You wanna go on and clarify the exact nature of that 'tribute'?

never mind, I'll copy what was said in the article.


Speaking to the crowd, Obama reminisced about meals prepared by Khalidi's wife, Mona, and conversations that had challenged his thinking.
His many talks with the Khalidis, Obama said, had been "consistent reminders to me of my own blind spots and my own biases. . . . It's for that reason that I'm hoping that, for many years to come, we continue that conversation -- a conversation that is necessary not just around Mona and Rashid's dinner table," but around "this entire world."

Now that, to me, if it is accurate, sounds like a comment from a man who thinks, and who is able to learn from any person he meets.
It said talking with Khalidi had "challenged his thinking", not that he AGREED with the man's positions!

I have met many folks, both in my years in college and in later life, whose thoughts and ideas 'challenged' my thinking. Some of them I came to seriously disagree with!
If I want to know what a person thinks about an issue currently, I will ask them! I will NOT assume that I can ascertain their position based on some offhand comment they may have made many years ago, OR based on information they they may have had conversations with someone.
Is that too complex for you to follow?
Obama has spent months explaining what he believes in, what he intends to do, and how he views various issues. So has John McCain....and McCain changes those seemingly every few days, while Obama's have held pretty steady....so, I find the choice easy.