Over the past two days I spent a lot of my internet time arguing about and decrying the choice of Rick Warren for President-Elect Obama's invocation. Aside from being a truly offensive choice to many of his most loyal supporters, the choice of Warren seems like a concession to people who don't need any concessions. The right lost - we won big-time, remember?
Obama wants us to believe that choosing Warren is a way of starting dialogue and representing multiple viewpoints. We are supposed to believe that secret progressive Obama is doing this to make everyone happy, and he will then advance our line. I'm sorry, but I don't see how offering one of the "highest honors" an American religous figure might receive to a homophobic bigot is deceptive lip service. It is truly a huge honor. Do you think it will make passing gay rights legislation in Congress any easier? Do you think it will make conservatives rethink their "gays are icky and if they marry I'll have to marry my hamster!!" position when Warren has received this honor without even taking any steps to rethink his? Sorry, embracing a conservative pastor for who he is is not how you start a progressive conversation. Unless really angering the gay community is Obama's idea of starting a grassroots movement to create change. Which the "Obama has a masterplan" people might argue.
The same goes for the extended media slow dance between Obama and the worst elements of the CIA. As I documented elsewhere, the Obama transition team quickly shut down rumors that he would head rightward on net neutrality - but they haven't done anything near that when it comes to the CIA. We went from John Brennan to now Obama feeling "comfortable" with Michael Hayden.
Ya think that FISA law is going to change anytime soon? What sort of ideas do you think Hayden is sharing with Obama that Obama is so comfortable with?
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