There are more then a half dozen articles here on TPM about the choice of Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at Barack Obama's inauguration.  There is also a video of the President-elect responding to the criticism of this decision to honor an evangelical minister at the inauguration.  Opponents state that the pastor is anti-gay because he opposes gay marriage.   People are upset and feel abandoned by Obama because of this decision.  How ironic that we progressives are already breaking apart due to a classic wedge issue without any help from the Christian Reich or Republicans in general.

There was a tremendous milestone made by Barack Obama from the podium to the press.  The President-elect declared that he was "a fierce advoicate for equality of gay and lesbian Americans".  To my mind, this was a brave and bold statement of intent.  Obama is not threatened by Pastor Warren, or any other evangelicals.  It seems the selection is allowing Obama to express his views on the issue of gay rights.  He is bringing the issue into the public square.  Warren is merely the vehicle for the message that gay rights will be advanced during his term.

We can argue how far Obama is willing to go, but we can all agree, I hope, that right now, today, the GLBT community are already much better represented then they have ever been in Washington.  We can all believe also that the GLBT community will be in much better standing at the end of his term(s).  

We should all take note how Obama operates.  He does not encumber himself with posturing.  He is determined to hear all sides of an argument and to retain a respectful discussion of any subject.  It does not seem there is anything he is not willing to address.

If we were expecting him to give the Republicans a taste of their own medicine, we will be disappointed.  If we were looking forward to Obama bringing us all together, bringing us where we can recognize that regardless of what other verbiage we might use to identify ourselves or others, we are all Americans, then we have been encouraged.   That's the change I believe in.  Attacking Obama for merely giving the guy a podium for a few minutes, is more of the same.