• Barack Obama,  Gay Marriage,  Gay Politics,  Rick Warren

    California Proposition 8 Supporter and Anti-Gay Marriage Pastor Rick Warren Selected to Deliver Invocation at Barack Obama Inauguration

    “New Evangelical” leader Rick Warren comes out forcefully in support of California’s anti-gay marriage amendment.

    Barack Obama has chosen the founder and senior Pastor at California’s Saddleback Church, Pro-Life, conservative Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at his inauguration. Warren is nationally acclaimed pastor and author of the New York Times bestselling “The Purpose Driven Life.” He previously announced  his support in favor of Proposition  8, California’s Protect Marriage Act that passed in November and restored the traditional definition of marriage (one man and one woman). 

    Key Warren graph on marriage:

    “For 5,000 years, every culture and every religion – not just Christianity – has defined marriage as a contract between men and women,” Warren wrote. “There is no reason to change the universal, historical definition of marriage to appease 2% of our population.”

    But, the homosexual community is NOT happy.

    The Human Rights Campaign and gay and lesbian activists are up in arms over the Obama transition team’s announcement that the Reverend Rick Warren has been selected to deliver the invocation at his inauguration in January.

    The HRC sent a letter to president elect Barack Obama Wednesday expressing their disappointment in the selection of Warren.“Our loss in California over the passage of Proposition 8 which stripped loving, committed same-sex couples of their given legal right to marry is the greatest loss our community has faced in 40 years,” the letter reads. “And by inviting Rick Warren to your inauguration, you have tarnished the view that gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans have a place at your table.”

    Early in his campaign, Obama ran up against criticism from LGBT Americans for his inclusion of antigay political figures in his faith tour and on campaign stops. “Reformed gay” gospel singer Donnie McClurkin performed at an early event for Obama, drawing jeers from LGBT activists.

    McClurkin has long claimed that God saved him from homosexuality.

    Weeks later, the press latched on to Obama’s friendship with antigay minister James Meeks, from whom Obama had long claimed to seek regular “spiritual counsel.” This association led a number of on-the-fence LGBT voters to rally behind Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primaries.

    Here is the text of the letter:

    Dear President-elect Obama,

    Let me get right to the point. Your invitation to Reverend Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at your inauguration is a genuine blow to LGBT Americans. Our loss in California over the passage of Proposition 8 which stripped loving, committed same-sex couples of their given legal right to marry is the greatest loss our community has faced in 40 years. And by inviting Rick Warren to your inauguration, you have tarnished the view that gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans have a place at your table.

    Rick Warren has not sat on the sidelines in the fight for basic equality and fairness. In fact, Rev. Warren spoke out vocally in support of Prop 8 in California saying, “there is no need to change the universal, historical definition of marriage to appease 2 percent of our population … This is not a political issue — it is a moral issue that God has spoken clearly about.” Furthermore, he continues to misrepresent marriage equality as silencing his religious views. This was a lie during the battle over Proposition 8, and it’s a lie today.

    Rev. Warren cannot name a single theological issue that he and vehemently, anti-gay theologian James Dobson disagree on. Rev. Warren is not a moderate pastor who is trying to bring all sides together. Instead, Rev. Warren has often played the role of general in the cultural war waged against LGBT Americans, many of whom also share a strong tradition of religion and faith.

    We have been moved by your calls to religious leaders to own up to the homophobia and racism that has stood in the way of combating HIV and AIDS in this country. And that you have publicly called on religious leaders to open their hearts to their LGBT family members, neighbors and friends.

    But in this case, we feel a deep level of disrespect when one of architects and promoters of an anti-gay agenda is given the prominence and the pulpit of your historic nomination. Only when Rev. Warren and others support basic legislative protections for LGBT Americans can we believe their claim that they are not four-square against our rights and dignity. In that light, we urge you to reconsider this announcement.

    Sincerely,

    Joe Solmonese
    President
    Human Rights Campaign

    Flap understands why the homosexual LEFT is upset.

    Obama did name seven openly homosexual folks to his transition team but he has placed the issue of “gays in the military” on the backburner.

    And, California African-American voters voted overwhelmingly in favor of California Proposition 8.

