For a good ten minutes, I puzzled over why President-elect Barack Obama would select an anti-gay conservative preacher, Rick Warren, to give his invocation speech. Several reasons occurred to me.
Perhaps Obama wanted to distance himself from Bill Clinton, who began his presidency on a pro-gay note by loosening restrictions on gays in the military. That didn't turn out well for
As awful as these possibilities are, I soon realized that there was a more logical explanation: Obama, Warren, and Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich must have crafted a three-way deal! It's simple, really:
(1) Blago has obviously promised Obama that he'll appoint whoever Obama wants as Senator, if there's anyone left who will accept an appointment from the tainted Governor...
(2) Obama, in turn, selected
(3) ... and
This is a smart strategy. It's sophisticated and elegant, and it sure keeps everyone off balance, liberals and conservatives alike. No elementary quid pro quo for this Administration. Instead, welcome to the era of quid pro quo pro quid. Now that's change we can believe in.
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He chose an active leader of the Prop 8 forces, someone who equates being gay with incest and beastiality, and who is known for those positions. The fact that Warren supports other commonly perceived "good" causes --- AIDS education, anti-poverty efforts, etc. --- doesn't negate his homophobia.
It strains credulity that Obama and his team --- who ran one of the smartest, savviest campaigns in recent history --- didn't see that selecting homophobe Warren would cause a controversy.
If so, "Why choose Warren?" Answer: Send a message to homophobes that Obama's not THAT liberal. Gays, despite their support, are more easily sacrificed; besides Obama's thinking must go, "Where else are the gays going to go other than on my side, who else are they going to support?"
Obama knew it would cause a stir. He chose to cause the stir. It sends a message to right-of-center people that he's not the leftie they think he is, because, "See, just like you, I don't have that big a problem with homophobes, even if I don't consider myself one, even if I disagree with them." Pretty cynical for a "uniter" guy...political cynicism worthy of ..... George W. Bush.
This is going to be an interesting 4 years.
lol.
hahahahahahahaha... love it !!!
But I'm cool w/ the Warren pick (it's just a prayer)... but like you, I'm trying to figure out what Obama motivation could have been. I understand Warren is a 'friend'... but there are far more preachers who wouldn't not have created this much controversy that he could have picked. If he keeps this up... people won't be able to call him 'no drama' Obama any longer.
Pass it on!
Translation: You don't vote on people's "rights". If the majority votes to enact legislation that deprives a minority of EQUAL rights, it is oppression and tyrrany.
But it is, of course, your right to disagree with Thomas Jefferson. What did he know anyway, other than writing the Declaration of Independence, and much of the Constitution.
1. The PE is still a citizen of this country, and we have the freedom to be friends with whomever we choose.
2. From the first day the PE announced he was running, the left and the right, the news media and every political pundit on either side has been wrong about why he does what he does.
It's not that he's smarter than everyone, although he is smarter than most, it's because everyone commenting and writing about him views him through threre own rose colored glasses. The left thinks he should hug more trees and the right thinks he should buy more guns, drink more beer and be a warmongering hypocrite.
Let the man do what he needs to do and channel your anger and bigotry some place else. I voted for him too, but I didn't vote for any of the views expressed by the the people now claiming to represent hte "progressive" movement or the religious right. I think if both groups are pissed off, the PE is right on the money.
my initial regrets about Warren : I am tired of publicity seeking, posturing megachurch
pastors.. many gays are feeling kicked in the solar plexus right about now, pro choicers hate to see above mentioned pastor get any kind of validation..
This did seem like a rather tone deaf decision, but .
it is up to each of us to decide if this is large stuff or small stuff.
I am not sweating this one, I am more interested in Obama's actions as president with regard to direction and governance.
it is an invocation , not a cabinet post, (though, honestly , I would get the heebie jeebies if he was giving my invocation)
Taking the big tent theory a bit further, I am willing to see where this new tack leads us, if it heads us away from the wrenching divisiveness we
have come to know , These are the people who turn out to vote on
prop 8 and who vote for invasive government interference in reproductive rights.
I guess we'll see how Warren uses this too.
we have got to get less afraid , less hateful of each other. Mending and healing goes both ways.
if it involves changing hearts and minds in a more reasonable way among evangelicals
I am on board with Obama, and will remain on board and work even harder on communicating.
What about the Pastor that is giving the benediction? He is "PRO" GAY RIGHTS!
You don't think Obama is going to get backlash for that either?
Just the mere fact that he has one pastor who disagrees with Gay Rights, and one that agrees with Gay Rights says alot about his pledge of UNITY.... to bring EVRYONE to the table.
This just proves that he meant what he said.
Having Rick Warren say a prayer doesn't mean that Obama is going to change his mind about Gay Rights or abortion.. Obama has held his position for years.. a prayer is not going to change that.
This is a man who appointed the first OPENLY GAY WOMEN TO HIS CABINET... you think he doesn't care about the gay community?? C'mon guys!
Jeez. We are going to continue shooting ourselves in the foot, helping the Repubs tear down Obama, and will be looking at a right wing White House in 2012.
Pander to people who did not and never will vote for you while causing a large segment of loyal voters to question wether they will support you at all in 2012 = not too smart
I know MANY Christians who voted for Obama and will again in 2012 as long as he upholds their values and does a decent job. In case everyone missed it, Obama does NOT believe in gay marriage and has stated so all along. So where is he pandering, what has changed recently - NOTHING. The election is over, the big bad GOP lost and now you all are actually paying attention to who this man really is and some of you are shocked that he is religious and has some very conservative views on certain issues.
Judge him on the job he does, not on whether he has satisfied your self interests.