As I see it, the Obama campaign has three options when the outcry (which has already started) comes to a boil later today:
UPDATE: Option 1 is off the table. An HBO spokesperson told TVB, "The PIC (Presidential Inaugural Committee)made the decision to put Rev. Robinson's invocation in the pre-show."
2. Come clean and admit that they never intended for Robinson to be seen on national TV. Which would mean admitting that Obama cooked up an extremely cynical ploy to pacify gays -- and straights like me who support gay marriage -- with a press release. Well, it failed. Perhaps Team Obama will claim it had no idea Robinson would not be seen giving the invocation. But then what does that say of Team Obama's vaunted preparation, planning, and chesslike working of all the angles?
3. Admit they screwed up and should've included Robinson on camera. If HBO had -- for some reason -- objected to having a gay bishop welcome all of America to "We Are One," then the invocation could have been pushed until after the entry of the presidential entourage. Well, it would not be the first time Team Obama had underestimated a controversial clergyman ... or the second. (How many presidents have gotten into hot water over their ministers three times before they even took the oath of office??)(
Whatever excuse the Obama people choose, exactly zero Americans saw Bishop Robinson on TV welcoming America to a day celebrating a president who is supposedly, to quote Colin Powell, a transformational figure.
And 150 million people will see Rick Warren do the same thing on Tuesday.
Some transformation.
Wounded Bird says that's about right.
H/T to the Episcopal Café.
As my late granny used to say, "I don't care who did what to whose dog for how many green stamps."
ReplyDeleteI just want someone to stand up and say, "We @#$%ed up." And I don't really care who.
150 million - 1 I won't watch him.
ReplyDeleteKirke, it would be refreshing to see someone actually take responsibility.
ReplyDelete149,999,99 then, Jay. I will watch because of a certain - je ne sais quoi - masochistic streak, I suppose.
I am thinking of watching all three and having my students in History of Religion in America do a little compare-and-contrast exercise, if I can get the texts of all three. What do you think?
ReplyDeleteJane, I think that would be an excellent exercise for your class.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if Obama has any gays or lesbians in his inner circle. There's a tone deafness about his team that's hard for me to understand.
Mimi, is it silly to suggest that any and all of the prayers over the long weekend are directed to God, and that presumably he didn't need HBO or a microphone to hear Bishop Robinson's?
ReplyDeleteThese prayer wars are getting a bit strange. And no, I don't think that the answer is to abolish them. Just to understand that they are cries to God, not platforms for positions or indicators of who has or has not "arrived."
Gram, I love you! Your post gave me the most awesome warm huggy feeling, something that I was so looking forward to yesterday and was denied. I have moved from anger to extreme disappointment - and, perhaps a wee bit of guilt over the glee I am feeling as some of those folks who thought I was being wacko yesterday start to realize my instincts were right. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
ReplyDeleteAnd no, I don't think that the answer is to abolish them.
ReplyDeleteRick, I think the answer is to abolish them - from the inauguration ceremonies, anyway.
Rick, the point was for millions of AMERICANS to hear the prayer. It was Obama and his team who turned the prayers into symbols and platforms over prayers when he chose his bookend preachers for Tuesday to show how broad his platform is. And then it was Obama and his team who again continued with this business by tacking prayers onto an event that probably didn't have a planned invocaion but they felt they needed to do something, and then it was Obama and his team who chose to silence those same prayers along with and other GLBT reference in yesterday's program - so if we are reacting to the "prayer wars" as you call them and missing the purpose of communal prayer it is due to the lead of our soon to be 44th president.
ReplyDeleteRenz, you are welcome, and I love ya back.
ReplyDeletemimi, so you feel entitled to dictate what can or can not be seen at an inauguration ceremony? yet, you would claim that those who speak out against homosexuals intent to force their will on society, are guilty of bigotry?
ReplyDeleteyou are quoting a lot of dr. king today, yet you refuse to honor the substance of his message. do you consider king to be little more than a hedge to hide behind, from which to toss your stink?
you have a blog, from which you claim to be taking a stand against hate, yet all you do is preach hate. you advocate for the persecution of those who disagree with you. dr. king would point you out as an example of what was wrong in the world.
I allowed the comment above through moderation to give you an example of one of the less offensive of those that I'm receiving.
ReplyDeleteDon't any of you blame your comments for what the trolls say. It's what they do. Today I'm their target. Later, it may be someone else. It's what they do. It's how they spend their time.
All blessings, Grand'mère ;=)
ReplyDeleteThese prayer wars are getting a bit strange.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Rick. In fact, I think the inauguration in general is getting blown up out of all proportion.
Something that I find really disturbing is that people are getting all hot under the collar about who is invited to pray at the event, but no one is getting hot under the collar about how much money is being spent on the event. I've heard the figure $130 million tossed around, compared to $44 million for the last Bush inauguration.
