Obama Ipsum

There are patriots who opposed the war in Iraq and there are patriots who supported the war in Iraq. It came about as a choice, and not an epiphany. These people are a part of me. Understanding this reality requires a reminder of how we arrived at this point. Not just with words, but with deeds - by investing in our schools and our communities; by enforcing our civil rights laws and ensuring fairness in our criminal justice system; by providing this generation with ladders of opportunity that were unavailable for previous generations. That does not mean we should ignore sources of tension.

And it's a testament to what we can achieve when good people with strong convictions stand up for their beliefs. I don't fit the typical pedigree, and I haven't spent my career in the halls of Washington. Given our interdependence, any world order that elevates one nation or group of people over another will inevitably fail.

In the end, that's what this election is about. And that's to be expected.

We cannot ignore that we have a right and a duty to protect our borders. Let us be our brother's keeper, Scripture tells us. And we are here because we love this country too much to let the next four years look like the last eight. So I've got news for you, John McCain. That experience guides my conviction that partnership between America and Islam must be based on what Islam is, not what it isn't. Indeed, none of us should tolerate these extremists.

But kneeling beneath that cross on the South Side, I felt I heard God's spirit beckoning me. You're on your own. Because one of the things that we have to change in our politics is the idea that people cannot disagree without challenging each other's character and patriotism. We all put our country first. Let me also address the issue of Iraq. And I want to particularly say this to young people of every faith, in every country - you, more than anyone, have the ability to remake this world.

Thank you, God Bless you, and God Bless the United States of America.