Richard Cohen's editorial in the Washington Post gets to the point, quite well, I think, attacking Obama's failings as a moral leader. Here's the end of it:
“I can understand Obama's desire to embrace constituencies that have rejected him. Evangelicals are in that category and Warren is an important evangelical leader with whom, Obama said, ‘we're not going to agree on every single issue.' He went on to say, ‘We can disagree without being disagreeable and then focus on those things that we hold in common as Americans.' Sounds nice. But what we do not ‘hold in common' is the dehumanization of homosexuals. What we do not hold in common is the belief that gays are perverts who have chosen their sexual orientation on some sort of whim. What we do not hold in common is the exaltation of ignorance that has led and will lead to discrimination and violence. Finally, what we do not hold in common is the categorization of a civil rights issue — the rights of gays to be treated equally — as some sort of cranky cultural difference. For that we need moral leadership, which, on this occasion, Obama has failed to provide. For some people, that's nothing to celebrate. The party's off.”
Well said.
Warren On? Party Off. [washington post]
Earlier
Rick Warren Staging Gay-Related West Hollywood Photo Ops? [tr]
Rick Warren Says Gays Use Hate Speech, Have ‘Christ-O-Phobia' [tr]
Biden, Etheridge Talk Rick Warren as Calls to Dump Him Continue [tr]
As Obama Bakes, Rick Warren Controversy Simmers [tr]
