RUSH: So, Rick Warren is going to do the prayer at The Messiah’s inauguration, and of course gay groups are livid, I mean they’re climbing the walls because Rick Warren was for Prop 8, he’s opposed to gay marriage. Gay groups feel totally let down by Barack Obama. Again, I want to caution all of you extreme leftist groups like militant leftist gays and all of you that are worried about Obama’s cabinet, like Bob Gates over at the Pentagon is going to stay on, Ray LaHood, a Republican from Illinois, has been named transportation secretary. You guys just calm down. This is a brilliant political stroke by Obama. He knows that he embarrassed himself profoundly on the pro-life question with Rick Warren. This is an attempt by Obama, just as Clinton did it, to make it look like he is not what he is. He is not the radical extremist that we know he is.
This is all just public relations right now. This is all just for show. You leftists are going to be happier than you know. It’s like the education secretary, this Arne Duncan, the guy that ran the Chicago schools. I said yesterday, he’s a figurehead. Everybody that has the guts to understand this knows full well that William Ayers is going to be discussing education policy with Barack Obama, and Arne Duncan is up there as a figurehead. There’s a story out today that basically says that Arne Duncan has even got ties to the Annenberg Challenge, which is where Obama and William Ayers did their education work. You’re going to get what you want. You’re going to get a massive stimulus package; you’re going to get massive growth of government. Would you just stop complaining. It is unbecoming of you leftists to be so panicked here. Just pay attention to the substance and forget the PR. You’re going to be cool.
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RUSH: Let’s go to audio sound bite number one. This is Obama’s daily press conference today. I think this guy actually loves playing president. I mean, ‘Office of the President-elect’? He’s got the media standing up like jacks-in-the-box, genuflecting and all that. I think he loves playing president. He comes out every day, takes a couple quick questions after announcing the latest brilliant nomination, and then walks away — and in this one, he tells the gay community to leave him alone about Rick Warren, who’s going to do the prayer at his inauguration. Washington Post reporter, Peter Slevin: ‘A question about Pastor Rick Warren, Mr. President-elect. He holds a number of social views that are at odds with your own views and with those of some of your very strong supporters. I’m wondering what went into your decision to choose Rick Warren for this prominent role as you embark on your own presidency at a time when you’re dotting every ‘I’ and crossing every ‘T’ to send some important signals?’
OBAMA: It is no secret (pause) thaaaat I am a fierce advocate for (pause) equality for (pause) gay and lesbian Americans.
RUSH: Not marriage, though.
OBAMA: A couple of years ago I was invited to Rick Warren’s church to speak, despite his awareness that I held views that were entirely contrary to his when it came to gay and lesbian rights, when it came to issues like abortion. Nevertheless, I had an opportunity to speak — and that dialogue, I think, is part of what my campaign’s been all about, that we’re not gonna agree on every single issue. But what we have to do is to be able to create an atmosphere where we can disagree without being disagreeable, and then focus on those things that we hold in common as Americans.
RUSH: He’s basically telling the reporter to screw off here. This was an answer that did not answer the question. He just basically told him, ‘I’m doing what I want to do. Screw you, buddy.’ What you people in Drive-Bys gotta understand is something very simple. After this prayer, nobody in the Obama administration is going to take Rick Warren’s call ever again. This is just a useful device, public relations and image, and this is the swan’s song. It’s not the beginning of anything.
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RUSH: Okay, gay activists. They are livid. They are as upset as they can be at Obama for inviting Rick Warren from the Saddlesore Church in California to give the prayer at the official invocation at the Barry inauguration. Some of the headlines on this story… ‘Obama Picks Homophobe Pro-Prop 8 Evangelical Preacher to Give the Invocation at Inaugural.’ Another headline from Andrew Sullivan: ‘Ugh.’ The Politico: ‘Gay Activists Furious with Obama; Pro-Life Rick Warren to Give Invocation at Obama Inauguration.’ They are livid out there. And this morning on MSNBC Live — by the way, Andrea Mitchell, NBC News Washington, just reported that Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg is, as we speak, in Harlem at Sylvia’s restaurant dining with the Reverend Sharpton. Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg is in Harlem at Sylvia’s restaurant dining with the Reverend Sharpton. Rick Warren was on MSNBC today, forced to defend himself, for having been chosen by Obama to do the prayer at the inauguration. Ann Curry was the interrogator and the prosecutor. And, by the way, Rick Warren and Obama have the same position on the issue of gay marriage, the identical position, but it is Rick Warren who now must defend himself. Ann Curry says (angrily), ‘How have you reconciled yourself with the pain that you’ve caused because of that loss of faith in you?’
