In a pre-broadcast transcript, Vice President-Elect Joe Biden defends Obama’s choice of anti-gay pastor Rick Warren to give the invocation at Obama’s inauguration.
KING: There has been much controversy over the selection of Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at the inaugural. He’s been a guest on this show an awful lot, and he supported California’s Proposition 8, a measure that outlaws gay marriage. He is also very opposed to abortion. I know the gay community in America appears to be up in arms. What do you make of this?
BIDEN: Well, I’d make of it [as] Barack Obama keeping his commitment. Barack Obama said you’ve got to reach out. You’ve got to reach a hand of friendship across the aisle and across philosophies in this country. We can’t continue to be a red and blue country. We can’t be divided like we have been. And he’s made good on his promise. And I would say to the gay and lesbian community, they have nothing to worry about. Barack Obama, every aspect of his life, every aspect of his public life, and every commitment he’s made relating to equality for all people, will be things that he will stick with and that they should view this in the spirit in which he offered the opportunity to — to Mr. Warren.”
Biden will appear on Larry King Live at 9 pm EST.
Biden made similar remarks yesterday on This Week with George Stephanopoulos:
“Barack Obama…has a stellar and outspoken record in support of equality for all Americans, including gay and lesbian Americans. But he also has made a judgment, I think correctly, that in order to heal the wounds of this country and move this country forward…that he was going to reach out. He made it clear there are parts of the positions taken by the Reverend that he strongly disagrees with, but there’s also some very positive things about what he did. He’s giving invocation. He’s not making policy. He’s not part of the administration.”
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