I was one of those most impressed by President Obama's address and overall performance at Notre Dame on Sunday. I recognize, of course, the old Italian proverb: "fra il dire e il fare c' in mezzo il mare" -- between words and deeds the sea lies in-between.Michael Stokes Paulsen, of the University of St. Thomas School of Law, has suggested some planks in the bridge toward common ground. Here are some from the first two:

1. Mr. President, we all agree that abortion is, at least, a tragic choice. Will you, Mr. President, publicly state that it is your wish that women not have abortions, whenever humanly possible? Will you state that you think that the choice you wish to preserve should be exercised in favor of preserving the developing life of the unborn child? Will you lead in this way? Will you urge, and support through policy, adoption instead of abortion? If you are serious in seeking common ground, surely this is ground we can all share.2. Will you propose this specifically for the African-American community, in a special way? Will you commit to working to reduce the incidence of abortion among African- Americans? Here, your prestige and prominence can be especially influential.

The rest are here.