Roland Burris & Al Franken & the Senate Democrats

Or "Harry Reid Standing in the Senate Chamber Door"

The governor of Illinois was arrested a few weeks ago by the Feds for attempting to sell President-elect Barack Obama's now-vacant Senate seat. Amid much speculation and innuendo, a cloud of suspicion hangs over the governor and all associated with him.

Enter Roland Burris. He has a long list of accomplishments, including a few stints holding statewide elected office. He becomes the governor's pick to take the Obama seat. The entire Democratic establishment gasps and with a typical knee-jerk reaction balk at the selection: he should not accept the office, he won't be seated by the Senate, he can't win in a statewide election, etc.

The Democrats are thisclose to a super majority in the Senate, which means they'll be able to pass just about anything without much resistance from the Republicans. With Al Franken's win in Minnesota, they'll have sixty! But they'll lose it in a special election if a Republican wins the Senate seat in Illinois... oh, what to do?

~ ~ ~

Burris plans to be in Washington on Tuesday, the first day of the 111th Congress. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Senate Democrats have vowed that they will not seat Burris on Tuesday.

The chest puffing and bravado from last week has certainly been toned down. Several sources report that Senate Democratic leaders have now scheduled a meeting with Roland Burris. The meeting between Burris; Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada; and Majority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, one day after the Senate convenes, said the source. Burris requested Wednesday's meeting, according to the source, who declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue.

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In Other News About Empty Senate Seats

Al Franken - an alum of NBC's "Saturday Night Live" - appears poised to become the Democratic Senator from the state of Minnesota after a protracted recount of votes from the November 4th election. State officials report that state election board on Monday will announce Democrat Al Franken has defeated Republican incumbent Norm Coleman in Minnesota's U.S. Senate race.

The canvassing board on Monday will say a recount determined Franken won by 225 votes. However, Coleman's campaign, which contends the recount should have included about 650 absentee ballots it says were improperly rejected in the initial count, has indicated it will challenge the certification.

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In Other News About Obama's Cabinet

Former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson has confirmed in a statement that he has withdrawn his name as the Commerce secretary nominee, citing a pending “investigation of a company that has done business with New Mexico state government.”

Mr. Richardson says in the statement that he and his administration “have acted properly in all matters,” but that the “ongoing investigation also would have forced an untenable delay in the confirmation process.”

In mid-December 2008, a published article stated that a federal grand jury in New Mexico was looking into accusations that Governor Richardson’s administration gave lucrative contracts to a California financier because he contributed heavily to the governor’s political action committees. The article, citing a person familiar with the grand jury proceedings, stated that since August, federal investigators have been examining how CDR Financial Products Inc., of Beverly Hills, California, received two consulting contracts in 2004 worth about $1.4 million to advise the state on a large bond issue for building infrastructure, one of Mr. Richardson’s initiatives.

In a separate statement released Sunday afternoon, President-elect Obama confirmed that he has, with “deep regret,” accepted Mr. Richardson’s withdrawal.

~ ~ ~

plez sez: here we go... again!

the democrats in congress -- riding a wave of unprecedented UNPOPULARITY -- have taken up the cause of petty politics during a time when they need to find a way to rise above it. i will concede that gov. blagojevich is a "potty mouthed" bad man. i will even acknowledge there is more than a little taint on whoever his selection to fill the seat would be. but he is still the governor of illinois and it is still his responsibility to fill BARACK OBAMA's empty senate seat!

the democrats (and the congress as a whole) have so little room for more political B.S., it is incredulous that they would risk further damage to their sotted reputation by having sen. harry reid stand in the "senate chamber door" to bar seating the only Black member of the senate! good luck on having a democrat win the special election in illinois for that seat!

as onerous as it may seem, as opportunistic as burris has turned out to be (plezWorld doesn't know anyone in his right mind who would accept this appointment from the "dirty hands" of rod blagojevich, except for someone who knows that he'd NEVER be able to win the seat in a legitimate election); President Obama is going to need the support of the full delegation from illinois for his agenda on DAY ONE. the senate needs to hold their collective noses and seat burris... and give the state of illinois time to work out their issues with gov. blagojevich and have a real special election for the seat.

~ ~ Citations ~ ~

Read the LA Times article about uncertainty with Obama's senate seat.

Read the New York Times article about Burris and Senate Democrats.

Read the CNN.com article about Roland Burris and the US Senate.

