It is now in relatively wide circulation around the blogosphere that at today's opening inaugural festivities at the Lincoln Memorial that the invocation delivered by the Rt. Rev. Gene Robinson, the Episcopal Bishop of New Hampshire, was not broadcast on HBO's live coverage or in its subsequent rebroadcast. Indeed, none of the news networks covering the event showed it either it appears only one network, CNN, showed it. In fact, it is being reported by some who were in attendance that when Rev Robinson delivered his invocation, the speakers were either turned down or off all together.
The situation with Rev. Robinson and Rev. Warren has become so incredibly similar to the fiasco involving Donnie McClurkin and Rev. Andy Sidden its not even funny. Before the South Carolina primary, Obama held a concert for black evangelicals and invited gospel singer and "ex-gay" homophobe Donnie McClurkin to sing and emcee the event. GLBT activists reacted by denouncing McClurkin's claims that gays can change their sexual orientation (aka be saved) and Obama for having such a divisive anti-gay figure associated with his campaign. The GLBT community is rightly very sensitive to the legitimization of the ex-gay movement and the severe psychological damage reparative therapy can have of those subjected to this (being kind here) torture. After some hemming and hawing Obama announced he did not agree with McClurkin's views on gays, tried to reinterate his own support of the GLBT community and announced that an invocation at the concert would be delivered by openly gay minister, the Rev. Andy Sidden. It was highly questioned at the time having a white gay minister deliver the prayer when several black gay ministers were available and willing to give it. At the concert, Rev. Sidden delivered his prayer in front of a largely unoccupied venue as most people were outside still filing in. Reports put the crowd at one quarter to one third of the eventual attendance at best. McClurkin went on to emcee and perform in front of the full crowd and delivered his own god saved me from my gayness statement. Post concert, the Obama team released a three page statement defending its use of McClurkin and noting in capital lettering for emphasis in the statement
MCCLURKIN DOES NOT WANT TO CHANGE GAYS AND LESBIANS WHO ARE HAPPY WITH THEIR LIVES AND HAS CRITICIZED CHURCH LEADERS WHO DEMONIZE HOMOSEXUALS.
The next paragraph contained, also in capital letters the statement
OBAMA DOES NOT AGREE WITH MCCLURKIN'S VIEWS ON GAYS.
Fast forward to last month, it is announced the Rev. Rick Warren was selected by Obama to deliver the invocation at the inauguration ceremony on January 20. Warren's past statements on homosexuality included one comparing homosexuality to incest, rape and pedophilia. On cue, Obama & team defend the selection of Rev. Warren and state clearly that they don't agree with Warren's opinions on GLBTs. After that failed to quiet people down and after much hand wringing it is announced the Rt. Rev. Gene Robinson would deliver the invocation at today's concert. The statement announcing such claimed that Rev Robinson's selection had been made before the Rev. Warren announcement, but given Rev. Robinson's lack of mention of that in his own statement condemning Rev. Warren's selection and the amount of acrimony caused by the Warren announcement, it seems unlikely the Obama team would have held off on announcing Robinson for so long. Be that as it may, The day for the concert arrives and Rev. Robinson's prayer, like that of Rev. Sidden's, is minimized. Despite the concert being televised, Rev. Robinson wasn't. Despite there being an elaborate sound system to broadcast the concert to the attendees being in place, the volume for Rev. Robinson's invocation was either turned down or muted.
I suppose all that remains is for Obama's administration to release a statement on Rev. Warren after the inauguration of Tuesday. With the shadow of the McClurkin fiasco looming, will Obama's statement be a heart felt, honest apology to the GLBT community or should we expect a statement that Rev. Warren's anti-gay rhetoric is only directed at unhappy gays? Mr. President Elect, the ball is in your court.