<Posted with permission of Nicholas Benton, Owner/Editor of the Falls Church News Press>

The Dismal Choice of Rich Warren

by Nicholas Benton

The decision by the Obama transition team to invite the snake-in-the-grass Rev. Rick Warren of the Saddleback Church of Orange County, Calif., to deliver the invocation at the presidential inauguration Jan. 20 has drawn fully justifiable, heartfelt pain and anger from Obama loyalists all across the land.

It is one thing to take a pragmatic approach to cabinet appointments, seeking a "team of rivals," based on their experience and talents in governing.

It's another thing, entirely, to reach out, embrace and give an unprecedented national spotlight to a man who stands as a bellicose spokesman against equal rights. Warren was a major ringleader of the effort to deny equal rights to gay and lesbian Americans in the passage of Proposition 8 in California last month.

His values, rooted in Christian "exceptionalism" and class-warfare hypocrisy, stand in stark contrast to those of the vast majority of the millions of Americans who, uplifted by the new hope they found embodied in the election of Obama, will be flooding the nation's capital to catch a glimpse of the inauguration.

I wasn't planning to battle the crowds, anyway. But were I younger, free to blow a full workday and willing to endure a severe shortage of porta-potties, my passion for attending in person would have been dealt a serious, if not fatal, blow by learning of the inclusion of such a bigoted thug as Rick Warren on the program.

Who knows, maybe Obama chose Warren in a deliberate attempt to thin out the crowds. Many, many Obama devotees feel as I do on this subject.

Bumped by Carol to complement Malcontends post; Originally posted .2008-12-20 03:01:29 -0500>

Rick Warren - The New National Preacher

I have a few things that are really sticking in my craw. First, why are we having a "presidential debate" in a church (even if it is one that is the size of a stadium)? Second, why would a Democratic candidate agree to debate in a church like Saddleback?

Yikes! Folks! this is some scary stuff. Here is a little background on Pastor Warren ...

Saddleback Pastor Rick Warren (author of The Purpose Driven Life -- and other marvelous works).

In the interest of providing a more rounded account please do not overlook additions to this story, including McCain campaign's reply.

Seems like there is good reason to suspect that John McCain either listened to Barack Obama and Rick Warren during the first hour of the Saddlebrook debate, despite assurances to the audience that he had been isolated in a "cone of silence," on the premises of the church.