    Now, Obama selects an anti-gay marriage Pastor to participate in the inauguration ceremony. It would be like President George W. Bush asking Barbara Streisand to speak at an RNC fundraising dinner.

    But, Obama wants to be an inclusive President and irrespective of the homosexual community his voter base approves.

    Exit questions: Will the radical gay marriage protesters that have marched against Mormon Churches, protested in front of Rick Warren’s church, harassed businesses and indviduals that supported Proposition 8, boycott or protest at Obama’s inauguration? Will they dare?


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  • Caroline Kennedy,  Hillary Clinton

    Hillary Clinton or Caroline Kennedy for President in 2016?

    Hillary Clinton and Caroline Kennedy

    Hillary Clinton and Caroline Kennedy who is seeking appointment to her U.S. Senate seat

    GAD, they are already speculating for the term after “The One.”

    If Caroline Kennedy is appointed to the Senate and wins reelection, and Barack Obama serves two successful terms, Senator Kennedy from New York, into her second term after two high-profile campaigns, having amazed the pundits with her ability to step on and off charter jets in Rochester and be friendly to members of the City Council, will be an automatic top-tier candidate for president.

    The Kennedy-Clinton primary will be a thing to watch.

    And, with Sarah Palin as the likely GOP nominee, voters could have an all female finale. Allahpundit ridicules some more.

    Nothing would be finer than a nepotism cage match between the Clintons and Kennedys for the nomination while Chelsea and Michelle Obama inevitably eye Senate runs of their own. Here’s the latest scoop from the trail in furtherance of that end. She’s not quite ready yet for tough questions like, um, are you qualified, but she’s getting there.

    Key Caroline Kennedy graph:

    “Are you ready for this, Ms. Kennedy? You’re not going to answer questions at all?” reporters yelled.

    “Where are you heading next?” a television reporter asked.

    “To the car,” Kennedy said.

    Uhhhhhh, maybe New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo would be a better choice for Hillary’s Senate seat.

    You think?


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  • Anna Eshoo,  Fairness Doctrine

    Restore The Fairness Doctrine and Apply To ALL Programming – Are You Fraking Kidding Flap?

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    California Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (D- Palo Alto) wants to restore The Fairness Doctrine

    There were warnings about the restoration of The Fairness Doctrine after the election of Barack Obama and the overwhelming Democrat victory in the Congress. Although Barack Obama has said he opposes reinstatement of it, we all know how he can change his mind.

    Also, Flap poo-pooed the idea because technology really had passed The Fairness Doctrine by.

    Now, however, comes a new proposal by a California Congresswoman, Anna Eshoo which gives Flap pause.

    Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, D-Palo Alto, said Monday she will work to restore the Fairness Doctrine and have it apply to cable and satellite programming as well as radio and TV.

    “I’ll work on bringing it back. I still believe in it,” Eshoo told the Daily Post in Palo Alto.

    The Fairness Doctrine required TV and radio stations to balance opposing points of view. It meant that those who disagreed with the political slant of a commentator were entitled to free air time to give contrasting points of view, usually in the same time slot as the original broadcast.

    The doctrine was repealed by the Reagan administration’s Federal Communications Commission in 1987, and a year later, Rush Limbaugh’s show went national, ushering in a new form of AM radio.

    Conservative talk show hosts fear the doctrine will result in their programs being canceled because stations don’t want to offer large amounts of air time to opponents whose response programs probably wouldn’t get good ratings.

    Eshoo said she would recommend the doctrine be applied not only to radio and TV broadcasts, but also to cable and satellite services.

    “It should and will affect everyone,” she said.

    She called the present system “unfair,” and said “there should be equal time for the spoken word.”

    So, the government will be in the speech business? Even where they have no regulatory role or control, e.g. the internet, cable and satellite communications?

    Think about this. A Congresswoman, believing that “there should be equal time for the spoken word”, is going to have the government step in and regulate what can be said on privately-owned communication systems, i.e., cable television and satellite radio. And at no point does it cross her mind that this would violate the First Amendment.

    How fast do you spell violation of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution? And, the United States Supreme Court eviscerating the bill/law?