Read the CNN.com article about Al Franken winning in Minnesota.

Read the New York Times article about Bill Richardson bowing out.

Read the CNN.com article about loss of Bill Richardson for Commerce secretary.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Open Thread for Sunday Morning in plezWorld

It's been a wierd two and a half weeks in plezWorld, with the plezWife and SugarPlum under foot on vacation from work and school. They return to their normal grind on Monday morning... so I think we'll just chill today and soak in our last vacation day together for awhile.

~ ~ ~

The Commodores sang, "That's why I'm easy... easy like Sunday morning."

plezWorld is taking it easy, so write what you'd like.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Israeli Forces Push into Gaza

The New York Times reports that Israeli troops backed by helicopters advanced into Gaza on Saturday in the first ground action of an eight-day offensive against Hamas in the Palestinian enclave. The small column of military vehicles crossed the boundary fence into the northern Gaza Strip under darkness, said a witness, a resident of Beit Lahiya.

An Israeli military spokeswoman confirmed the incursion and said the aim was to seize areas from where Hamas was launching rocket attacks on southern Israel.

A little more than one week ago, Israel started air raids into Gaza complaining of Hamas firing rockets into Israel. The violence has escalated on calls for a Hamas ceasefire, which they have resisted.

~ ~ ~

Israel occupied Gaza in the 1967 Middle East War and after Palestinian uprisings formally ended its military rule in 2005, although it still controls the borders.

International peace efforts aimed at creating an independent Palestinian state foundered after Hamas won elections in 2006 and drove Fatah forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas from Gaza a year later.

Hamas called off a six-month truce with Israel last month and stepped up the rocket attacks, complaining at Israeli raids into Gaza and a continuing blockade of the enclave.

~ ~ ~

plez sez: the middle east is a political quagmire, one of which i'm ill suited to devle into in a short post. the long and short of it is, israel is america's main ally in the region and israel will be protected at all costs... period! you don't have to like it, but it is what it is!

hamas took control of the palestinians during the last election and they are considered a rogue terrorist organization. it was only a matter of time before hamas would grow the cajones to launch an attack - no matter how feeble and half-baked - on israel. they had to know that israel was going to hit back... and hit back HARD. the blood of those dead woman and children in gaza is on the hands of hamas.

they are not going to drive israel (and the u.s.) from the region; they would be wise to set down their arms and stop the senseless bloodshed of their own people. they will never win an armed conflict with the israelis... NEVER!

~ ~ Citations ~ ~

Read the New York Times article about the Israeli invasion of Gaza.

Read the Washington Post article about Israeli troops entering Gaza.

Read the CNN.com article about the new Gaza conflict.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

plezWorld Top Stories of 2008

As in past years, I'll eschew the need to make some meaningless resolutions that will be soon forgotten and I'll just endeavor to continue to expose plezWorld one tiny thread at a time. It's hard to believe, but this is the third installment of plezWorld Top Stories of... since 2006.

The year that was 2008 began like 2,000 some odd years that preceded it... with the Big Ball Drop in Times Square (the Peach Drop in Atlanta is a more recent phenomenon). The biggest difference with past years, in 2008, I attempted to blog every day of the year. After three hundred and ninety-something posts in 2008, I missed between one and two days per month, so I was pretty successful in completing one trip around the Sun with plezWorld intact.

Even though, Barack Obama's run from dark horse to President-elect was well chronicled in plezWorld -- I may even take some credit for seeing it through from his visit to Atlanta in April of 2007 until his acceptance speech on the evening of November 4th -- there were a few other threads in 2008 that figured prominently in the rich tapestry that is plezWorld...


14. The SugarPlum

Daddy's Little Girl is seven... and she has stepped up her game exponentially! She has become a leader in her class, continues to grow with her ballet lessons (twice a week), is getting a lot better on the piano, singing like a little songbird, and much to my chagrin - she is perfecting her mimicry of others (yeah, she is imitating people in their voice)! In addition, Santa brought RockBand for her Wii... and we've hit the tour circuit with her and me switching up on the guitar and drums as we rip through the songs with the precision of two surgeons... our little jam sessions are quite a sight (I need to upload a few to YouTube)! In the meantime, check out the SugarPlum on the evening of her school's "Peace Celebration" in a short YouTube ditty from January 2008:

13. Bigfoot in Georgia

Even though it turned out to be a hoax, the Bigfoot Story turned out to be the single post with the largest number of generated hits. I linked to an article on CNN.com and that article accounted for over 350 per day for an entire week! I've had other posts that have had more hits, but this post generated never before seen interest in a short period of time.


