Warren No Peace

Obama's choice of avowed bigot Pastor Rick Warren for his invocation has raised a couple of excellent responses from the Left, like Kos and John Aravosis.

Markos makes an excellent point, that goes far beyond the Warren controversy.

Obama wouldn't be out there making perhaps the strongest statement in support of gays and lesbians by a president (though he's still not technically one, I know) if it wasn't for the sturm and drang this choice generated. It is precisely this backlash that has forced Obama to clearly affirm his commitment to equality. And it will be continued pressure that will force him to do the right thing on the issue.

If we shut up, he'll take the path of least resistance. And that path of least resistance is kowtowing to the conservative media, the clueless punditocracy, and bigots like Warren.

First off, Markos is correct. The sad lesson we're learning is that we're not going to get squat, any of us, gay or straight, if we don't beat the crap out of our elected officials on a regular basis.

I'm in total agreement with the both of them, of course. In the end, Obama is a politician. Politicians make calcuated political manuevers all the time, it's what they do. Obama's no different in that respect. Nobody ends up President who isn't a political animal, through and through.

I like the guy. But "better than Bush" is not acceptable. Not after the sheer level of damage wrought to our country, damage that will take decades if not longer to recover from. Obama is being held to a higher standard, fair or not. The situation dictates that he absolutely has to be, or America isn't going to make it. Period. The pressure on him is crushing. But he ran for the office and was elected, knowing full well all the work that has to be done for the good of the country right now.

So yes, when Obama or any other politician makes such a crude, stupid move, they get called on it...as they should.