    Someone needs to remind the Congresswoman that the government has NO ROLE in regulation of the freedom of speech.

    “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances”.

    Stay tuned……

    Previous:

    The Fairness Doctrine – Technology Has Passed it By

    The Worry About the Fairness Doctrine


  • Barack Obama,  Eric Holder,  Rod Blagojevich

    Surprise: Attorney General Nominee Eric Holder Omits Hot Rod Blagojevich Connection From U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Questionnaire

    Eric Holder and Rod Blagojevich
    Eric Holder (right) appears at a March 24, 2004, news conference with Gov. Blagojevich.

    No, not really a surprise. Eric Holder failed to mention his past associations with the politically corruption charged Governor of Illinois Hot Rod Blagojevich on a 47 page Senate Judiciary Committee questionnaire.

    And, about what?

    Chicago area casino gambling and organized crime.

    Before Eric Holder was President-elect Barack Obama’s choice to be attorney general, he was Gov. Blagojevich’s pick to sort out a mess involving Illinois’ long-dormant casino license.

    Blagojevich and Holder appeared together at a March 24, 2004, news conference to announce Holder’s role as “special investigator to the Illinois Gaming Board” — a post that was to pay Holder and his Washington, D.C. law firm up to $300,000.

    Holder, however, omitted that event from his 47-page response to a Senate Judiciary Committee questionnaire made public this week — an oversight he plans to correct after a Chicago Sun-Times inquiry, Obama’s transition team indicated late Tuesday.

    “Eric Holder has given hundreds of press interviews,” Obama transition spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter said in a statement. “He did his best to report them all to the committee, but as he noted in the questionnaire itself, some were undoubtedly missed in the effort to reconstruct a list of them.”

    Holder signed the questionnaire on Sunday — five days after Blagojevich’s arrest for allegedly putting Obama’s U.S. Senate seat up for sale. The Judiciary Committee asked him to provide lists and “copies of transcripts or tape recordings of all speeches or talks delivered by you” and “all interviews you have given to newspapers, magazines or other publications.”

    The “OOPS” excuse is NOT going to wash this time. The GOP Senate Judiciary Committee had better prepare some pointed questions of Eric Holder who has already been tainted by the Bill Clinton pardon of Marc Rich.

    Exit questions: Can’t Obama find someone untainted by political scandal for Attorney General? Or, is this the person President Obama wants to cover his own ass once he takes office?


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  • Barack Obama,  Rahm Emanuel,  Rod Blagojevich,  Valerie Jarrett

    Obama Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel Pushed Hot Rod Blagojevich to Appoint Valerie Jarret to Obama’s Senate Seat

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    Rahm Emanuel (Barack Obama’s Chief of Staff and former Illinois Congressman) (right) and Gov. Rod Blagojevich at a news conference in 2004

    Guess everyone knows who tipped off Valerie Jarrett about Barack Obama’s U.S. Senate seat, now don’t we?

    President-elect Barack Obama’s incoming chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, was pushing for Obama’s successor just days after the Nov. 4 election, sources told the Chicago Sun-Times.

    Emanuel privately urged Gov. Blagojevich’s administration to appoint Obama confidante Valerie Jarrett, and the Sun-Times learned Tuesday that he also pressed that it be done by a certain deadline.

    Jarrett was initially interested in the U.S. Senate post before Obama tapped her to be a White House senior adviser, sources say.

    The disclosure comes days after Obama’s camp downplayed Jarrett’s interest in the post.

    At one point, an “emissary” who said he represented Jarrett had discussions with Blagojevich chief of staff John Harris and the governor about naming Jarrett to the post, according to a criminal complaint.

    In addition to the discussions, Emanuel submitted a list of names of candidates suitable to the Obama team to the governor’s administration. Jarrett was not among those names because she had pulled herself out of the running at that point, a source with the Obama camp said.

    Obama said Monday that an internal report detailing any staff contacts with the embattled governor or his aide would be made public next week.

    Emanuel’s discussions do not indicate he was involved in dealmaking with the governor. However, his deeper involvement creates a sticky political situation for Obama.