12. War in Iraq

I hate that this war is still on my top stories list! Close to five thousand US troops have lost their lives in this senseless struggle, which culminated with one of their liberated journalists throwing both shoes at President Bush during his farewell tour of Iraq a few weeks ago. I only pray that by this time next year, President Obama has presented a plan to draw down troops in that nation.


11. Tiger Woods

Fighting through the excruciating pain in his left knee due to a torn ACL, Tiger Woods hoisted his fourteenth major while winning the 2008 US Open in a playoff with Rocco Mediate. He played five days on a bum knee, often crumpling to the grass in pain after a tee shot, coming from behind to force an eighteen hole playoff... and then winning the damn thing! AFTER the tournament, he had knee surgery and called off the rest of the PGA Tour giving the other golfers a much deserved rest.


10. Elections

I innocently posted polling locations (along with dates and times) for early voting in Georgia. Some days, it seemed as though everyone in the state of Georgia was coming to plezWorld to find their polling location. Early voting in Georgia was heavy, with close to 50 percent of the electorate voting early... one day, plezWorld had close to 750 hits with voters looking for their place to vote. Barack Obama won Georgia in the primaries because of the heavy turnout of voters and he damn near turned Georgia blue in the general election when his presence on the ballot prompted over 65% of Georgia's voters to head to the polls.


9. Hog & Hominy

This book was sent to me based on the readership and topics in plezWorld. A great book that traces the origins of soul food back to Africa. I had occasion to correspond via e-mail and speak by phone with the book's author, Fred Opie. We have a lot in common: his grandparents settled in my hometown in upstate New York in the early 1900's, he currently lives in my hometown, and he went to college with one of my best friends while growing up! This definitely goes in the top story category with a good news asterisk (*)!


8. Michael Matthews & New York Giants

I can say that I knew Big Mike when... when he was fighting to break into the starting lineup as a tight end for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, when he had to raise the money to pledge Kappa (like his father before him), when he got married to Laura, when he graduated from Georgia Tech, when he went to the NFL combine, and when he called me the night of the NFL Draft to let me know that he had been picked up by the New York Giants.

Well, in his rookie season, Big Mike got lots of playing time as tight end for the New York Giants, he went to the playoffs, and won the Super Bowl of the then undefeated New England Patriots. What a year it has been! And it looks like the Giants are primed to make a return trip to the Super Bowl!


6. Gas Price Rollercoaster

As gasoline prices crept higher past $3 per gallon, I joked about the prospect of $4 per gallon gasoline in plezWorld. Riding the crest of a gasoline shortage during the hurricane season this past summer, four dollar gasoline made its way into my gas tank! And then seemingly out of nowhere, the prices began a free fall to prices unseen in the past 2 years. On New Year's Eve, I saw gasoline prices near my house at $1.35 per gallon! What was a $75 tank of gas has now dropped to less than $35... how low will it go?!?


5. Georgia Tech Football

New coach. New attitude. New record - the first time Tech has won 10 games in over a decade! Tech hits its stride early in the season and finished with a bang, by vanquishing those pesky Georgia Bulldogs at home for the first time in seven years! YEAH!

Well, Tech came back down to earth in the Chik-fil-A Bowl on New Year's Eve. The LSU Tigers came to the Georgia Dome and on the strength of a 35 point first half (28 points in the second quarter, alone), bent the Yellow Jackets' little stingers! The final score was 38-3... but it wasn't even that close!

There is loads of optimism for next season, though - most of the starters are freshman and sophomores... so we'll be locked and loaded to win the ACC and be in a BCS Bowl next year!


4. The Economy

The world is in a recession. According to the leading economists, we've been in one since December of 2007! plezWorld was downsized earlier this year as the jobless rate in Georgia has topped 7.5 percent, so the effects of this economy are being felt in my household... big time!


3. Sarah Palin

On August 30, 2008, the entire political landscape was turned on its head: John McCain announced Sarah Palin as his vice presidential running mate. This unknown governor from an unknown state was hoisted upon the American public as the salve to the wounds of the women who felt dissed by the Obama victory over Hillary Clinton, the savior to the conservative wing of the party who were unenthusiastic about John McCain, and a breath of fresh air for a stale election cycle entering its second year! Little did America know how little this poor rube knew or could comprehend...