WARREN: Well, because, if that hadn’t passed, the pain it would have caused to far millions more, I think, would be more severe. And here’s what I see in this, Ann. For 5,000 years, every single culture and every single religion has defined marriage as a man and a woman. Not just Christianity. Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism.
RUSH: Hell, folks, even the Somali pirates are opposed to gay marriage! He didn’t mention them. But how about this question: ‘How have you reconciled yourself…?’ This is about his pro-Prop 8, anti-gay marriage position. ‘How have you reconciled yourself with the pain that you’ve caused because of that loss of faith…?’ Ask Obama the question that way, Ms. Curry. I dare you! Because Rick Warren and Obama’s position on this are the same thing. Then they have this exchange about Rick Warren being homophobic.
CURRY: Your position has raised the specter that you are homophobic. That is why —
WARREN: (laughing)
CURRY (not laughing) You laugh!
WARREN: Yeah.
CURRY: But that is why people are angry!
WARREN: Yeah.
CURRY: Gay people are angry.
WARREN: Yeah.
CURRY: You understand that?
WARREN: Well, I could give you a hundred gay friends.
CURRY: Are you homophobic?
WARREN: Of course not. I’ve always treated them with respect. When they come and want to talk to me, I talk to them. When the protesters came, we served them water and doughnuts.
RUSH: Ooooh, an interesting menu choice, water and doughnuts, when gay protesters showed up at the Saddlesore Church. (sigh) ‘Your position has raised the specter that you are homophobic.’ Ask Obama that, Ms. Curry. Ask Obama that question. ‘People are angry. Gay people are angry.’ So are conservatives, Ms. Curry! What gives militant gay activists exclusivity on being angry? Why does every minority in this country get what they want automatically just because they’re angry, just because they’re offended? There are a lot of us who are angry every day, and we find ways to laugh at it. And when we’re in good moods, we happen to stumble into stupid questions like yours, Ms. Curry, of Rick Warren — and it runs the risk of making me mad and angry.
And if you make me mad — and, Ms. Curry, by your own definition, I’m a minority. I’m a conservative. I’m a minority, and you have made me angry. And because you have made me angry, Ms. Curry, and because I’m a minority, you should quit. You should give up your job because you’re making me mad. You’re offending me, Ms. Curry, with your obvious bias and unprofessional behavior. So using your own theory that gay people, militant gays ought to get what they want because they’re minorities and they’re mad and they’re angry, well, then, why can’t I get what I want? I’m a minority. I’m a conservative, and I’m mad, and I’m angry — at you! I am Drive-By phobic. I will admit that I’m Drive-By phobic. Well, Drive-By phobic, prejudiced, biased. I know who they are. I know exactly who they are.
Well, here’s Ann Curry trying to stir up all kinds of anger. Why don’t you go ask Obama the very same questions in the same tone of voice? Why are you…? Rick Warren, all he did was say, ‘Okay, I’ll come show up and do the prayer.’ Why don’t you go ask Obama who invited him, Ms. Curry? Sorry. Miss Curry. Why don’t you go ask The Messiah? Why don’t you go ask the Anointed One? Why don’t you go ask Lord Barack Obama, the Most Merciful, why he chose a homophobe who makes people mad to give the prayer at his inauguration, hmmmmmmm? Or are you afraid to ask Obama these questions? All Rick Warren is doing is sitting there minding his own business at the Saddlesore Church, serving doughnuts and water (which is close to what prisoners get) when militant gays show up to question him about his position on Prop 8. Obama calls, ‘Uhhhhh, Rick? Uhhh, I’m Barack Oooo’bama,’ and offers him to do the prayer.
What’s Warren supposed to say? ‘No! Screw you! I don’t go do prayers for liberal Democrats in Washington’? Of course he’s going to accept it. They have identical positions on Prop 8, and all of a sudden Rick Warren is the anti-Christ?