Having Warren front and center is a political master stroke by Obama

He is building a bridge right into the heart of the Republicans' evangelical base and saying, "hey you can vote for me too."

to women and gays. nice.

I agree with you, but in fairness to the very few I suppose one could say that "he's burning the bridge to those women and gays" who are of this mindset:

"I won't be friends with you cuz your friends with him (or her)"

Used to hear that in junior high, it doesn't build bridges, it doesn't make sense, it doesn't make progress.

I'm with you.

I cast my first vote for Walter Mondale. I understand it goes back farther than that, though.

I understand that Obama has been campaigning on a platform rather more conservative than I would wish. I've chosen to take confidence in the great intelligence and judgement he's shown, that he'll prove wise enough to see that what we need now is not more triangulation. But intelligence, wisdom and judgement appear to be lacking here. I hope it's just an aberration.

He did say election night that we wouldn't agree with everything he did. He's sure kept that promise.

I do think everyone not happy with this decision should let the man hear it: I'm hopeful that will reduce the likelihood of the sort of over-eager reaching out to those who would only bite us back in response.

do everything the same as Bu$hCo, Reagan and the Nixonites. after all, it will prevent actual Republicans from getting elected!

i am finding it hard to believe that important principles of the progressives in the Democratic Party are so callously disregarded because, well, we have to "reach across the aisle"... to people who hate us.

way street. When the repukes controlled Congress, Conyers had to hold meetings in the basement because the assholes wouldn't give him a room. Remember the gang of 14 or whatever the hell it was called - bunch of Dems who went along with the repukes and promised not to filibuster the neanderthals being appointed to the courts. Wouldn't want to stand in the repukes way of shoving their criminal agenda down the people's throats.

Gates at Defense is not change I can believe in. And now I'm going to be forced to watch Obama share the stage with snake-oil salesman Warren. Jeez, all that's missing is Elizabeth Hasselbeck emceeing the inaugural ball. :puke:

if Obama screws the base too badly they may stay home in 2010 and he'll lose Congress. I've been active for 36 years and I'm finally beginning to wonder why I bother.

and that starts adding up even if that's not reflected on these dumbassed threads.

as opposed to crazy Pastor's interpretation of 2000 year old book in the New International Translation!

DU is going to be an unpleasant place to come to every time Obama fucks something up over the next four years.

Face it... short of offering them "compromises" (read: sellouts) on issues like choice, school prayer etc. that demographic is not going to vote our way. Pandering to them by giving their current icon legitimacy isn't going to make anything better.

This is an outrageous move on Obama's part.Pissing off the base - right. Smart move.
Pandering to the worst of r/w prejudice. Infuriating. Unnecessary. Gratuitous.
Rick Warren is unequivocally horrible.

tin ear to gay issues and diversity.

It isn't completely burnt yet, but the flames are growing.

:applause:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=7993720&mesg_id=7993720

Problem is that what's good for Obama isn't necessarily what's good for gay rights. Which is why people should criticize him for Warren.

In fact, he's set to reverse alot of Bush's policies on gays and abortion.

that simply doesn't exist for them, they don't care for gays, many of them want gays to either go back in the closet, permanently, or die. Why the fuck should Obama appeal to these assholes?

sometimes you have to build bridges to people who hold views with which you disagree; it's called politics.

If these people care so much about other things, like poverty or homelessness, why don't they reach a hand towards us and compromise their principles for us? Why does it always have to be us who compromise with them?

political compromise has been going on since, oh...the beginning of time.

to appeal to his followers and others that think like them?

And the fact that Obama is willing to put a person like Warren on stage means that he isn't ready to come out and condemn bigotry in all forms. I understand why. He's a politician and the American electorate is full of bigots, some of which happen to be persuadable voters. But better than Bush on gay issues isn't the change we need. We need equal rights and we need to end bigotry. If Obama isn't going to do it then we have to and that's where the "change from the ground up" comes.

This shit is atrocious, what the fuck is with everyone who wants to coddle these poor excuses for human beings. These pieces of scum, these fucking assholes. Why the fuck do we need them?

....with the business end of a chain saw! Huh huh huh huh huh.....

that Obama supports reproductive rights

:rofl:

The great majority of Americans practice some form of Religion.
They believe in God. Historically, in America, Presidents have recognized
this and on appropriate occasions make spiritual references in response.
Likewise, on auspicious occasions prayers of Invocation have been
the historical practice.

These references and Invocational prayers are not in any way the state
forcing religion on anyone. Most Americans simply accept these as
Traditions. Most Americans are willing to show respect for Religion
in general by simply standing quietly during an invocations. Some will
use as a means for praying privately. Others will simply stand quietly
if they do not "believe".

Pick your battle. Simply lashing out at all religion buys nothing and
will change nothing. Most Americans do not see an Invocation as
a breach of Church and State. I am a fervent supporter of Separation
of Church and State. Look for specific instances in which the principle
is being breached. Go after that with passion. Get your friends to
support you. You will find "believers" who are as passionate as you
are in keeping the two separate.

I guess what I am trying to say is some things are simply traditions
in this country. We will be happier if we go after breaches. The
greater majority often love the traditions. Attacking these only
turn possible supporters against your cause.

Just a thought, no offence intended.

Which is another aspect of this that doesn't make sense. With the separation of church and state on many people's mind, why create controversy around the invocation?

Propping up Rick Warren, a symbol of intolerance, at this juncture makes no sense. Claiming that this is a an astute political move designed to bring fundies into the fold, is a weak argument.

just like they have no brains....is this the kind of vote we need in the future?

Castrate the males...give hysterectomies to the females and just let them die off...no more breeding for these bastards

...wouldn't vote for him

This is a wasted misguided effort.

Much like Billy Graham did back in the 80's and 90's. It is prayer, not a speech.

An invocation does not make policy.

Obama will.

Those who elected him THIS TIME deserve a real celebration ~ this is the move of a self-serving politician.

what a naive one-liner. if you have ever been around the likes of people who would be in Warren's "flock", this type of gesture doesn't really get you very far since these folks seem to have fossilized worldviews that don't easily change. So actually BO has made a dumb mistake by pandering to such folks, AND, wait for it, has *masterfully* alienated alot of progressives who actually gave him a ton of $$$ to pull off this election. Brilliant!!!