I've probably written more posts about Sarah Palin (about 22 posts) than I should have, but plezWorld was all over this election and frankly, Sarah Palin was a brief detour to Barack Obama's clear path to the White House.

And she was such a juicy subject: infant child with Down Syndrome born under dubious circumstances, was this infant Gov. Palin's or one of her teenage daughters? Then the story of her pregnant unwed teenage daughter who all but dropped out of school earlier in the year. Then her disastrous interviews. Then the Saturday Night Live spoofs. Then the "Joe the Plumber" diversion. Then the wardrobe fiasco. Then the election. Then her future son-in-law's mother gets busted for illegal prescription drugs. Then her unwed daughter gives birth... and who knows what else we haven't heard about!

In all honesty, this should be THE TOP STORY, but I just couldn't do it.

2. Blog 365

For some insane reason, I resolved to blog everyday for the entire year in 2008. I missed ZERO days in January, August, November, and December... and only one day in July, September, and October. I averaged less than 2 days missed per month and posted close to 400 articles over the year (thanks to the election).

Who knows where this will end... I'm going to keep trying to post daily into 2009 and see where it ends up!


1. President-elect Barack Obama

Barack Obama was my top story in 2007 and he stayed there for the second straight year (he was also a top story in 2006).

From last year's top stories post:

I went to a political rally in Atlanta for Barack Obama in April 2007. I was mesmerized by his message and presence. Since that time, I've really upped my support for Obama's candidacy and even contributed some money to his campaign. Latest word has him leading in the polls just prior to the Iowa caucuses which take place on Thursday, January 3, 2008.

Ten months from now, we'll see if plezWorld has picked another winner. Lord knows, we need him!

Well, he won the Iowa Caucus and as the old saying goes, "the rest is history!"

The rest is historic because Sen. Barack Obama is now President-elect Barack Obama and in 18 days, he'll be taking the oath of office as the President of the United States.

There are reports that the Obamas plan to move to Washington, DC this weekend, as their two young daughters are to begin school on Monday. Read more...

Looking forward to what 2009 holds for plezWorld ... Blog on!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Happy New Year in plezWorld

Happy New Year
"Auld Lang Syne"

"Auld Lang Syne" by Robert Burns (1759-1796)

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and auld lang syne?

CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll tak a cup o' kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.
And surely ye'll be your pint-stoup!
And surely I'll be mine!
And we'll tak a cup o' kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

CHORUS
We twa hae run about the braes,
and pou'd the gowans fine;
But we've wander'd mony a weary fit,
sin' auld lang syne.

CHORUS
We twa hae paidl'd in the burn,
frae morning sun till dine;
But seas between us braid hae roar'd
sin' auld lang syne.

CHORUS
And there's a hand, my trusty fiere!
And gies a hand o' thine!
And we'll tak a right gude-willie-waught,
for auld lang syne.

CHORUS

~ ~ ~

plez sez: Happy New Year, Ya'll!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Defiant Blagojevich Fills Obama's Seat

He didn't become a tempest in a teapot by being the most well liked guy in the room. He didn't ascend to the top of the heap in a state that is almost synonymous with corruption without being corrupt. And yes, he's got a pair of large ones... and judging by his pictures, large hairy ones!

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich ignored the cries for resignation, ignored the federal charges, ignored President-elect Barack Obama and Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan pleas for him to step aside. Blagojevich took matters into his own hands and picked former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris to fill Obama's seat in the US Senate.

The reaction has been swift and predictable: ill-advised and reprehensible.

~ ~ ~

Blagojevich has long maintained that he has done nothing wrong. From what is known from the federal probe, he accepted no money and had only appeared to be shaking down a number of candidates for Obama's senate seat.

The Illinois legislature took up the matter and could not come to a decision on a special election. They also never came to a decision on impeachment proceedings against the governor.

~ ~ ~

Burris, 71, a Democrat and African American, served Illinois from 1979 to 1992, first as state comptroller and later as attorney general. Earlier in December, he said that despite the scandal associated with the seat, he wanted the job.

Burris, a principal at Burris & Lebed Consulting in Chicago, would serve the remaining two years of Obama's Senate term. Burris previously ran and lost bids for the U.S. Senate and governor, losing the gubernatorial nomination once to Blagojevich.

