passion for compassion

Thrilled today to attend the first National Conference for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, and to see and hear President Bush in person, speaking passionately about his desire for compassion and helping people in need, and doing that through faith-based groups, who have been often discriminated against by federal funding. The AP wire carried the report, with an audio sound bite online (and it has since been propagated to many newspapers over the course of the day). What struck me about the speech was his desire and passion to help people, regardless of whether one agrees or disagrees with his policies domestic or foreign, and even to pull an Executive Order to release a small portion of federal monies so faith-based organizations can have equal access, when this initiative has no (or very little) political value for him. And if he is not re-elected, this whole FBCI thing will go down the tubes, and no other politicians will revisit it ever again. The AP wire article poignantly turned on the phrase, “Democrats renewed their opposition.” Why does it all have to be so political?!

[update: full transcript of remarks now at White House website, with video and audio]