Lileks is just being stupid this morning. He presents two quotes, the first from a George W. Bush State of the Union and the second from John Kerry during yesterday's debate:

I ask you: who’s speaking his heart, and who’s crafting a response on the fly trying to cover all bases? One more question: take these two statements:

“The liberty we prize is not American's gift to the world, it is God's gift to humanity.”

Or:

“We pray that God is on our side, and we pray hard. And God has been on our side through most of our existence.”

Which one best represents the face of America you’d like the President to show to the world?

Isn't juxtaposing a scripted line with an off-the-cuff one is just a wee little bit like comparing apples and elephants? Why, yes. Yes it is.