A lot is being made of the symbolism attached to Rick Warren, in giving the Invocation at Barack Obama’s inauguration. Much less has been said about the symbolic importance of Joseph Lowery giving the Benediction.  Read more…

Rick Warren's Clout

How much clout does Rick Warren have?

The California megachurch minister and opponent of gay marriage who will deliver the invocation at Barack Obama's inauguration had his income tax returns audited in 1996. When the IRS tried to collect the taxes it claimed he owed, Warren went to court. Congress then passed a law granting Warren's tax deduction, pre-empting the US Court of Appeals from even taking up the case against him. The votes in the House and Senate were unanimous.

Finally, many bloggers are beginning to understand what should have been obvious for some time, Barack Obama is a bully who is attracted to his fellow bullies. He despises progressive idealism even as he exploits it. Obama is not the first community organizer to sell out, and he won’t be the last, only the most famous.

But let us return to the vile Rick Warren, because Obama has made that necessary. First of all it is abundantly clear that neither Warren, nor any other proponent of the proposition 8 hate amendment cares the snap of their fingers about marriage. If you were truly interested in strengthening marriage you would examine societies with a track record of success.

Observations on Obama and McCain at Rick Warren's anti-establishment-clause summit...

Obama

Led off by citing Matthew about "the least of us." If you're going to play the religion card, this is the better sort of framing. Slippery slope, though, ain't it?

Says Bill Clinton was right about workfare. Over the course of the hour, Obama lists several things that Bill did right, such as Bosnia. Funny, when his wife was still in the race, you'd never hear that the Clinton era was so good! Also, he pops in "sexism" now and again as an issue. Just in time to repudiate all that misogynistic press against Hillary, right?