In Little Italy, fresh eyes on American democracy  Italian
parliament member among observers from 30 countries  Dan
Rodricks  6:13 PM CST, November 6, 2012   So intent was Riccardo
Migliori on his mission — observing the U.S. election and asking
questions about the voting process in Baltimore — that he missed
the statues of saints and the oil painting of Pope Leo XIII. So
foreign was the idea that voting might take place in a house of
worship that he apparently didn't notice the brass crucifix on
the wall above him, either.  In fact, it wasn't until he left
the polling place in Little Italy and stepped onto chilly Exeter
Street on Tuesday morning that Migliori, a senior member of Big
Italy's parliament, realized he had just seen Americans voting
in the basement of a Roman Catholic church.  "A church?"
Migliori asked, looking up at the front doors of St. Leo the
Great and, high on the brick façade, a gilded statue of the
church's namesake. "I am surprised. With the separation of
church and state, we would neve