In an exclusive interview with the Chicago Trib, Donnie McClurkin says that he has not been on a crusade to 'cure' homosexuals, and that
"His ideals and most importantly his ministry, he says, were severely misconstrued."
Apparently McClurkin and Obama "first connected" at the fundraiser that Oprah Winfrey held for Obama last month. It was after this meeting that McClurkin decided to join the Obama campaign.
"I believe in his stance. I believe in his platform and his agenda. So when they asked me if I would be apart of it, there was no problem," says McClurkin,
McClurkin goes on to say that he has never made a statement about 'curing homosexuality' and that those who are making that argument are trying to 'incite anger'.
It is obvious from the interview that McClurkin has developed a relationship with Obama. When McClurkin says 'they asked me to be apart of it', can one assume that it was Oprah and Obama making the personal pitch to him? And if that is the case, why didnt Obama just come out and say it in his statement yesterday. Speaking for myself, after I read it, I was left with the belief that there was no personal in the relationship between Obama and McClurkin.
If McClurkins statement is to be believed, that he has always held this position, then why didnt the Obama campaign just put out a statement saying that McClurkin has never held those views, as he claims and that he is in full agreement with Obama's stand on gay issues. If they had done this, Obama would have been much better off, and the blog discussions would have been about whether McClurkin was being truthful about his statements concerning homosexuality.
If it had gone this way, there probably would have been many diaries here praising Obama's ability to not only communicate with those who dont agree with him but his skill to convert the mindsets of those who disagree with him. But that had not been the case. Most of the diaries and comments I have read argued, that it was a vetting error, that Obama either didnt know McClurkin or the views that McClurkin held. Or that Obama's acceptance of McClurkin's support was part of some master strategy to win the African American vote and coalition building. Now that McClurkin's interview is out, neither of those arguments hold water.
Obama's campaign has done a real disservic to his supporters. With the exception of his statement yesterday evening, his supporters have been left to defend his position without any guidance from him. Now that this interview, which is fair to argue was vetted by the Obama campaign before it was given, has painted those who steadfastly defended Obama into corners that are going to be hard to get out of. Whoever in Obama's campaign who was advising him on this needs to be fired immediately.