Obama has what it takes to be one of the most inspiring President of all time. He's the real deal.

>Jesus|Freak

They may be some sort of attempt at a political trick, but I have faith that like most of the Clintons' political tricks, it will backfire.

The truth is that Obama's connections to the Muslim world are one of his major assets. As Americans begin to understand and accept this reality, things could change very quickly. Its a big change, but not that big, after all.

If Bob Kerry's statement, whatever the motivation, helps move things along, then we can only be thankful for it.

While endorsing Hillary Clinton, former Nebraska Senator Bob Kerrey had this to say about Barack Obama: "I like the fact that his name is Barack Hussein Obama, and that his father was a Muslim and that his paternal grandmother is a Muslim. There's a ...

And the "Hussein" isn't important for those who have already become violent extremists, but for the hundreds of millions of moderates and conservatives who haven't. There is no realistic way we can influence the extremists directly, only through the moderates and conservatives, so their support is crucial.

Kerry is right. He's feathering his bed in case Obama IS nominated. He may still run for our Nebraska Senate seat vacated by Chuck Hagel.

That was very disappointing commentary by James. It seems true that the extreme right has infected the thinking of a far larger swath of people than their own numbers would imply.

The reflexive association of Muslims with terroists is precisely what the extremists amongst us try to push. Kerrey was clearly referring to the billion or so Muslims who are not terrorists - not the thousands who are.

The "hearts and minds" campaign is aimed at these good people - will the terrorists succeed in convincing them that the West is their absolute enemy, such that the terrorists should be viewed as the true and noble protectors of Islam, even if they have to get their hands dirty doing so? Or are the terrorists going to fail - and the Muslims of the world find their way to a prosperous coexistence with the rest of humanity, keeping what is of value of their culture, but also finding ways to live in mututal repect with the West?

Having a president with a Muslim middle name, and some familial ties to Islam is not, in and of itself going to accomplish all that much. But it certainly would be a remarkable blow to any notion that the West is necessarily and inherintly hostile to Muslims. Every Muslim named Hussein, or who has a relative named Hussein (which probably covers most of them) will have living breathing proof, on a day to day basis for 8 years, of what is possible for someone who might be at least a little bit like them, in the West.

Kerrey is right.

FIGHTING TERRORISM....Former Nebraska Senator Bob Kerrey, asked about Barack Obama yesterday, said: "I like the fact that his name is Barack Hussein Obama, and that his father was a Muslim and that his paternal grandmother is a Muslim. There's a......

Indeed, the idea that religious nuts who are willing to murder thousands of Americans would think “Hey, they elected a guy with a Muslim middle name! They must be okay!” is absurd.

Is it always necessary to go to the extremes? For many on the right, to mention Muslims in one breath means you must automatically mention religious nuts or Islamic terrorists with the other.

If the serious problem that exists between the west and the middle east is ever to have any hope of a resolution, mindless comments like the one above need to be banished from our thinking.

Of course the terrorists can't be reached, but like a vast majority of Americans, a vast majority of Muslims wish also to live out there lives in peace. Are they to be ignored? Is this a useless fact? Is endless war the only answer the right can offer?

And yes, Americans named 'Osama' are going to get grief for many, many years to come.