Rev. Rick Warren, pastor of a southern California (Orange County) mega-church and

best-selling author of The Purpose Driven Life, will be leading the prayers at the presidential

inauguration next month, much to the consternation of the gay and lesbian activist

community and the far left in general.

Warren has not only spoken out against the gay lifestyle, he is a committed social

conservative whose views on any number of other issues are diametrically opposed to

those of President-elect Barack Obama … and to those at this newspaper.

Nevertheless, we applaud the future president for the selection of Warren, even as we

hope the good reverend will keep in check his own anti-gay, anti-choice views during the

invocation. But whether he does or not, the choice still makes sense and gives credence

to the fact, as Obama said so often before and during his campaign, that it is time to stop

looking at those in this country who hold different opinions on social issues as if they were

the enemy.

Warren has drawn the ire of gay and lesbian activist groups because he has not only

opposed gay marriage and supported California’s infamous Proposition 8, he has also

compared the gay lifestyle to incest and pedophilia.

Obama and Warren are not strangers. Warren invited Obama to his church to speak back

in 2006 and was roundly chastised for letting someone of such liberal views appear there.

Warren invited both Obama and his Republican opponent, Senator John McCain, to the

ranch during the campaign to answer a series of questions – they were on stage separately

and it was televised. It was one of the Obama campaign’s low points due to the candidate’s

propensity to answer social questions in a professorial manner unlike his opponent who

tended to deliver his answers in a punchier, one-line format.

As in his choices for top-ranking administration officials, the selection of Warren for

such a high-profile appearance has provided an example of just what Obama has been

speaking about from the outset. He intends to listen to all opinions, he intends to do what

he can to avoid and prevent the sort of partisan bickering that keeps this nation from moving

forward.

We have heard this line before, of course. George W. Bush and Bill Clinton gave lipservice

to such intentions. Then they got into office and managed – in short order – to

greatly increase the enmity of the opposition and widen the breach.

There could be no greater symbol of Obama’s dedication to his stated purpose of

working with those of differing views than the inclusion of Warren on such a momentous

occasion.

As we have seen with Clinton and Bush 43, it is easy for a president – in spite of the

best intentions – to get into a bunker mentality and sense that his political enemies and

the press are ganging up against him. It doesn’t help when allies are reinforcing those

opinions for their own benefit.

Let’s hope that Obama can withstand the pressure over the long haul. If he does, he is

likely to get a lot more accomplished than did his predecessors in a number of areas.

* * * * *

And speaking of the inauguration, it’s only about four weeks away as millions of people

from around the nation prepare to head to Washington, D.C. to be part of this very historic

event.

District of Columbia officials are anticipating – fearing really – that more than 10,000

buses are about to make their way to the less than cozy confines of the Beltway. They feel

that they are capable of handling about 1,000 buses at most.

Four million people, say some observers, may descend on the capital in hopes of

catching at least a glimpse of history.

Typically, Inauguration Day is cold and blustery. There is heavy traffic in the Nation’s

Capital on every ordinary day of the year, so special events have a way of helping those

caught in it to gain a new-found respect for the word “gridlock.”

The buses that are going to try to drop off passengers on Inauguration Day will be lucky

to get within miles of their intended destination. Those bus drivers will be even luckier to

be able to stay in place until the event is over and passengers try to find their way back.

We would not want to discourage anyone from trying to participate in a truly historic

event.

That said – be careful out there, folks!

Happy Holidays!!