Obama Floats Through Teapot Tempests

Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich boasted that anybody should go ahead and tape his conversations, a day before his arrest by the FBI.

With the fastest Cabinet appointments in 40 years completed, Barack Obama is off to a working vacation in his native Hawaii. It increasingly looks like he's rolled through two teapot tempests. One in which the far right flipped out, and another in which some on the left, frustrated at an avoidable defeat on same-sex marriage, forgot about the center part of center/left.

The far right flipping out about Obama is nothing new. Nor, I suppose, is a lot of the media going along for the ride. The media loves controversy, deep or otherwise. It's easier than contemplating pressing issues. The far right, well, it's downright impossible now to keep defending the failed Bush/Cheney administration -- which doesn't stop from bitter enders from trying -- so it's not surprising they've been pretending that Blagogate, which barely touched the president-elect, is more important than Bernie Madoff apparently making off with $50 billion.

Wall Street legend Bernie Madoff apparently swindled investors out of $50 billion. Great regulation.

Are we surprised that Obama's staff was in contact with Blago and his staff about the appointment to replace the president-elect? Only if we don't get politics. I don't go as far as my old friendly acquaintance Willie Brown, the legendary ex-California Assembly speaker and San Francisco mayor, who says Blago did no wrong.

I've met the governor and talked with him. He's a typical type, as it were, in politics. He is charming and a loudmouth and wants to make a big deal for his own betterment.

Shocking, positively shocking.

Is he a crook? In this instance, perhaps not.

A crude loudmouth? Oh, yeah.

Which doesn't have much to do with Obama, one way or the other.

There will be no evidence of wrongdoing by Obama. He knows the milieu too well. What we have here is the latest cable chatfest hysteria, along with the relatively new element of yaposphere blog nonsense and the old toxic talk radio culture.

In fact, as I predicted the other day, once Blago let it be known that he wouldn't appoint Obama's successor, the big scandal already started to die down.

And now we're learning that the contact between Team Obama and Blago was more limited than presumed, and just as innocent as the federal prosecutor already indicated it was.

But hey, it's more fun to fulminate about a Midwestern pol with big hair and a salty tongue than to contemplate how easy it was for somebody to steal $50 billion.

Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson staunchly defended the Wall Street bailout last month. Now banks are declining to say what they've done with hundreds of billions of dollars in public funds.

Or to wonder how it is that we have no idea what the banks we have bailed out have done with hundreds of billions of dollars in public funds.

Now, on the left, Obama has had to weather another teapot tempest.

As an agnostic, and a political analyst, I don't take prayer picks all that personally. Rick Warren, a fellow Californian (of the Orange County mega-church variety) -- who's developed a really sweet gig for himself -- had very little to do with the victory of Prop 8 in California. The right to same-sex marriage, granted earlier this year by the Republican majority California Supreme Court, should not have been defeated in last month's election.

Blame the terrible No on 8 campaign effort, which absolutely blew the ballot frame provided by former Governor-turned-Attorney General Jerry Brown, who changed the initiative wording on all the ballots to make it clear that Prop 8 took away a constitutional right (and is now intervening with the Supreme Court to have Prop 8 invalidated). Or, if you want to ascribe personal causality ... Look to the mayor of San Francisco (my dear hometown) -- who I strongly defended last year when a lot of netroots folks wanted to politically lynch him after his affair with his staffer (and campaign manager's wife) came out, and he then went into alcohol rehab. He inadvertently starred in the Yes on 8 TV ad campaign, providing it with an unappealing poster boy and ammunition for its charge that same-sex marriage would be promoted in the schools.

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, prominent for advocating same-sex marriage, was the inadvertent star of the the campaign that abolished it in California.

Rachel Maddow, my new favorite broadcaster, please take note.

If No on 8 wasn't blown, nobody really cares about Rick Warren, a fellow who's found the sweet spot of the faith gig, delivering an invocation.

Why does Obama have Warren doing this? Politics, naturally. Warren has been a key player in including elements of the evangelical community in the climate change issue, endorsing Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth. And it's a way to keep slicing off some of what has been a Republican vote.

Does that make it right or wrong? It makes it politics. Perhaps smart, in the big picture.

And check things out during the day on my site, New West Notes ... www.newwestnotes.com

Comments

[freelyb]

HuffPost's Pick

Man,

Since Obama's ongoing show of "inclusiveness", the piggish, entitled Republicans feel very free to invade what used to be progressive, thoughtful forums. Wish they go back where they came from. They had nothing to offer eight years ago -- and still don't.

