First, let me say that my initial reaction was one of shock and dismay, but having read a good many of the "write off Obama" and "It's not so bad" diaries, I'm trying to reach a pragmatic resolution.
This development, while undeniably painful, can possibly serve as an opportunity for growth, both for us and for Obama
Follow me.
I have heard a lot of adjectives describing Obama's pick of Rick Warren to do the invocation. I must say that after some processing, is feels to me like wearing a snappy suit to a party and discovering as I ring the doorbell that there is an annoying stain on the lapel. While everyone else pretends not to notice, I will be self conscious about it the whole time. I don't like it but I'm not going to let it ruin my party because there is so much else to celebrate.
Now, I am not attempting to mollify my friends in the GLBT community. This is especially painful coming on the heels of Proposition 8 and knowing Warren's association with it. I will not tell you to "get over it." In fact, I will advise us all to make a big stink about it--up to, but not at, the actual inauguration. This is NOT OK. But I don't say that so that we can use it as a means for self-righteousness or anger venting, but to send a message to Obama because I believe he will hear it. What a difference from Bush!
I don't expect him to withdraw the Warren pick. He explained what he thought were some good reasons for selecting him. I/we disagree. I would now characterize this as an extremely clumsy move, insensitive and short-sighted. But it is one that can, should and will be redeemed. I say that because Obama is the sort of person who can listen, take in new information, process it and act on it.
I have seen some remarks that say the pick of Joseph Lowery balances out the Warren pick. I disagree, although I suspect that was in Obama's calculations as well--inclusion, reaching out, etc. So the motivation may have been well-intended, but the execution was awful. Our reaction can provide useful guidance to even such a sophisticated strategist as Obama. He has those skills because he can learn--and we should "instruct" him.
I often think that some of the reasons people get upset with Obama is that they think they're looking at a checker board while Obama is out there playing three-dimensional chess. Even the best chess player can unintentionally lose a rook from time to time, but he won't make the same mistake twice.
With the margin in the Senate so close (as I write this Franken is up by 102 votes), he may be trying to play a "divide and conquer" game by making it attractive for a few "moderate" republicans to support cloture on selected bills or make other accommodations. He's got to be doing continuing political Kung Fu.
Also, I note that the blowback from the passage of Proposition 8 appears to have set up a situation in which if it were voted on today, it would be roundly defeated. The reaction to the selection of Rick Warren may also serve to push more people--including Obama, who has never actually supported gay marriage--in the direction of full rights for gays and lesbians.
And this is coming from someone who believes that a secular presidential inauguration has no damn business have in religious invocation, even if it only takes up two minutes in the inauguration program, in the first place.
We will soon have a president who knows how to listen. Let us talk to--and sometimes scream at--him, and work with him an move this country back to the constitutional republic that Ben Franklin said we had, "if you can keep it."