Blagojevich said, "The people of Illinois are entitled to have two United States senators represent them in Washington, D.C. As governor, I am required to make this appointment. If I don't make this appointment, then the people of Illinois will be deprived of their appropriate voice and vote in the United States Senate."

Rep. Bobby Rush, (D-IL), who appeared at the afternoon news conference with Blagojevich and Burris, said, "There are no African-Americans in the U.S. Senate. And I don't think any U.S. senator who's sitting in the Senate right now wants to go on record to deny one African-American from being seated in the U.S. Senate. I would ask you to not hang or lynch the appointee as you try to castigate the appointer and separate the appointee from the appointer. Roland Burris is worthy."

~ ~ ~

plez sez: this is a freakin' mess and is exactly what Obama doesn't need out of his home state as he looks to take the oath of office in 20 days!

unfortunately, the feds, the legislature, and state attorney general were derelict in their duties to bring this whole blagojevich matter to a close in a timely manner. the feds threw some *ISH* on the wall, it didn't stick, and basically left the state of illinois with an unindicted, soiled executive with at least two congressional appointments on his desk (Sen. Barack Obama's and rep. rahm emanuel's seats).

like it or not, blago was elected to run the state of illinois, he has not been convicted of any crime, and it is his duty - by law - to fill these outstanding seats. unfortunately, the real loser in this mess is roland burris! his name and reputation are forever tied to blagojevich and any action taken by him (or on his behalf) will be sullied by being associated with blago... his best bet would be to take his seat... and then call for a special election to legitimize his appointment.

but plezWorld believes this is a good move to have this open seat filled PRIOR to the 111th congress convening in january.

~ ~ Citations ~ ~

Read the Chicago Sun Times article about Blago's appointment of Burris to Obama's seat.

Read the Washington Post article about Burris being appointed to Obama's seat.

Read the New York Times article about the Burris appointment to Obama's seat.

Read the CNN.com article about a defiant Blago filling Obama's seat.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Bloggingheads - Intellectuals in the Age of Obama

Steven Teles of Maryland and Glenn Loury of Brown University discuss the dynamics of intellectualism now that Barack Obama has been elected the first Black President of the United States.

Steven Teles is an Associate Professor of Public Policy at the University of Maryland. He has taught or visited at Brandeis, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, University of London, Boston University, Holy Cross and Hamilton Colleges. Mr. Teles holds a B.A. from George Washington University and an M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Virginia.

Glenn C. Loury is the Merton P. Stoltz Professor of the Social Sciences and Professor of Economics at Brown University. He has taught previously at Boston, Harvard and Northwestern Universities, and the University of Michigan. Mr. Loury holds a B.A. in Mathematics (Northwestern University) and a Ph.D. in Economics (MIT). In addition to this scholarly work, Professor Loury is also a prominent social critic and public intellectual.

View the entire Bloggingheads.tv episode here.

~ ~ ~

plez sez: another gem gleaned from the archives of Bloggingheads.tv!

these guys have more letters after their names than plezWorld, but it was a delight to be in the company of such an intellectual discussion about how the "prevailing thought" will be altered with rise of Barack Obama (an intellectual, himself).

on christmas day, i had occassion to carry on a similar discussion about the impact of Obama on the Black community and Black thought and Black mores, now that there will be a Black man sitting in the white house in a few weeks. it was a post-dinner talk with one of my brothers and two male cousins. although, no clear conclusions were drawn, we did agree that the Black community has reached a point of "moral bankruptcy" and Obama can stand as an "excellent example" for what the Black community and Black family should strive to emulate.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Gov. Sarah Palin is a Grandmother at 44

It took fours months to work its way out, but it was announced earlier today that Bristol Palin - 18 year old daughter of former Republican vice president nominee and governor of Alaska Sarah Palin - gave birth to a little boy. Keeping with the Palin naming convention, they named him Tripp. If you recall, his young uncle's name is Trig and he has another uncle named Track.

Back in September 2008, the blogosphere was abuzz with rumors that the governor's infant was in fact the son of her then 17 year old daughter, Bristol, but soon after the rumors surfaced, the Palin camp announced that her daughter was already 5 months pregnant!

plezWorld entered the fray spending countless hours in a cramped basement office in the middle of the night trying to ferret out the truth of the Palin pregnancies: here and here.

