“With 23 days remaining until Obama takes office in the midst of the deepest economic downturn in decades as the country is still fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, [President-Elect Obama’s Senior Advisor David] Axelrod said the incoming president’s invitation to the Reverend Rick Warren was important because it underlined the inclusiveness Obama wants to institute in his administration.
“The important point here is you have a conservative evangelical pastor coming to take part in the inauguration of a progressive president,” Axelrod said of Warren, a prominent preacher who opposes homosexuality and who backed a ballot measure that banned same-sex marriage in his home state of California. “[NYT]
ggreen
Boy that A-Rod is a Nimrod. If he isn’t talking out of his ass about gays he’s talking out of his ass about gays.
PearlsBeforeSwine
We (who are in the US) live in a country that offers freedom of speech. Rick Warren is certainly free to have his opinions. But he doesn’t have a constitutional right to a forum to spount his bigoted views.
If David Axelrod is the one giving Obama advice that he should elevate Rick Warren views by giving him a place on the platform, then he is a bad advisor and deserves to be fired. Or not confirmed.
gkruz
So when did Obama become a progressive? I mean in reality, not the fantasies of his deluded followers.
Rock
Obama was NEVER pro-gay.
He just said that stuff about equality to get our votes and money.
We’re all a bunch of SUCKERS (no pun intended).
RichardR
As a responsible poster should, I clicked on the NYT link and read the full article. Not one word, not one syllable, indicating that Axelrod or even Obama get our objection to Warren. All they’ve gotta do is just say, “Look, we understand that some people, particularly gay people, object to our choice. We don’t agree with Pastor Warren’s views on homosexuality nor on other policies, but we want to be inclusive, etc.”
So simple, it’d settle it down some and get on with it.
I think I’m as disappointed in the Obama camp’s response to the furor about the Warren choice as in the choice itself.
Now, we have to hold their feet to the fire. Sure, there are important priorities, but they’d better start rolling on DADT, ENDA, and hate crimes protection. That’s all I need to see — that those processes are underway.
emb
So by Axelrod’s logic, then, Obama (whom I still like even though the Warren disaster sucks mightily) should be inviting the Grand Dragon of the Ku Klux Klan to speak at the inauguration of the first black president. Hm…where is he anyway?
rainbowharold
I think Obama should dump Warren and ask some White Supremacist to pray for his adminstration….oh, wait, that might be offensive to someone. Couldn’t have that! We want to be inclusive.
BrianPrince
I think another important point to make is that the Progressive leader is integrating conservative leaders into his organization — and that while integration and a willingness to work with others is important, it’s also important to not alienate the people who put you where you are.
Leland Frances
It continues to amaze me how few, even gay, professional commentators fail to mention that WE HAVE BEEN DOWN Obama’s piss yellowbrick road before! This is not the first time he’s beat his wife, er smilefucked over the gay community.
1. “The Advocate” ignored the fact that he lied to them [and others] about having “sponsored” and “passed” the gay rights bill in Illinois. True, he had been a COsponsor of earlier bills, but was too busy running for US Senate to even sign his name to the final bill and WASN’T EVEN STILL IN the IL Senate when it was voted on.
2. He repeatedly took undeserved credit during the campaign for being the most gay supportive candidate…totally ignoring the superior positions of Dennis Kucinich. Now he’s claiming to be a “fierce advocate” for gay rights, which, as a TIME magazine writer pointed out is simply a lie.
3. In the same vein of Obama’s Version of Reality Is the Only Reality That Matters, he repeatedly declared he was for “FULL LGBT equality” in the same breath he opposed marriage equality.
4. In the same vein of arrogance we’re seeing now he essentially lectured us, saying we should be grateful for HIS definition of equality…for the verbal crumbs Massa was throwing our way.
5. He actively encouraged people to believe that he was against ALL laws banning any kind of legal recognition of gay relationships, when, in fact, he only supported repeal of federal DOMA while simultaneously saying the states had the right to do WHATEVER they wanted.
6. The eagerly brainwashed repeatedly heard what they wanted to hear in his speeches. From just inserting the Gay word now and then, they “heard” “gay rights” blah blah blah, transforming his hit-and-run mentions to a veritable gay Sermon on the Mount.
6. The EXACT parallel, of course, was McClurkingate when, under the guise of “inclusion” and “dialogue,” he invited Rev. Donnie McClurkin to campaign for him in South Carolina for black votes even though McClurkin insisted being gay was a choice and that “gays want to kill our children.” Gay activists, both white AND black begged him to disinvite McClurkin [as he had, months earlier, disinvited Jeremiah Wright from giving a prayer at his candidacy announcement rally], even gave him names of other black ministers who were NOT famous for homohating, but the Big O essentially said, “Fuck off and die.”
