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“It’s not a precondition to say he’ll only do it to advance our interests,” said Obama foreign policy adviser Denis McDonough.
McDonough said Obama has never promised to meet with Iran’s leaders. He’s simply said that he is willing to meet with Iran’s leaders. “And the key word there is willing. The idea that some have suggested is that he has promised a meeting. That is not the case and never was the case. He argued then as he argued today that he is willing to meet as it advances our interests.”
But take another look at what Obama said during last July’s Democratic debate sponsored by CNN and Youtube. The question is clear, and so is his response:
QUESTION: “Would you be willing to meet separately, without precondition, during the first year of your administration, with the leaders of Iran, Syria, Venezuela, Cuba and North Korea?”
OBAMA: “I would. And the reason is this: The notion that somehow not talking to countries is punishment to them — which has been the guiding diplomatic principle of this administration — is ridiculous. Ronald Reagan constantly spoke to the Soviet Union at a time when he called them an evil empire. He understood that we may not trust them, and they may pose an extraordinary danger to this country, but we had the obligation to find areas where we can potentially move forward. And I think that it is a disgrace that we have not spoken to them.”

abcnews.go.com

WASHINGTON, June 4 (Xinhua) — U.S. President GeorgeW. Bush met with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert at the White House Wednesdayupon the latter is being forced by domestic political rivals to resign overgraft allegations.
The summit meeting, which occurred at a time whenU.S. officials acknowledged the uncertainty about Olmert’s future, demonstrates,among others, the Israeli premier’s determination to rebuff calls that he mustleave office over allegations that he took envelopes stuffed with cash from aJewish-American businessman.
Apart from the show of Olmert’s determination toremain in office, Bush’s latest meeting with the Israeli prime minister, which,the White House claimed, was not scheduled days before its occurrence, is alsoseen as sending a message that Washington remains expecting Olmert to hold onbefore the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks makes any possible progress beforeBush leaves the White House in January 2008.
It has been noticed that while Olmert, 62, is facinga chorus at home for resignation because of political scandals, Bush called theIsraeli premier an “honest man”, and welcomed him to be back to Washington.
However, Bush’s affirmation about Olmert’spersonality does not cover up an emerging difference between the two. Inresponse to questions about the unprecedented political pressure against Olmert,White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said on Tuesday that President Bush isfocusing on “the big picture” — the Middle East peace process rather than theembattled Olmert’s future.
“Our focus hasn’t been on that, I know that there hasbeen a lot of attention, especially in the Israeli press and some internationalpress, about Israeli politics,” Perino said of Olmert’s difficult situation.
“But President Bush has to keep his focus on the bigpicture, and so he is not spending a lot of time worried about that, he isfocused on how do we get the Palestinian state defined before the end of theyear,” She noted.
Local mass media quoted an unidentified Israeliofficial as reporting that the White House “was certain” last week that Olmertwould not visit Washington due to political charges against him.

news.xinhuanet.com

The survey found nearly half of Catholics ages 18 to 29 are Hispanic, and Mindy Ysasi and her fiance, Rafael Castanon, fit that pattern, representing what may be a promising future for the Catholic Church. She considered leaving the Catholic Church when she went to college, since her parents weren’t telling her she had to go anymore.
That changed after she graduated from Grand Valley State University, began her career and started thinking about marriage, family and religion. Today, she and Castanon faithfully attend St. Andrew’s Cathedral.
“The church is like family, and family is held in the highest regard in the Latino community,” said Ysasi, 27, a human resources generalist for Cascade Engineering. “It just takes you through all of these phases of your life and supports you.”
Raised in a spirit-filled Assembly of God church in California, Catherine Ristola Bass said she and her husband, Andrew, tried more than 20 churches before settling on First Reformed in Holland. When she came to Calvin College in 1985, she had no idea of the area’s strong Dutch Reformed heritage.
“There are many aspects of Pentecostalism that I love and miss,” said Bass, 40. “But as far as a general approach to the world, I found I was more comfortable in Reformed (churches).”
Sridhar Sundaram, on the other hand, never considered leaving the Hindu faith of his India childhood. The survey found Hindus retained the most childhood members of any faith at 84 percent.
Sundaram credits the breathing room Hinduism allows for differences.
“We try to live the life in following Hindu principles as opposed to strict guidelines we have to follow,” said Sundaram, 45, chairman of the finance department at GVSU. “I feel even if I disagree that I don’t have to leave the religion.”
Jackie Bess left not only the Baptist church of her upbringing but organized religion altogether. She considers herself “very spiritual” but does not attend any place of worship.
“I believe instead of going to an institution or a church, spirituality is all around us,” said Bess, 46, co-owner of the Spirit Dreams spiritual boutique in Eastown. “It’s about living that every day.”
Changing faith and leaving it are part of a culture where affiliation with institutions, be it workplaces or the Grange, is less valued, said Neil Carlson, assistant director of the Calvin College Center for Social Research.
“All kinds of forms of authority, not just religious authority, are losing their force,” Carlson said.

mlive.com