Back, and there's more about the debate, and we're going to talk without preconditions about talking without preconditions.
Asked about a settlement freeze, Obama this time struck a disillusioned tone: "I think we're past the point where we should be talking about preconditions and steps".
I have never talked about preconditions for talks.
On Monday he clarified the remark: "I've never talked about preconditions.
Mr. Obama himself, during the 2008 campaign, drew criticism from both Republicans and his primary opponent, Hillary Rodham Clinton, for what they called his naïveté, particularly over his willingness to talk, without preconditions, to American foes like Iran.
And almost as predictably, China, Russia and some of our European allies will eventually hint that we should back off and sit down and talk without preconditions.
Most attention has focused on the relevance of that offer to Iran, following Obama's campaign promise to talk without preconditions (an offer to which Tehran has now responded with, you guessed it, a list of conditions).
Mr Netanyahu says it is not a precondition for talking, but it is a "fundamental condition" for reaching agreement.
Following the exercise, there was a flurry of rumour that Tehran was in the business of talking, after all, without precondition.
That was why, in the CNN/YouTube debate of July 2007, the Democratic candidates were asked if they would, "without preconditions," talk to leaders of states with which America has hostile relations.
