While the proposed building of a 13-story, $100 million Islamic Center and mosque near New York's Ground Zero has given all political sides plenty of ammunition for their talking points, it also provides opportunities for real leadership. But while a new poll shows New York voters oppose plans to build Cordoba House by a nearly 2-to-1 margin and 68 percent of Americans nationwide feel the same way, President Barack Obama and his supporters continue their attempts to turn the issue into a lecture on constitutionality rather than trying to bring about mutual tolerance.

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That same poll found that an overwhelming majority of respondents understand that Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf has the constitutional right to build Cordoba House yet Obama & Company, along with their accomplices in the mainstream media, have taken their all-too-familiar position that the American people's opinions don't matter because they are just too dumb to understand the complexities of an issue. After all, Mr. Obama gave his professorial lecture on the constitutionality of the project in front of a select group of Muslims at a lavish White House dinner party. He just couldn't seem to understand why that didn't put the entire matter to rest.

Despite all the reasoned opinions from people who have spoken out against the project, the president remains reluctant to even acknowledge the validity of those opinions. In an attempt to "vote present" and avoid any more controversy, Mr. Obama stated he will not comment on the "wisdom" of building the Islamic Center just steps from where Islamic extremists slaughtered almost 3,000 human beings. Many of his critics have dubbed this a "He was for it before he was against it" moment, but it could have been (and possibly still could be) a "teachable moment."

The man who initiated the infamous "Beer Summit" after falsely accusing police of "acting stupidly" in a racially charged incident last summer, could show real leadership and potentially bring about some real healing by acknowledging the valid feelings and opinions of those opposed to the Cordoba House project and offering some meaningful ideas for compromise.

Since he decided to step into what his administration previously called a "local issue," why not wade in a little deeper to possibly improve the situation? Could there be room in that 13-story, $100 million colossus that could be dedicated to inter-faith understanding and cooperation? Community outreach to a community with such fresh scars? Some tangible demonstration from the owners and future occupants that they want to be a part of the community they are seeking to enter and not some shining monument to the worst day in so many of their soon-to-be neighbors' lives?

Today the developers of Cordoba House have rejected New York Governor David Paterson's offer to help them find a different site for the project. (source) Were they emboldened to reject even the discussion of such a compromise by President Obama's constitutionality lecture? Would they be more willing to take a less confrontational approach if the president helped to initiate a dialog? Would those New Yorkers opposed to the project even want to participate in a discussion involving compromise and healing? Would such a "Cordoba Summit" stand a chance of bringing real and mutual tolerance? It's doubtful we'll ever know because President Obama will not risk the little political capital he has left trying to actually help the people of lower Manhattan.

He made his speech, got his standing ovation and has moved on to campaign elsewhere.