Homophobe Rick Warren to oversee Obama’s inauguration

Barack Obama has committed what many pundits see as his first serious PR gaffe since winning the presidential election by choosing homophobic preacher Rick Warren to give the invocation at his January 20 inauguration ceremony.

Warren, founder of the gigantic Saddleback Church in California, is one of America's most prominent evangelical leaders but recently angered gay rights campaigners by declaring his support for 'Proposition 8', which outlawed gay marriage in California.

Though Warren has tried to expand the evangelical agenda to focus on global poverty, human rights abuses and Aids, he recently told the 22,000 members of his church: "This is not even just a Christian issue, it is a humanitarian and human issue, that God created marriage for the purpose of family, love and procreation. I urge you to support Proposition 8 and to pass that on." He has also compared abortion to the holocaust.

"If anyone is under any illusion that Obama is interested in advancing gay equality, they should probably sober up now," says Andrew Sullivan on The Atlantic. "Pandering to Christianists at his inauguration is a depressing omen." Sullivan continues: "Building such a liberal Christianist coalition is something I saw coming, and sadly see no way to avoid. But not on the backs of gay people, please, Mr President-elect."

Sarah Posner writes for The Nation: "Beneath [Warren's] sheep's clothing lurks a culture warrior wolf." He "represents the absolute worst of the Democrats' religious outreach, a right-winger masquerading as a do-gooder anointed as the arbiter of what it means to be faithful." Obama has gone too far, says Posner, especially "at an event meant to mark a turning point away from divisive politics".

Sam Stein writes on the Huffington Post: "Warren does have a rather peculiar relationship with the incoming president. The two share a general ethos that political differences should not serve as impediments to progress. On topics like Aids and poverty relief, they see eye-to-eye. But Warren's domestic and social agendas are at odds with Obama's. And for the gay and lesbian community in particular, the choice is a bitter pill to swallow."

But Stein also points out that "lost in the hubbub about Warren" is the fact that the man tasked with overseeing the Inauguration benediction - Rev. Joe Lowery - is an icon within progressive politics, a hero of the civil rights movement and a notable supporter of same-sex marriage. Stein observes that selecting contrasting pastors is "vintage Obama", seeking to bring together opposing points of view.

Meanwhile, George Bush has confirmed that the White House has organised a second meeting of the incoming and outgoing presidents for January 7. This time, Bush and Obama will be joined by former presidents Bill Clinton, George Bush Snr and Jimmy Carter.

LAST UPDATED 12:24 PM, DECEMBER 18, 2008