February 4th, 2010:

Obama Takes On Birthers, Uganda Anti-Gay Law At Prayer Breakfast (VIDEO)

Speaking Thursday morning at the National Prayer Breakfast, a conciliatory President Barack Obama urged attendees to bypass grievances in their efforts to push forward morally and socially responsible policy.

The message of the week is: overcome differences and adopt a tone of civility in politics and governance. Although the message may not be penetrating the thick skills of the right-wing opposition, it is having its impact on the citizenry of the US. Obama met with the National Prayer Breakfast using another hostile crowd, an event that is sponsored by the mostly right-wing Family located on C Street, to debunk some of the outlandish claims against him and to reinforce his ideas that politics as usual can change.

“Civility also requires relearning how to disagree without being disagreeable,” Obama declared before a standing-room-only crowd. “[C]ivility is not a sign of weakness. Now I am the first to confess I am not always right. Michelle will testify to that. But surely, you can question my policies without questioning my faith. Or for that matter, my citizenship.”

One, he’s not a Muslim, and two, he is a citizen of the United States. He is asking here for an honest debate of policy and to set aside the muckraking actions by tea-baggers to dig up something that will somehow render the election illegal, or somehow demonize his faith. The sooner they realize that he is legitimate the sooner we can be about the business of uniting the country under common sense goals, not conspiracy theories.

Beyond President Obama’s quest for civility, something we all expect in an adult conversation, is his desire to lessen the great divide that has been hammered into our politics during the last decade and beyond. He is not looking to gain something that will broaden his political power or base, but rather something that this country so desperately needs. President Obama sees that this country is headed in the wrong direction politically. He understands that the United States is headed toward a divisiveness not seen since the civil war unless we change the political discourse. He understands the urgency of change. We must, too.

President Obama’s remarks, Part 1:

Part 2:

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