Excuses, excuses [View All]

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Well yet again, we have a situation where an Obama event that promised a gay presence failed to deliver. After the naming of Warren for the Inagural we got Robinson named to give the invocation for this concert. While everyone denied that this was in any way related to Warren, the implication was clear. Fundies got their preacher and we got ours. So with baited breath I tuned into HBO and expected to see Robinson. Well, we know how that worked out.

Excuse number 1 Blame HBO.

Here are the facts. HBO agreed to a two hour concert, carried live from 2:30 until 4:30. The time was set at least a week in advance as those of us with DVR's can attest and therefore known to all involved. A rehersal was held on Saturday where timing issues were clearly worked out. Yet Robinson gave his invocation at 2:20, outside the window, and wasn't broadcast. Yet the Obama inaguration website had this:

2:30 p.m. - The Lincoln Memorial
President-elect Barack Obama with the help of an all-star line-up of talent will kick off the inaugural celebration in Washington, D.C., with a free and open event at the Lincoln Memorial, between Constitution Avenue NW and Independence Avenue SW on 23rd Street.

Musical performers scheduled for the event include Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, Bono, Garth Brooks, Sheryl Crow, Renee Fleming, Josh Groban, Herbie Hancock, Heather Headley, John Legend, Jennifer Nettles, John Mellencamp, Usher Raymond IV, Shakira, Bruce Springsteen, James Taylor, will.i.am, and Stevie Wonder.

Among those reading historical passages will be Jamie Foxx, Martin Luther King III, Queen Latifah and Denzel Washington. The Rt. Reverend V. Gene Robinson will give the invocation. Rob Mathes will be the music director and arranger for the backing band, which will support all of the artists. Additional performers will be announced as they are confirmed.

The Reflecting Pool area, JFK Hockey Fields and Constitution Gardens are open to the public and space will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Doors open at 8:00 a.m.

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Nowhere does it mention to anyone who might want to go to HBO to watch the event that Robinson was speaking before the coverage began. It clearly gives a 2:30 start time. Yet Robinson spoke at 2:20 which the Obama team had to have known on Saturday yet this text, which clearly implies that Robinson would be part of the program, are still on that website today. HBO didn't schedule this, Obama's team did. The lack of coverage isn't HBO's fault. It is the inaguration committee's fault, plain and simple.

Excuse number 2

Prayers don't belong at concerts so what is the big deal. Well first, we know the Obama campaign's position on prayer at concerts when the prayer is given by McClurkin. So that is hard to take now. But the solution was don't invite him, it isn't to invite him, make a big deal of having invited him, let everyone believe he will be on TV, and then let him not be there. We were expecting to see him, it was a reasonable expectation, and it didn't happen.

Stop blaming HBO, stop pretending we weren't told this was in part to make up for Warren, and for once, admit, Obama's team decided that it was perfectly OK to use Robinson as a prop to get out of a jam and then when they didn't want to make room for him just discard him. That is what happened.