There's a good wrap-up of the big Romney speech over at the Campaign Standard, including this reaction from "a friend" that was forwarded to the boss:

In an often impressive and probably effective speech, there is one paragraph that may (and perhaps should) cause Romney some trouble: 'I believe that every faith I have encountered draws its adherents closer to God. And in every faith I have come to know, there are features I wish were in my own: I love the profound ceremony of the Catholic Mass, the approachability of God in the prayers of the Evangelicals, the tenderness of spirit among the Pentecostals, the confident independence of the Lutherans, the ancient traditions of the Jews, unchanged through the ages, and the commitment to frequent prayer of the Muslims.'

This is mostly anodyne, sounding like what a college freshman would write if he had to write one nice thing about every religion. And if Romney had simply said, 'One doesn't have to share the particular faith to be impressed with the profound ceremony of the Catholic Mass ... etc., etc.,' no one would have thought much of it - though the tone might still strike the various religions or religious groups mentioned as a bit condescending. But, in typical Romney fashion, doesn't he go a bridge too far when he says, 'And in every faith I have come to know, there are features I wish were in my own: I love the profound ceremony ... etc., etc.'?

Romney 'wishes' his own faith had these 'features'? What does that mean? He presumably doesn't 'wish' his own faith incorporated what these features signify (e.g., in the case of the Jews' unchanged traditions, that there has been no new revelation, or revelations), since that would change the meaning of his faith. And should Romney really be telling us what he allegedly 'loves' about other people's religions? I thought all this dissecting of the beliefs and practices of particular religious belief is supposed to be inappropriate for American political leaders.

Fred Barnes gives his take, as does Steve Hayes, who is currently out in Iowa. And more here and here from Continetti.

Update: Given our tireless commitment to cultivating a diverse audience here at the WWS, I'm not surprised at all to get this note from a reader:

Why couldn't Romney say something nice about the beautiful saffron robes of us Buddhists?