This is Leadership

Steve Benen at The Washington Monthly has an excellent discussion on the impact of President Obama's speech at Notre Dame on Saturday. You should read it. He points out that leadership does not mean avoiding those who disagree with you, nor does it means demonizing them; it means going to them and speaking with them respectfully, using kind words. President Obama makes a regular practice of this, and Notre Dame was a beautiful example of it. Steve quotes Fr. Jenkins,

"Others might have avoided this venue for that reason. But President Obama is not someone who stops talking to those who differ with him."

For me, the most powerful thing said by the President was,

Remember, too, that the ultimate irony of faith is that it necessarily admits doubt. It’s the belief in things not seen. (...) And this doubt should not push us away from our faith. But it should humble us.
It should temper our passions, cause us to be wary of too much self-righteousness.