Inauguration: The Warren controversy

Posted: Friday, December 19, 2008 9:11 AM by Domenico Montanaro

Rick Warren, the evangelical pastor whose inclusion at Obama’s inauguration has upset gay-rights supporters, released this statement last night: "I commend President-elect Obama for his courage to willingly take enormous heat from his base by inviting someone like me, with whom he doesn't agree on every issue, to offer the Invocation at his historic Inaugural ceremony. Hopefully individuals passionately expressing opinions from the left and the right will recognize that both of us have shown a commitment to model civility in America.”

Warren added, “The Bible admonishes us to pray for our leaders. I am honored by this opportunity to pray God's blessing on the office of the President and its current and future inhabitant, asking the Lord to provide wisdom to America's leaders during this critical time in our nation's history."

The good new for Obama today: There wasn't a lot of Day Two print coverage on the Warren news. The blogosphere is still fired up about it, and that's the real danger for Obama on this -- that the fire doesn't get put out before the end of the week.

Salon’s Madden on the controversy: "So about the only thing less surprising than the outrage that news of Warren's selection to give the invocation at Obama's inauguration is prompting among gay activists, liberals and Obama supporters generally is probably Warren's appearance on the program in the first place. Obama and Warren have often used each other to demonstrate that they'll be willing to listen to people they disagree with -- and yes, also to let everyone know that they'll be willing to anger their friends. This isn't one of those political controversies that pop up out of nowhere without warning; whether they want to admit it or not, it seems Obama's advisors brought on this fight with his own supporters knowing full well what was coming.”

“Having Warren speak at the inauguration might make more sense for Obama, now that he's been elected, than going to Warren's Saddleback Civil Forum in August in search of evangelical votes did from a campaigning standpoint. When the ballots were counted he only did marginally better among white evangelicals than Gore and Kerry; the idea now, apparently, is to signal that Obama will be a president for all Americans, whether they voted for him on Nov. 4 or not."

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Comments

Can we move on from this one. I do have respect LBGT community. Are there not other pressing issues, like the 300,000 acres in Utah Bush is allocating for oil companies?? Another part of the Bush gift that keeps on giving!! I'm furious the idiot in charge wants to leave office screwing with us some more. And more, and more. Him and the Dick cannot go away soon enough.

cindy, Las Vegas, Nv (Sent Friday, December 19, 2008 9:17 AM)

Obama will be a president for all Americans, whether they voted for him on Nov. 4 or not.
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Indeed. Everyone needs to calm down a bit a take a step back. Obama is not endorsing Warren's worldview -- far from it. President-elect Obama is showing that he will not be a puppet for the progressive movement. He is a man of principle and will listen to all sides of a conversation -- whether he agrees with those sides or not.

I think it is a good choice on the future president's part -- even though I vehemently disagree with Warren on the 'marriage' issue.

http://thepajamapundit.com/

the Pajama Pundit (Sent Friday, December 19, 2008 9:20 AM)

The man is saying a prayer, he's not establishing policy. Amazing that the left takes no offense to Rev Wright but has an issue with a man respected by most of America.

Jack, Dallas (Sent Friday, December 19, 2008 9:22 AM)

Obama said he would be President for all citizens. That includes the evangelical right. I guess some Americans have some biased blind-spots that are causing them consternation.

Rick Warren prays to the same God that I pray to, so the media can do us all a favor and give this the attention it deserves; which is not much.

Ron Indiana (Sent Friday, December 19, 2008 9:24 AM)

I'm proud of both men. Obama, for choosing a pastor with whom he disagrees to give the invocation, and Warren, for taking a stand on the Bible. I know Obama supports views that are antithetical to the Bible, but I thank God He's going to allow a real man of God to pray for our nation. We need divine intervention to fix our country's serious problems.

May the one true and living God bless America!

Cindy Lou, TX (Sent Friday, December 19, 2008 9:26 AM)

Having that freak of faith Warren give the inauguration is a big mistake Obama is making. He should expect this Judas Priest to stab him in the back after the inauguration is over. Obama must not make the mistake Bill Clinton made of giving in to the repugnant ones. Just look at how Bill allowed that garbage Phil Gramm put together on deregulation 10 years ago and now Bill is catching all the blame from the repugnant ones while they ignore their own complicity.

Democrats should learn they can never ever trust a repugnant one! Just look here in CA to see how the repugnant ones are wrecking our state with their whining about no responsible tax increases to cut the budget deficit.

