Andrew Sullivan finally realizes that Obama is not perfect

Left wing gay groups are “outraged” over Obama’s selection of Pastor Rick Warren, who opposes gay “marriage,” to deliver the inaugural invocation. Andrew Sullivan is no exception, and after two years of telling us how Barack Obama walks on water, he faces the music here.

Guess we’ll see no more postings of videos like “Les Misbarack” anymore, eh? Darn. Would someone get that guy a hanky, please?

For the record, Obama has a history of offending left wing gay groups (examples here and here), so I’m not sure why so many of them are shocked at his decision to include Pastor Warren in his inauguration.

That said, what’s happening here is that Obama is throwing a bone to the social conservatives who opposed his candidacy. I don’t think the selection of Warren is any indicator that Obama is going to run to the right on “gay rights” issues. He’s not exactly been been unfriendly to the liberal gay community:

Opposes same-sex marriage, but also opposes a constitutional ban. Says he would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment. As stated on the Obama campaign Web site, he supports full civil unions that “give same-sex couples equal legal rights and privileges as married couples, including the right to assist their loved ones in times of emergency as well as equal health insurance, employment benefits, and property and adoption rights.”

Says the Employment Non-Discrimination Act should be expanded to include sexual orientation and gender identity. Advocated legislation that sought to expand federal hate crimes law to include sexual orientation and gender identity.

Says the military’s “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy needs to be repealed.

The debate on “gay rights” is one that Obama has shown himself to be uncomfortable with, but in the end he’s more left than right on the issue, so I think that among these groups – both gay liberal groups and just liberal groups alike – there are no shortage of people out there, like Andrew Sullivan, who need to take a few deep breaths. Then again, when it comes to AS, that sort of goes without saying.