New York Times reacts to Obama's speach

There are moments — increasingly rare in risk-abhorrent modern campaigns — when politicians are called upon to bare their fundamental beliefs. In the best of these moments, the speaker does not just salve the current political wound, but also illuminates larger, troubling issues that the nation is wrestling with.

Mr. Obama had to address race and religion, the two most toxic subjects in politics. He was as powerful and frank as Mitt Romney was weak and calculating earlier this year in his attempt to persuade the religious right that his Mormonism is Christian enough for them.

What is evident, though, is that he not only cleared the air over a particular controversy — he raised the discussion to a higher plane. (NYT)

That last line is it - that is what this is all about. Keep it up out there Barack.