    An Emanuel source said it was “possible” that Emanuel discussed the appointment with Harris and that a specific date was mentioned. “Valerie was deciding whether she wanted to go the Senate. Others had talked to her about it. There were plenty of people who talked to her about it and thought she would be a good choice,” the source said.

    So, what did Rham Emanuel know and when did he know it? And, what did Valerie Jarrett know and when did she know it?

    The political web is woven tighter for Rham Emanuel to take the fall for inappropriate political trading for Obama’s Senate seat. Plus, the fact that the Feds have him on tape 21 times discussing the matter with either Hot Rod Blagojevich or his staff will implicate him further in any Blago impeachment, Grand Jury indictment and/or trial.

    While Obama is close to Emanuel and notwithstanding David Axelrod’s spin control this morning on “Morning Joe,” Barack Obama will need to assess whether Rham will be able to assume duties of COS to POTUS while under a cloud of political scandal.

    Stay tuned……

    Previous:

    Was the SEIU an Obama – Blagojevich Intermediary for the Senate Seat? Part Two

    Barack Obama on BlagoGate:”Absolutely Certain” No Deal Making From Transition Team – But, Who Tipped Off Valerie Jarrett?

    The Blagojevich Private Conference Call, Valerie Jarrett and The Obama Transition Team

    Was the SEIU an Obama – Blagojevich Intermediary for the Senate Seat?


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  • Barack Obama,  Time Magazine

    Shocker: Barack Obama is the Time Magazine Person of the Year

    Barack Obama Time Person of the Year

    No, not a shock. The Time Magazine Person of the Year is President-elect Barack Obama.

    The magazine will feature (hits the newsstands tomorrow) long-lost college photos, an interview with Obama, an explanation of why he was chosen and more.

    Who did you think Time Magazine was going to choose Sarah Palin?

    By the way, the choice was so noteworthy that Time Magazine’s Jay Carney left Time to become Obama’s VP, Joe Biden’s flack.


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  • Barack Obama,  Rod Blagojevich

    Video: Illinois Wants a Special Election to Replace Obama in the Senate

    ILGOP Launches New Ad as Madigan and Jones Refuse to Strip Blagojevich of Senate Appointment Power and Call for a Vote of The People

    Illinois Democrats have determined that a special election might place Barack Obama’s U.S. Senate seat at risk. So, while Demcorat Governor Hot Rod blagojevich twists in the wind regarding trying to sell the seat, they abandon the process to give Illinois voters a chance to fill the seat directly.

    The script:

    ANNOUNCER:

    “Rod Blagojevich embarrassed Illinois and tried to sell our Senate Seat.

    And now Blagojevich’s campaign chairmen are refusing to hold a special election and playing political games.

    Blagojevich Democrats said they’d support a special election and went back on their word.

    The people of Illinois – embarrassed again.

    We should choose our own Senator to represent us – not the politicians in Chicago and Springfield.

    We demand a voice.

    Call Speaker Madigan and President Jones. Tell them we want a special election.”

    Chances of a special election?

    Slim and none.

    The Illinois Democrats will replace Hot Rod (eventual resignation) with Democrat Lt. Governor Pat Quinn and Quinn will appoint an interim caretaker Democrat while the machine readies another Dem in two years.

    Stay tuned…….


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  • Day By Day,  George W. Bush,  Iraq,  Iraq War,  Saddam Hussein

    Day By Day by Chris Muir December 17, 2008 – The View From the Left

    Day By Day 121708

    Day By Day by Chris Muir

    The Iraqi journalist who threw the shoes at President Bush was a Saddam Hussein Baathist Party supporter/member.

    Go figure.

    Flap supposes he could be wearing a Saddam t-shirt? But, would it be the pre-hanged version? Or how about Saddam celebrating the gassing of the Kurds? Invading Kuwait and killing American soldiers?

