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President Barack Obama said Wednesday he does not regret speaking out about the proposed Islamic cultural center and mosque near the World Trade Center site.
"The answer is no regrets," said the president.
Obama told reporters on Saturday he believes Muslims have just as much of a right to build near the site as any other religious group, but he did not say whether he supports the specific project.
On Friday, the president appeared to endorse the proposal at a White House dinner celebrating the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
Opponents argue that building a mosque so close to Ground Zero is an insult to those killed on September 11, 2001, and they are raising questions about who will fund the Islamic center.
Archbishop Timothy Dolan also weighed in on the controversy during a news conference with reporters Wednesday.
"I don't know if I'd use the word inappropriate. I think there have been sensible reasons raised in a thoughtful way by the other side, who said, ‘wait a minute. We need to ask these questions and think about these sensitivities,’” said the archbishop. “What we got are two ‘goods’ here and when you got two ‘goods,’ somewhere in between I hope we can come to a prudent compromise."
Dolan cited the intervention of Pope John Paul II in a dispute over a convent near the site of the former Auschwitz concentration camp. The former pope ordered the nuns to move.
"He's the one who said, 'Let's keep the idea and maybe move the address.' It worked there, it might work here. I don't know," said Dolan.
Governor David Paterson appeared on CNN's "Larry King Live" on Wednesday night and said an alternate site could be found, one that could still serve the needs of Lower Manhattan.
"That would be a noble gesture to those who live in the area who suffered after the attack on this country, and at the same time, would probably change a lot of people's minds about Islam," said Paterson.
The governor insisted he is not trying to pressure anyone involved with the project, and noted that there is no law that would prohibit the center and prayer space from being built.
"You know, the precept of Greek tragedies is that the right are clashing with the right, and that is what I think is happening here," said Paterson.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi added a twist when she broke her silence on Wednesday. Besides wanting to know who is funding the $100 million project, she also wanted to know who is funding the opposition to it.
"There is no question that there is a concerted effort to make this a political issue by some, and I join those who have called for looking into how is this opposition to the mosque being funded," said Pelosi.
The California Democrat also said Muslims have a right to build near the World Trade Center site, but said New Yorkers should make the final decision.
During an appearance on NY1's "Inside City Hall," on Wednesday, the Reverend Al Sharpton said developers of the mosque need to be treated the same as any other religious group.
Sharpton said he was concerned about recent criticisms and that misinformation was confusing the debate. He said preventing an Islamic group from building near the World Trade Center site ignores the fact that the September 11th attackers targeted people of all faiths.
Sharpton said at its core, the controversy is about protecting religious freedom in our country.
"If we begin to appear that we are going to tell people that the right to religious beliefs and practices stops at certain places, stops two blocks within an area that we had one of the most despicable acts in human history, but you don't have religious freedom here, then I think the terrorists won that day and I think that we need to be careful of what we're projecting," said Sharpton.
The reverend also defended the imam behind the mosque, saying he has moderate, if not conservative, political views.
Just up the street from the site in dispute, interfaith leaders and some families of September 11th victims met behind closed doors to plot their response to the intense opposition to the mosque and center.
"I don't take it as an insult. I take it as a tribute to all those who died that day," said Talat Hamdani, whose son died in the World Trade Center attack.
"It's like there's a war on the right to pray, orchestrated by the right wing," said the Reverend Donna Schaper of the Judson Memorial Church.
Since 2002, the anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks have been reserved for reflection and mourning, but that could change if opponents of the project go forward with their protest planned for that day. They are also preparing for a more immediate rally at the site of the proposed Islamic center.
In an exclusive interview with NY1 on Tuesday, Park51 developer Sharif El-Gamal said while there is no such meeting scheduled yet, he is open to talking to the governor. He also insisted he is not open to moving the center.