After their initial hissy fit, most gay commentators quickly developed amnesia while repeatedly crucifying Hillary for what she would allegedly do if President at the same time ignoring what he’d done.
Well, wake up and smell the smile fuck, people. Barry the Bigot is back.
mark
EVERY member of team Obama and the Congressional Inaugural committee KNEW gays and lesbians would be outraged by Warren…EVERY ONE OF THEM.
They may not have been able to take the temperature of the LGBT community to know HOW ANGRY we would be or HOW long we’d remain angry, and hurt.
NOBODY else determines what makes me p*ssed off, nor do they determine how long I remain p*ssed off. I’ll tell you what has NEVER worked before when I’m p*ssed off. Some asswipe telling me I shouldn’t be angry, or ridiculing me for being angry, or censoring me when I post while angry.
But hey, if you want to try to ridicule me, or censor me, or blame me, or lecture me…there’s always a chance it won’t just make me ANGRIER, and ANGRIER LONGER…so now it comes down to are you feeling lucky…are ya
Robert, NYC
If Obama were that much of a progressive, he wouldn’t be supporting legal segregation by proposing civil unions at the federal level. Of all people, he should know that separate is NEVER equal. He’s a centrist democrat, just like Clinton and the majority in the democratic party, moderate republicans in democratic clothing. Don’t expect much from any of them. Obama is NO Kucinich, Feingold or Kennedy, never will be. He’s incapable.
mark
It wouldn’t hurt if some of the Progressives showed some solidarity with us, Feingold, Boxer, Kennedy…just saying
Nick
…and every time we hear from camp Obama it is to chide us like children. It’s a very poor start with an attitude problem.
It seemed at first to be fuck off, now it seems to be no, really truly just go fuck yourselves you annoying people you, you don’t get it and we don’t care to have to explain again.
And they wonder why we feel betrayed?
Mike Fowlkes
I unsubscribed from every Obama e-mail list to which I once belonged behind this incident. Rick Warren has fueled the hate exhibited by those who bash gays physically with baseball bats. There is no excuse for his inclusion in the inaguration.
I initially supported Hillary because I had doubts about Obama. Now, my doubts have been confirmed. We have been sold a bill of goods.
I will not support Obama with another cent of my money, I will not watch the inaguration, and he can kiss my black ass on toast.
Brian Miller
There’s good and bad coming out of this.
The good news is that most of the LGBT community (other than the hopeless Democrat “my party right or wrong” partisans) has finally caught on that Obama is an empty suit who will throw them under the bus if it’s politically convenient.
The bad news is that so many (perhaps most) of the LGBT community was so damn stupid and blind in the first place to give into the self-indulgent, bourgeois delusions of Obamania in the first place. I mean, really people. His schtick is recycled Clintonism, down to the “hope” and “change” stuff, which was field-tested by Deval Patrick in Massachusetts before it was rolled out nationally.
Axelrod is just another politico whose speciality is lying to people and getting his guy in through whatever it takes. His “opinion” on the issue is just going to be spin designed to pander to evangelical voters while communicating “sit down and shut up, faggots!” to the rest of us.
Charles J. Mueller
Axelrod. What an interesting name.
Pity someone hasn’t shoved one up his butt yet.
An axlerod, that is.
Charles J. Mueller
Put a Gestapo hat on this Axlerod, and he would look just liek Hitler.
I can just hear hm clicking his heels together with arm extended as he says,
Das ist Herrrrr Axelrrrrrrod, du schwinehunt!
Paul
Axlerod and Obama have a few things to learn about inclusiveness. For starters, it is not inclusive to invite one guest while disinviting another.
Obviously, team Obama has no intention to apologize for their severe gaff towards the GLBTQ community.
I agree with other posters who say that The Gays (as well as many other groups) were snowed by team Obama. I was not but voted for this jerk anyways, primarily in hopes that his Supreme Court Justice appointees would be better made by him than McCain.
It is time for all Obamacons to take Obama off the pedestal and replace “Saint” Obama with “President” Obama.
As far as future support or money, team Obama can go FUCK themselves with the broom they rode in on.
GayGOP
Let’s not forget…Axelrod stood on the steps of Mayor Daley’s office quite recently, and said “There is no Chicago Machine.” This is a man who will say anything to protect his boss. Not surprising he would say that the choice of Warren is OK.
Charles J. Mueller
“The important point here is you have a conservative evangelical pastor coming to take part in the inauguration of a progressive president,”
Jawohl, Herr Kapitan (clicking both heels together)
Es ist gute for you, und you vill like it, nicht wahr?