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

They've commented extensively on every piece I've written.

[indie11]

all this hysteria from the gay community over a 5 min prayer is a real turn off to those who are sympathetic to the concerns of ALL people, not just the gay and lesbian community who apparenty believe they are the most essential segment of the Obama coalition when they are the ONLY segment who came out in fewer numbers for Obama than Kerry.

All the other demographic groups with the exception of white men overperformed in their vote for Obama, EVEN evangelicals.
If you think gay rights top my list of concerns over my children's healthcare you are sadly mistaken. Besides the fact that any candidate that only represents your agenda will be fringe at best get real!

You have nowhere to go but Obama so suck it up and stop overreacting. We are on the verge of a depression for goodness sake!!!

Funny, I wrote the same note to Rachel Maddow as well:)

[freelyb]

YOU are responsible for your children's healthcare. And civil rights seems to be yet another thing you don't understand. I'm sure Rachel is mulling your profound thoughts over at this very moment.

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

Health care isn't a collective issue?

[PoliticalAnimal]

OK, so it's just politics. That's the frame we should watch the inauguration through - not hope, not change we can believe in, just "politics".

Then so is my response - Obama's 'politics' stinks!

[BottomLine2008]

Well, gee, politics is always part of politics, ain't it? Even hope politics. Nobody gets elected President by singing Kumbayah.

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

As I've said, had the No on 8 forces hadn't blown it so badly, some guy giving a prayer would not be a big deal.

[brassminnie]

The wind clobbered my connection while posting this. If it appears twice, my apologies.

Equal rights' aren't LGBT, black, white, Hispanic, feminist or other, they're equal. Currently, no one has them because it is money that is 'heard,' not people. In 'house party' after house party, the people have said they "hate" the insurance companies and the current system, including the profiteering and don't-look-for-a-cure policy of the pharmaceutical corps. Most people want a national health plan. Do you think we'll get one? Or will the insurance industry be 'too big to fail?' Most people want equal rights for all. Will we get them? Eventually. The growth of civilization is measured in the widening definition of 'person.' We still have a lot of definitions to widen. And one place to narrow them. A corporation as a legal person was the biggest mistake we ever made. A thing can't have ethics and 'It's not me. I'm just an employee.' is the fundamental reason we're in an economic meltdown. End worship of the golden calf and equal rights for all will come, as we teach all are 'us' and none are 'them.' Until then, none of us, nor all of us, will be 'equal.'

[KidHollywood]

Yeah well IMO Obama is floating through the Rick Warren thing basically because the Media and Bloggers are too gutless to call him on it and don't want to make waves for his inaguration or possible waves for themselves in the future.

YES Obama is the BEST THING that could possibly happen to this country right now. We all know that. But that should not give him a pass on picking Warren. Rick Warren has supported California"s anti-gay marriage Proposition 8 and has likened gay marriage to polygamy and incest. The same Rick Warren is also strongly anti-choice, and has equated abortion to the Holocaust and he also supports the assassination of foreign leaders.

But because Obama is trying to buiuld bridges we should give him a pass. And truthfully is THIS the type of person you would want to build bridges with?

Being a Gay Man I might NOT have Equal Rights yet, But I still have the right of Freedom of Speech. And I say that the Media who are giving Obama a pass on this are basically gutless wonders.

[BottomLine2008]

What are you talking about? The media is hyperventilating about the Warren kerfuffle.

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

That's simply non-serious, and utterly unreflective of reality.

[SiberianRat]

"Perhaps smart, in the big picture." -- I'd say "probably" instead of "perhaps."

[BottomLine2008]

That's right.

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

Probably.

[JEP57]

Maybe Obama believes what Rick Warren believes as far as homosexual relationships go. He claims to be a practicing Christian and Christianity is based on the teachings in the new and old testaments in the Bible. If he believes the teachings are true, that Christian faith is based on, then he could possibly believe everything else in the Bible without cherry picking what's true.

[StillIRise]

Maybe Obama believes in Santa Claus too! Your post is based on nothing but speculation. What you say about what Obama MAYBE believes could be said about anyone who is Christian. I'm a Christian, though not a practicing one, and yet I don't ascribe to any of the things you've outlined. And based on what Obama himself has said about his faith, I doubt if he ascribes to any of these things either. I think Obama is guided more by his spiritual foundation than by some of the religiosity of the teachings of the church. He's not only said this, in so many words, but he's also shown this.