    Previous:

    The Day By Day Archive


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  • Del.icio.us Links

    links for 2008-12-17

    • It’s official. The old Clinton gang really is back together again. Answering the phones these days for the co-chairman of President-elect Barack Obama’s transition, John D. Podesta, is none other than Betty Currie.
    • A committee of the Illinois House considering evidence and testimony in an impeachment inquiry against Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich adjourned its first day of hearings after about an hour on Tuesday, after the governor’s lawyer and the federal prosecutor seeking to indict him both expressed concerns.
      ++++++
      And, no special election legislation – Chicagoland politics as usual
    • US President George W. Bush said in an interview Tuesday he was forced to sacrifice free market principles to save the economy from "collapse."

      "I've abandoned free-market principles to save the free-market system," Bush told CNN television, saying he had made the decision "to make sure the economy doesn't collapse."

      Bush's comments reflect an extraordinary departure from his longtime advocacy for an unfettered free market, as his administration has orchestrated unprecedented government intervention in the face of a dire financial crisis.

      "I am sorry we're having to do it," Bush said.
      +++++++
      Maybe Bush should let Cheney be President for a month or so.

    • Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (Nev.) urged New York Gov. David Paterson to appoint Caroline Kennedy to the Senate seat being vacated by Hillary Rodham Clinton, according to a Democratic strategist familiar with Reid's thinking.

      Reid and Paterson spoke by phone last week, according to the source. The call was not prompted by Kennedy or anyone in her inner circle but rather was based on Reid's belief in her qualifications to serve and her ability to run for and win the seat in a 2010 special election.
      ++++++++
      The fix is in for caroline.

    • Team Obama's response has made what should have been a one-day story into a full-blown p.r. crisis. So far, it seems to have adopted the early Clinton-administration approach – turn a minor problem into a big one by mismanaging the media.

      The Obama camp has managed to violate almost every tenet of crisis communications – starting with Rule No. 1: Get all the information out quickly, accurately and fully.
      +++++++
      But Obama and Rahm do NOT want the information out until they have stories coordinated.

    • Democrats in the Illinois House of Representatives postponed stripping Governor Rod Blagojevich’s power to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama that prosecutors say Blagojevich tried to sell.

      The governor, a Chicago Democrat, retains authority to appoint Obama’s successor while the House pursues an impeachment process that may last weeks. Democratic lawmakers led by House Speaker Michael Madigan dropped plans late yesterday to schedule a special election to fill the post after failing to agree in a closed-door meeting, said Steve Brown, a Madigan aide.

    • The expectation that Colorado Sen. Ken Salazar will be nominated as Interior Secretary by President-elect Barack Obama presents Republicans with a prime pickup opportunity in a swing state, an early sign that their fortunes may be turning after two disastrous elections in which the party lost a combined 13 seats in the Senate.

      Gov. Bill Ritter (D) will appoint Salazar's replacement but that appointed senator will have less than two years to establish himself or herself before standing for election to a full six-year term in 2010.
      +++++++
      GOP's best shot would be for Salazar's brother getting the appointment and then the GOP winning his House Seat.

      (tags: GOP KenSalazar)
    • In talks with Emanuel and others, sources say, Pelosi has “set parameters” for what she wants from Barack Obama and his White House staff — no surprises, and no backdoor efforts to go around her and other Democratic leaders by cutting deals with moderate New Democrats or conservative Blue Dogs.

      Specifically, Pelosi has told Emanuel that she wants to know when representatives of the incoming administration have any contact with her rank-and-file Democrats — and why, sources say.
      ++++++
      Dem turf wars have already started.

    • Clinton is focused on her transition to the State Department, people close to her say, and being seen as meddling in the Senate choice would likely make her more enemies than friends.

      "Sen. Clinton completely respects the privacy of his process so will not be commenting on it or any individual candidate, nor does any third party speak on her behalf," said her spokesman, Philippe Reines.
      +++++++
      Yeah right…..

    • Illinois lawmakers started impeachment proceedings Monday against Gov. Rod Blagojevich as he continued to show up for work in Chicago and firmed up his legal team to fight corruption charges.
      The state House of Representatives unanimously authorized a bipartisan committee to explore the possibility of ousting the two-term Democratic governor, by a vote of 113 to zero. But lawmakers did not move forward with a bill to create a special election to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama, which Gov. Blagojevich is accused of trying to sell.
      ++++++++
      Should the Dems not pursue a special election who will take the seat for two years? A lame duck Senator before they even started.