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Bishop Robinson Talks Obama on Rachel Maddow


Episcopal bishop Gene Robinson appeared on The Rachel Maddow Show Wednesday night and discussed President-elect Obama, the Rick Warren controversy, and other topics with the MSNBC host. Robinson, the gay bishop of New Hampshire, will give the opening invocation at Obama's inaugural festivities this Sunday and said -- once again -- that he's disappointed in the incoming president's selection of Warren to conduct a prayer on Inauguration Day.

"You know, being a supporter of Barack Obama doesn't mean that we don't critique certain decisions that he might make," Robinson told Maddow. "And so many of us in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community, we're just stunned, really, by this choice."

However, he added, "in the intervening days, it appears that Barack Obama is being the person he told us he was and that he intended to be, by including all voices in this inauguration and, indeed, in his administration."

Later in the segment, Robinson compared the inclusive spirit of Jesus with that of the president-elect. "No one had a bigger tent than Jesus," the bishop said, adding, "That sort of vision, I believe, is Barack Obama's vision as well. And I long for a government that respects the dignity of every human being, especially those who are less fortunate."

In addition to delivering the invocation on Sunday, Robinson said he'd be participating in Obama's swearing-in on Tuesday and attending other inaugural events. (Advocate.com)

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Reader Comments
  • Name: Paul Schmalz
    Date posted: 1/18/2009 11:09:00 AM
    Hometown: Dartmouth

    Comment:

    Joseph, I lived in Mississippi for 10 years. During that time I noticed that no matter how light skinned a black person was they were considered "Black" by the white community. Certainly the plantation owners did not embrace their offspring from black mothers as their own and bring them up living in the "Big House". The white community has a long and nasty history of labeling anyone that is not 100% white as "colored". Perhaps this is why Barack Obama identifies more as being black than white!

  • Name: Alex
    Date posted: 1/16/2009 12:11:00 PM
    Hometown: Chapel Hill, NC

    Comment:

    Why do we need any religion or clergy at presidential inagurations? what about the 16% of Americans who are not affiliated with any religion or those who are not Christians? including Christian prayers at the inaguration is an exclusionary practive which has no place in our secualr Republic.

  • Name: Joseph
    Date posted: 1/16/2009 2:46:00 AM
    Hometown: Montgomery, AL

    Comment:

    Well, it's nice to read that an Obama supporter can admit that "The One" CAN be critiqued, and that he is NOT perfect. Unfortunately, then Rev Robinson takes it a step too far by suggesting that "The One" should be compared to Jesus. Obama hasn't done anything--NOT A BLESSED THING--that deserves all this freaking hype that's come his way. The "first" Black President? Well, big whoop. Of course, he also happens to be half-white (of course, that's only of importance to Obama when he needs it to be; he certainly didn't bring up his mother very often during the campaign in comparison to his absentee father, and his "typical" white grandmother certainly didn't deserve the notoriety that Obama threw her way).

  • Name: RogerinMA
    Date posted: 1/15/2009 6:36:00 PM
    Hometown: New Bedford

    Comment:

    We need to remember that Mr. Obama asked us ALL to work and fight for the things we believe in, and not to give up, or give in. Sometimes though, we can't help but get tired from having to constantly struggle for what we need and deserve as US citizens. Knowing our brothers and sisters in Canada have riights we don't have here yet is hard to deal with sometime., but someday we'll have the full compliment of rights that so many Americans just take for granted! Yes we can!!!

  • Name: Mark
    Date posted: 1/15/2009 2:53:00 PM
    Hometown: Tampa

    Comment:

    Why do you refer to Bishop Robinson as "the gay bishop of New Hampshire". Wouldn't it have been more correct to write the bishop of New Hampshire who happens to be gay. I'm sure Bishop Robinson doesn't think of himself as the gay bishop. We need to just start thinking of ourselves as people and not just gay people. Then maybe everyone else will too. Also I do think the Bishop's comparing Obama with Jesus is a stretch. I don't think he needs that kind of pressure on him.

  • Name: Arya F. Jenkins
    Date posted: 1/15/2009 12:44:00 PM
    Hometown: Fort Lee

    Comment:

    Please Bishop Robinson, let us not compare Obama to Jesus. We do not need to do that. Obama may become the best president this country ever had. That's a big enough challenge, but please, let's put the halo on hold. Although Obama did make a mistake with the Warren thing, I hope it doesn't signify further mistakes where LGBTs are concerned. It's his own high raising of the bar, his own demands that will make us hold him more accountable for his mistakes than any other president. Of this I am sure. We wish him luck.



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