Eric, Salinas, CA (Sent Friday, December 19, 2008 9:27 AM)

After Reverend Wright, any pastor looks good to Obama.

The Walls (Sent Friday, December 19, 2008 9:36 AM)

I was disappointed by the msnbc coverage of this story last night.

I applaud Matthews, Maddow, et al. and their focus on the understandable outrage from the gay community, but still feel the underlying issue is worthy of mention: a Constitutional guarantee of the separation of church and state. Even the church and state expert on Countdown focused on Warren's wacky beliefs, not the question of constitutionality.

This is, or at least should be, the people's celebration. Why does religion of any sort have to be introduced into a such a public function?

If Obama wants to be blessed, let him go to the church of his choice earlier in the day. But let's not privilege one religion over another in state functions. We've had eight long years of that -- and we know how much good that has done.

Surely as a Constitutional lawyer, Obama could make an effort to give our Constitution a chance again.

avrds, Montana (Sent Friday, December 19, 2008 9:37 AM)

The sad point is that Obama even thinks that relegating gay americans to second class citizens is even open for debate! Its not! We're not second class! We're not going to sit in the back of the bus! We're not going to take this sitting down! No more Mr. Nice Gay!

Pat Huntington NY (Sent Friday, December 19, 2008 9:39 AM)

This morning on the today show, when Ann Curry told Rick Warren that being gay is biological and they are born that way; Rich Warren said he doesn't care they should learn to control their urges, 'why? because his religion tells him so.. He just proves my point every time he opens his mouth. Prop8 "that he is so proud of", and all other laws baring gay marriage is an unconstitutional imposition of religious approbations against homosexuality in state and federal law that 'cannot' stand under the First Amendment of the Constitution. The Supreme Court in California gave the gays the right to marry, and radical religious groups like Rick Warren set out to discriminate against a whole group of perople, to force them to follow his religion. When Ann Curry asks him on Dateline if he is a homophob, he says oh no -- when they were stading outside I gave them water and donuts, "well isn't that special?" A little water and a doughnut in exchange for radically stirring up the religious groups to vote on Prop8 to deny millions of people their equal rights under the Constitution, All because he thinks they should control their urges, and hide who they are really attracted to, and to give up their Constitutional Rights to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness that all free americans should have. Instead they should live sham lives, pretend to love someone of the opposite sex, even breed children into the facade and then divorce when the facade becomes so unbearable, Therefore causing pain to everyone envolved. It is easy for Rick Warren to sit there on his chair with his overweight body protruding through his shirt and say that millions of gay americans should control their urges, when he can't even control his selfish urge to OVER EAT. This pathetic poor excuse for a man should concentrate less on other people's lives and concentrate on his own Health and try to lose some of that fat he is carring around.

g'pa (Sent Friday, December 19, 2008 9:49 AM)

I think PE Obama is actually doing what he said he would try to do, have an inclusive government. I am suprised but glad. I think that will go a long way to uniting this nation. There is as much intolerance on the far left as there is on the far right. PE Obama understands that you can govern from either extreme. PE Obama is a Christian and that can't help affect his decisions, we are all affected by our beliefs regardless of what they are and they inform our actions.

For those who argue separation of church and state: It doesnt apply here so relax. BTW - Jefferson first used to term in a letter to the Danbury Baptists to assure them that religion would be protected from the government NOT the other way around.

Jim (Sent Friday, December 19, 2008 9:50 AM)

I am no fan of Pastor Warren but the culture wars that were waged so successfully need to end. We must move our society back to a place where you can disagree civilly with others and not let it be based in anger and hate and divisiveness and work toward finding the common ground that will move us forward as a Nation. We need to stop being polarized around "My" issue or "Your" issue and come together to solve "OUR" issues first and foremost! By having Pastor Warren give the invocation at Obama's inaugeration this begins the process. I applaud them both!

Christine, NY (Sent Friday, December 19, 2008 10:01 AM)

Please stop the whining. This is so not an issue. Our democrat special issues people are crying foul yet again and wanting everything their way. PE Obama says it is not an issue and he is about bring America together, and that is not a one way street. We have to see the good in this. Give it a break.

Kathy, Charlotte (Sent Friday, December 19, 2008 10:05 AM)

The only real controvery here is that gays want it their way. You can't always get what you want.

Mick (Sent Friday, December 19, 2008 10:05 AM)

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