[BottomLine2008]

Obama was AGAINST Prop 8.

[PoliticalAnimal]

Really? They used his words in ads to help sell it!

[IamJoseph]

C'mon Obama is a politician, that in it self leaves little to no room for him to to also be a Christian

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

You forget that Obama opposed Prop 8 and appeared in a No on 8 TV ad.

[FearlessFreep]

Of course, BO's choice of Warren to give the inaugural invocation is politics, plain and simple. But I'd have to say it's DUMB politics. The price he's already paying is clear; but it isn't clear he'll get any real advantage in exchange.

[SiberianRat]

Don't kid yourself friend--I think that GLBTs are going to pay a higher price for the surrounding hysteria than Obama will.

[NotFromRoundHere]

"...the price he's paying is clear..."

Um, what price is that exactly? Is he losing votes for 2012? Is he losing senate or congress support? Has any of his staff resigned?

The truth is that if he continues as he has started, 4 years of governance will make this little storm in a teacup a footnote.

"...it isn't clear he'll get any real advantage in exchange..."

Is proof that his rhetoric on unity is more than just rhetoric going to have no effect? It may be politics, but it's not politics as usual...

I believe that when he asks for bipartisan support he's going to have some weight to his words and the less frenzied of his detractors will find just that little bit harder to vilify him.

[BottomLine2008]

What price? You're going to vote for Palin?

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

Actually, you're wrong about that.

[whiteflame55]

It's a good point you're making here, and one that I thoroughly agree with. Obama's made his views on gay marriage very apparent, and this is an innocuous way of getting votes from a portion of the country that has been hard for him to garner. Whether or not it will end up being helpful to him is uncertain, but it wont affect his policies, and it wont hurt him at all in the long run.

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

There you go ...

[DofG]

As long as we are living to "eat", rather than eating to live, we will continue to be tossed about on the infinite sea of life, without position to understand what is within, or without. If nothing else, this is the disparity that the Obama presidency has exposed in the body politic; for real lasting change starts within our collective "Mind"! Once this happens, we will create a new kind of politics, and expand our own individual ontology. Then, maybe we can find the path that will end the need for personages, anthropomorphic deities, religion, politics, corrupt science by proxy, destructive instrumentality, and most of all, the academy of "herd thinking"!

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

Perhaps ...

[Shawn0965]

I'm just saddened by the amount of venom on HuffPo about the Rick Warren thing.

It would be a real shame if Obama moved the gay/lesbian agenda forward, despite the gay community, instead of with it.

[reliant1]

now that would indeed be a sorrow...but if he has to, so be it.

[Alex02139]

Let us recount the ways:
Larry Summers
Tim Geithner
Bob Gates
Jim Jones
Salazar
billions to Wall Street, no accountability
UAW shafted
Rick Warren

hopes for a politically progressive administration are misguided. prepare to hold your nose, its business as usual in Washington

[burndtdan]

Larry Summers - not on the cabinet
Tim Geithner - direct experience dealing (successfully) with similar crises
Bob Gates - advocate of reforming the defense department
Jim Jones - well respected
Salazar - um... yeah?
billions to Wall Street - Obama wasn't in the White House or the Senate for that one.
UAW shafted - see above
Rick Warren - oh noes, someone I disagree with is going up on a stage. Let us be hateful reactionaries just like those on the right that support Warren! That will change things!

I believe the phrase Obama used was "we are the change we seek". Well guess what. You aren't being that change, cause you're being more of the same.

[reliant1]

It will be such a pain to walk away from the good he will do for you won't it? Can't take the tainted fruits of freedom from the hands of a bigot and liar can you...so low class.

Well, I'm sure the proud but firm denials will be eloquent to hear.

There was no hint there would ever as in ever ever be a progressive admin from Obama. That does not mean he will not work towards progressive, moderate even a few conservative goals and for civil rights and for energy independence. But most of it will happen under the banner of progessive dems - it can't. Probably why he will govern from the middle for all of America.

You deluded yourself into thinking there was a progressive admin on the way. Selective amnesia...odd stuff.

[BottomLine2008]

You mean it's not a far left administration. Why would you think it would be? John Edwards went nowhere, remember?