Generally I prefer Bush to Obama, but I find this figure obscene, and I wish Christians would have a bit more to say about this and a bit less to say about whether or not they agree with the theology of the person who happens to be praying at the moment.
Generally I prefer Bush to Obama....
ReplyDeleteTim. I feel stronger than than that. Obama is not the Messiah, and he, alone, cannot save us, but getting rid of Bush, in itself, is a powerful reason to celebrate. I come from the land of the Mardi Gras, and I know that sometimes folks just need to have a celebration, and this is one of those times.
If there were no prayers at the inauguration, there would be no prayer wars.
Gram, d'ja ever get the feeling that some folks just don't "get" what blogging is all about? Who the hell is "dictating" anything in their blogs? Sheesh - they attack you as if you were making official decrees for crying out loud... Hey, you - yeah, YOU - the troll that's lurking right there, I see you...Mimi is a sweet lady who is feisty and entitled to her opinions, you need not attack her or anyone else because the only power we have is the abilty to speak our mind - if you disagree so vociferously, then start your own dang blog for heaven's sake and if you're clever enough, you might achieve the readership and community that this lovely woman has. This isn't a tax payer funded forum, there's no need to be "fair and balanced" (don't choke, Mimi), there's no need to be perfectly consistent - it is OPINION. So get a life, get a blog, whatever, but if you can't be polite, go away!
ReplyDelete"It was Obama and his team who turned the prayers into symbols and platforms over prayers when he chose his bookend preachers for Tuesday to show how broad his platform is."
ReplyDeleteRenz --I think I'm in love with you--to date, no one has articulated the juggling that is taking place quite as well as that! Thank you!
And Grandmere --sticks and stones may break your bones --but words are equally as dangerous and damaging, which is why it is against the law to shout fire in a building when there is not one--and hateful "opinions" about some one's personhood can be far more damaging and deadly than screaming fire.... uttering hateful things ought to be unlawful too.
I hope and pray that the trolls are not getting under your skin in any way. --perhaps some incense around your computer, or holy water thrown about the room might help???
Grandmere, you have the software --how about publishing the IPNs of the trolls?
ReplyDeleteRenz! My Knight Defender!
ReplyDeleteIf I had the power to dictate, who knows? I might dictate. One never knows what one might do with power in hand.
I make no Fox-News-like claim to "fair and balanced", and this is my home online, so it is not a free-speech zone, either. If you say something that would get you thrown out of my house, then your comment might be thrown out here. You can disagree, so long as you do it respectfully.
Margaret, the numbers of trolls are diminishing rapidly. The one above that I published actually made me laugh. Such power attributed to little me! If things get really bad again, I may follow your suggestion.
ReplyDeleteNever fear ... Mimi has access to root workers.
ReplyDeleteMike, I can only hope "they" don't know what that means. I don't believe that I'm fascinating enough for the trolls to hang around for very long.
ReplyDeleteYou can disagree, so long as you do it respectfully.
ReplyDeleteThat philosophy, Mimi, is what makes you such a great host.
Tim, thank you. Actually, I prefer that the blog not be a mutual admiration society, but in disagreeing, there's no need for personal attacks and name-calling.
ReplyDeleteAh, shucks, ma'am. I just feel strongly about grandmothers, that's all, Mimi. And Margaret, I'm certain I was paraphrasing something I read over on OCICBW or at the very least borrowing heavily - but that's what's so awesome about this cyber community, lot's of dialogue and interchange and not too many party crashers with their boorish behavior, eh?
ReplyDeleteThe inaugural committee has released a statement and are now including the prayer in the show that will be played for the crowd gathering before the official events tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteClick on the sentence above to see the statement.
Dennis, thanks. How refreshing to see them take responsibility. I posted it.
ReplyDeleteTo those who complain about the cost of th inauguration:
ReplyDeletein CA over $70million was spent in the argument to forcibly dissolve my marriage. More than half of it by so called "Christians". In the grand scheme of things, celebrating the 1st ever AFrican American President seems a little more affirmative use of the money.
Clean your own stables.
any and all of the prayers over the long weekend are directed to God, and that presumably he didn't need HBO or a microphone to hear Bishop Robinson's
ReplyDeleteRick, you'll be pleased to hear someone agrees with you...
...and that someone would be Bishop Gene Robinson, who made that same point on NPR today.
***
Tim: Generally I prefer Bush to Obama
In God's name, why?
FWIW---
Final Bush approval rating today: 22%
Obama (transition) approval rating: 81%.
"Generally," Tim, I think Americans have FINALLY answered the Clue Phone! After 8 (28? 40?)
L ~ O ~ N ~ G years!!! :-D