Bristol Palin and Levi Johnston (reportedly the baby's father) are both 18 years of age, neither has graduated from high school - Levi has dropped out of school to become an electrician and Bristol is taking GED classes for her diploma. Bristol's mother is the 44 year old governor of Alaska. Levi's mother is 42 years old and was recently arrested on felony drug charges.

~ ~ ~

plez sez: the soap opera of the wasilla hillbillies is winding to a close. i can't see how plezWorld can wring another story out of these characters... maybe it's best we just leave them in peace (if they promise to quietly live out the rest of their miserable lives in the relative obscurity of the great white north).

~ ~ Citations ~ ~

Read the Anchorage Daily News article about the addition to the Palin clan.

Read the CNN People article about the governor's grandson.

Read the New York Daily News article about the birth of the governor's grandson.

Read the Los Angeles Times article about another Palin baby.

Derrick Morgan - Who to Watch in Chik-fil-A Bowl

A December 16, 2008 post at the Georgia Tech Football Blog has highlighted the Top 10 players to watch in the early bowl games. Of course, one of the players is a Yellow Jacket!

Michael Johnson, the 6'7" defensive end on the other side of the Georgia Tech line, gets more of the spotlight, but inside the Jackets' program people rave about Derrick Morgan, a 6-4, 270-pound sophomore who might just get pre-season all-American honors going into next year. Morgan had 48 tackles and tied Johnson with a team-high seven sacks. Tech's D-line is as good as there is in college football this season and they'll face a very experienced bunch from LSU in the Chick-fil-A Bowl in Atlanta on December 31.

Prior to the last regular season game, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution lauded the defensive line as a whole and Morgan in particular:

While Georgia held its auditions, Tech kept getting letters of recommendation. First Team All-ACC Senior defensive tackle Vance Walker was on the watch list for the Outland Trophy, the Lombardi Award and the Bednarik Award, given to the nation’s best interior lineman, defensive lineman or linebacker and defensive player, respectively. First Team All-ACC Senior defensive end Michael Johnson was up for the Bednarik as well as the Ted Hendricks Award. Second team All-ACC defensive tackle Darryl Richard is one of four finalists for the Ronnie Lott Trophy, given to the nation’s best defensive player.

And though he is just a sophomore, a consensus is growing around the team that [defensive end] Derrick Morgan, who leads the team with 6 1/2 sacks, might be better than all three of them before he is done.

~ ~ ~

plez sez: derrick morgan was the top defensive player coming out of pennsylvania two years ago (he enrolled at Tech in the spring to get a jump on his freshman season). he is big, strong, quick, nimble and he has a motor that won't quit. he is a beast on defense and will be joining michael johnson in the NFL in two years!

in addition to being a fifteen-year Georgia Tech Football season ticket holder, plezWorld is also the advisor of derrick's fraternity chapter (Kappa Alpha Psi) at georgia tech... in a word, i know him well! he is good people, a good student, a family man, and he is respectful. and he is an officer in the fraternity chapter!

i look for him to have a break out performance against LSU in the Chik-fil-A Bowl and then have a stellar junior campaign for the Yellow Jackets. next season, he will undoubtedly draw the double teams that are now being thrown at michel johnson, but he'll handle it en route to an All-ACC year.

Go Jackets! Sting 'Em!

~ ~ Citations ~ ~

Read the AJC.com article about Tech's bad ass defense.

Read the AJC.com article about Tech's All ACC Team members.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Barack the Magic Negro" Still Troubles the RNC

Quotes of the Day - December 28, 2008

"The 2008 election was a wake-up call for Republicans to reach out and bring more people into our party. I am shocked and appalled that anyone would think this is appropriate, as it clearly does not move us in the right direction."
- Republican National Committee Chairman Robert M. "Mike" Duncan, who is running for reelection.

"Unfortunately, there is hypersensitivity in the press regarding matters of race. This is in large measure due to President-elect Obama being the first African American elected president. I don't think any of the concerns that have been expressed in the media about any of the other candidates for RNC chairman should disqualify them. When looked at in the proper context, these concerns are minimal. All of my competitors for this leadership post are fine people."
- Former Ohio secretary of state Ken Blackwell, who, if elected, would become the first black RNC chairman.