[GlennInVenice]

Try hard to empathize. Try to see what you call venom as the words of a group that have been deeply hurt AND unjustly treated. Warren's words were more than hurtful, they were hateful. They are easily found on youtube if you are interested in understanding where the venom / hurt comes from. These words are also well known to Obama who chose to give Warren an international platform during the inaugration. Oh I know Warren will not utter the word "gay" when he is up there, but there he will stand, the embodiment of, well, himself. His whole, hate spewing self. His role in prop 8 is not a starring one but he is defintely a perfect poster child for the forces that gave it wind. I wish you would be saddened by the treatment of your gay neighbors by Warren and now, by extention, Obama as opposed being saddened by those that voice their grief, and anger, against those that have caused it.

[FearlessFreep]

It would be a bigger shame if Obama DOESN'T advance the GLBT agenda.

[Shawn0965]

No I don't think that will be a bigger shame.

It IS a shame that it took 233 years for someone that looks like Obama to get elected. It IS a shame that my friends businesses are going belly up because a few geniuses on wall street outsmarted themselves. And it IS a shame that people who talk about supporting a cause with every fiber of their being, have so little faith in their own message, that they fall to pieces and throw what amounts to a temper tantrum because someone who doesn't have the same opinion as they do gets to say a prayer for the President.

Now that IS a shame.

[AAKAlan]

And I wouldn't blame him if he doesn't.

If my "friends" called me the names he's been called by the Gay community over the last few days, I'd be sure to move their concerns to the bottom of the pile.

I suspect he's bigger than that, but I'm sick of seeing the Gay community shoot itself in the foot over and over again.

Is a Hissy-Fit over a 60-second prayer really worth alienating one of our best, and the most powerful, friend we have?

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

People can get very upset.

[NickGuest]

"If No on 8 wasn't blown, nobody really cares about Rick Warren".

I don't agree. Nor do I think it's politically smart to alienate your base before you even are in office.

And you people who keep writing saying you don't get why it's a big deal, need to be hated all your life and then see how you feel after the man you gave money to and voted for who said he was interested in civil rights apparently is willing to throw whoever he needs to under the bus for political expediency.

You may think I'm over reacting but I am, along with a lot of people, really devastated, hurt and disillusioned. Right or wrong that is how I feel and as for picking up some republicans along the way - I have to ask will it make up for the Dems he just lost? Cuz boy he has so lost me.

[loislane88]

Obama hasn't thrown anyone "under the bus". He's trying to include more people. Gays aren't "his base" either. If he doesn't follow through on his promise to pass equality legislation (which is a big if), THEN you can bitch and be devastated. He is including an evangelical that has done much good work for HIV around the world to give a pray - that's it.

For the record, I'm not religious and I've been a huge supporter and volunteeer in the gay community for over 20 years. Pick your battles - this isn't one.

[burndtdan]

I've seen a base that is hell bent on being alienated. The same people have been screaming and crying over anything he does.

[reliant1]

Not his base - just a little piece of it.

I think there are alot of concern/anger trollzz here - chumming it up.

[roshni]

Not his entire base - just a part of it.

[roshni]

Yes, this community is part of his base, but there is a lot more to the base and many of the people who voted for Obama also voted for Prop. 8. Obama has said he would reach across the aisle especially when he disagreed with people. Looking at the big picture, Obama has been supportive of gay rights, mentioning them in his speech and appointing openly gay people to his administration. RW is doing an invocation, not formulating policy for Obama's entire base.

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

Well, you're wrong.

And we already see that you are wrong.

As I told you, Obama has not alienated his base.

[hapiday]

The Warren controversy is much ado about nothing. The only thing the gay community will get out of their outrage and mean spiritedness is the straight people that are moderate liberals will shut down hearing their voices. The next time legislature comes around in reference to gay rights, people will remember the nastiness of the gay community and not that Rev. Warren spoke at the inauguration. As a moderate liberal, I will not forget the threats and naming calling that took place and will show my displeasure by encouraging my friends, family and neighbors to remember how the gay community acted toward PE Obama. The gay community hasn't given PE time to help them therefore, I don't feel I'm able to give them my respect.

[Giopaps]

Totally agree. As a Californian I couldn't believe we let proposition 8 pass. Since than I signed every petition I could find to support the gay community. But during this Warren controversy I have lost my patience with that same gay community.

[NickGuest]

You so don't get it. What nastiness has the gay community displayed? Our anger for being excluded? Our anger over the nastiness of Obama inviting a HATER to his inaguartion?

