one of the worst ideas in American history. Or he'd have to be a narcissist, tone-deaf and blind, totally unable to identify with the feelings and sensibilities of anyone except Himself. Completely out of touch with the nation he lives in, which he serves as Head of State.

Just about every Democrat member of Congress and Senate, governors, and Democrat pols down to dog-catcher have pictures of themselves arm-in-arm, smiling sweetly with The One.

Now, all their opposition has to do is publish them, alongside the news that The One actively supports The Mosque At Ground Zero.