HOLY SMOKE OVER HOLY GROUND – AT 8:58 P.M. ET:   More and more, President Obama resembles a Japanese kamikaze pilot who can't wait to get into the plane. Last night he made a strong, completely unsolicited defense of the mosque at Ground Zero...while speaking to a Muslim group at the White House. 

Today the president backed off a bit, saying that, well, he really wasn't endorsing the mosque, just the right of its sponsors to build it where they want to build it.

That doesn't wash.  Obama has created a new mess.   

There has been the predictable uproar.  The position of those who oppose the mosque, 70% of Americans according to surveys, was well summed up by Sarah Palin:

Mr. President, should they or should they not build a mosque steps away from where radical Islamists killed 3000 people?

Please tell us your position.

We all know that they have the right to do it, but should they? And, no, this is not above your pay grade.

If those who wish to build this Ground Zero mosque are sincerely interested in encouraging positive "cross-cultural engagement" and dialogue to show a moderate and tolerant face of Islam, then why haven't they recognized that the decision to build a mosque at this particular location is doing just the opposite?

There hasn't been any polling since last night's presidential declaration to determine whether this latest trip to kamikaze land has further damaged Mr. Obama's standing. 

Urgent Agenda's spirited reader, our resident cheerleader and a founding subscriber, adds her blunt and telling comment:

Barack seems to be saying all religions are created equally.  So where the hell was he at the National Prayer Breakfast?

Yeah, really.

August 14, 2010