Sure maybe he will try and do something after the fact, or maybe not, I doubt it somehow.
I think he's a bigot and doesn't really like gay people nor do I think he's very interested in our civil rights.

You're way off base for telling an oppressed group they are wrong because we "gasp" have feelings! Or maybe you didn't realize gay people actually live on the earth just like you and guess what we feel things l just like you straight people as well. Sorry if the mean old gays are pointing out your boy Obama isn't the knight in shinning armor he portrayed himself as. We don't need your respect we need you understanding and outrage at the invitation of a nasty hateful bigot to the innaguartion who didn't need to be invited. That's not inclusion that's a insult plain and simple.

[vjoseph]

Perfect example as to why we have less interest in helping you. Your words

[StillIRise]

What nastiness, you ask? And then you call him a bigot!!! Not because he's demonstrated this in his overall character, which has been on display for the last two years, but because he invited someone you vehemently disagree with to pray at his inauguration!

[thegeniesez]

Ditto! I have defended and supported equal rights for every one. At school i am a member of the gay straight-alliance. But the nastiness the gay community has displayed in the past few days has left me perplexed and confused. A lot of people in the GLBT community have attacked anybody who has a view even slightly different from theirs. Now call me crazy but i trully believe that 1) DON'T- ATTACK, but 2) DO- EDUCATE AND MAY BE OTHERS WITH A DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW MIGHT ACTUALLY LISTEN TO YOU AND HOPEFULLY LEARN FROM YOU!!!!!

[roshni]

I'm afraid that has already started to happen and I don't want this to be the case. This is the president who will further gay right, but he will do it his way

[vjoseph]

I am right there with you. I have less enthusiasm to help the gay community, which pains me since I have friends within that community.

[PoliticalAnimal]

We are not looking for anyone's pity, and we don't need the straight community's blessing before we assert our rights, thank you very much.

We are entitled to the same respect and rights as every other American. We don't need your tolerance, or permission, or acceptance or approval.

We have been polite and it's gotten us nowhere but seeing all you nice polite straight people vote our rights away!

So now we're angry and we're not going away and we're not going to be quiet and we're not going to go along any more just to get along.

We are fed up and we aren't going to take it anymore, and if Rahm Emmanuel and Obama think they can shove us out of the way so they can climb into bed with the bigots that have been persecuting us this past eight years?

Then they will have another think coming ... and we've got four years to make sure our message is received!

[Deschanel]

Sorry, the symbolism does matter. To you it's a "tempest in a teapot", but to gay Americans, it's a cruel bit of theater. Where does our marching band go in the lineup of 70?

And although I admire Gavin Newsom and lived in beautiful San Francisco for ten years until recently, I have never met anyone more smug about their presumptions than SF straights when it comes to gay rights. It's as if they have special dispensation to say insensitive things because "some of their best friends are..". You might think it's a trivial nothing, but I find your alleged sympathy to gay people's sensibilities shallow and unearned. Lecturing us to not make big deal about the pointed symbolism of it- well sorry, too late. Don't wag your finger at gay people for being upset, don't act as if you have the right to tell us how to feel because you're from SF, as if that means jack.

Your post here is condescending, a bit snide, and can I say I have read about a thousand other posts from straight liberals like yourself, so well-meaning, yet tone-deaf as to why this is indeed a slam to gay people. Unoriginal.

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

Oh, please.

Your post is already dated.

[robbie]

"Why does Obama have Warren doing this? Politics, naturally. Warren has been a key player in including elements of the evangelical community in the climate change issue, endorsing Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth. And it's a way to keep slicing off some of what has been a Republican vote."

So, let me understand, I can't criticize Obama because "he's not even president yet!" but Obama can run for re-election now?

OHHH yah...that's change we can believe in!!

[kyunschooler]

"Politics" in this context does not always mean getting re-elected. It means getting your agenda passed and implemented. I for one sure hope Obama is playing politics and playing it masterfully every day. That is why we elected him--to be a competent and effective politician. Playing politics effectively means some people's feelings are going to be hurt from time to time. While the pain and hurt is understandable, some understanding needs to be thrown back the other direction to Obama and the weight of the world on his shoulders. I have been trying lately to put myself in his shoes not just in terms of what decisions he is making that everyone is judging, but what a tremendous personal transformation he is undergoing, following a physically exhausting two years. Like David Gergen said on CNN, give the poor guy a break.