Sometimes the cultural choices made by political figures can be as revealing as their alliances for getting things done. The down sides of cabinet picks like Hillary Clinton, Jim Jones, Ken Salazar, and retained Robert Gates were obvious to all, but Obama is taking the most heat for the invocation beginning his inauguration, which will be led by the author of The Purpose-Driven Life, Rick Warren of the Saddleback (Mega-)Church. The minute I heard the pick (and before griping emerged), I knew Warren was likely to be shot by both sides - conservative evangelists consider him a liberal poseur for the evangelical movement, while liberals don't like his stances against abortion and gay marriage.I've seen Warren's videos for Purpose-Driven Life, and I find him nerdy with a disarming high-pitched laugh, but not filled with the Calvinist venom of many of his brethren. I could live with the invocation, albeit with annoyance, just as I lived with Obama saying conclusively that he doesn't believe in gay marriage. Maybe Obama felt he had to pay penance for the ramblings of Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Still, you're judged by the company you keep, and in this case, maybe Obama feels his position is strong enough so that he does not have to throw doggie bones to the progressives. Michael Albert of Z magazine gave us three alternatives to understanding the directions Obama might take after winning the election. Obama's actual trajectory was more conservative than the worst of Albert's predictions. I won't join any protests against Warren, and I hope he gives a good invocation. But I am looking to 2009 with more skepticism every day.