Both men were responding to a mailing of a music CD sent out to RNC members by Chip Saltsman, who is also running for the RNC chairman post. The CD contains a Barack Obama parody made popular by Rush Limbaugh, "Barack the Magic Negro." The song, set to the tune of the 1960s pop hit "Puff the Magic Dragon," was first played on Rush Limbaugh's radio show in 2007. Its title was drawn from a Los Angeles Times column that suggested Obama appealed to those who feel guilty about the nation's history of mistreatment of African-Americans.

Saltsman, a former chair of the Tennessee Republican Party, was a top advisor to former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and managed former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee's presidential campaign.

~ ~ ~

Peter Yarrow, who co-wrote "Puff the Magic Dragon," called Saltsman's decision to distribute the parody tune "offensive," and "shocking and saddening in the extreme."

In a statement sent to CNN, Yarrow wrote, "It is almost unimaginable to me [that Saltsman] would seriously be considered for the top post of the Republican National Committee. Puff, himself, if asked, would certainly agree."

~ ~ ~

"Barack Obama The Magic Negro"

plez sez: i'm not sure who came up with the parody, but it is low class, kind of juvenile, and not very funny... i guess rush's listeners will laugh at just about anything that lampoons the opposition. limbaugh's listeners are mindless trolls!

you just have to ask yourself: "what was this yahoo, chip saltsman, thinking?" and what the HECK was he trying to prove by including this miserable parody on something that was sent out with his name on it?

didn't the republicans just take a major ass whuppin' in november? aren't they thisclose to losing the senate to a super majority of democrats? didn't "BARACK the magic negro" damn near lap john mccain in the election with popular and electoral votes? and wouldn't the republicans like to have just a few of those former red states (like virginia, north carolina, and indiana) back? in the near future!?

does plezWorld find the song offensive? NO! i have a pretty thick skin and something this stupid doesn't even move my "knee jerk reaction" needle.

but plezWorld recognizes this as the most ass-backwards act of an imbecile in quite a long time. black people voted about 95 to 96 percent for barack obama, one of the main contenders for the rnc chair is a black guy (that shufflin' grinnin' ken blackwell)... and the chipster is sending out music cd's with music that is offensive to black people!

hmmm... so much for the republican's BIG TENT!

it's been seven weeks since the election and the leadership of the republican party still hasn't figured out why they lost in a landslide!

~ ~ ~

and i have no comment about the utterance of ken blackwell ("...all of my competitors are fine people."), except i hope he wins! i really do! *smile*

~ ~ Citations ~ ~

Read the Washington Post article about RNC reaction to the Obama parody.

Read the New York Times article about "that song."

Read the CNN.com article about RNC members' reactions.

Read the CNN.com article about Saltsman defending his decision to send the song.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Funky Interlude - New Birth - "I Can Understand It" (1973)

Put some bass in your face. The drummer keepin' you on the one. Drop them funky horns in your ear hole.

"Do it on the good foot. Do it on the right foot. Do it on the left foot."

~ ~ ~

plez sez: this is a remix and cover of bobby womack's "I Can Understand It." at the time, this was probably the funkiest thing i'd heard other than james brown (the opening rapper sounds a lot like the godfather of soul). i love the live feel of the groove, that goddamn bass player is all up in it... and the percussion just keeps it movin'!

i just had to include bobby womack's (original) version of this song... it has more of a SOUL rather than FUNK feel. it's slower, more mellow, has fewer sharp edges, a much smaller group of instruments (i didn't hear any horns), but as in the new birth cover, the bass player is all up in it.

enjoy a "double shot" in plezWorld

~ ~ New Birth "I Can Understand It" ~ ~
The Cover & Remix



~ ~ ~

~ ~ Bobby Womack "I Can Understand It" ~ ~
The Original



Lesson over. Class Dismissed!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Eartha Kitt - R.I.P.

It was reported that Eartha Kitt, 81, died in New York on December 25, where she was being treated for colon cancer. Her daughter, Kitt Shapiro, was by her side.

Her recording of the saucy Christmas song "Santa Baby" was certified gold last week.

Kitt was well known for her distinctive and sultry voice and made a name for herself in her portrayal of Catwoman in the television series "Batman." That role produced Kitt's recognizable sensual cat growl.

She worked in film, theater, cabaret, music and on television during her lengthy career. According to Kitt's official Web site, she was nominated for a Tony three times, a Grammy and Emmy twice.

Eartha Kitt's Biggest Hit "Santa Baby"


Eartha Kitt as Catwoman on "Batman"


~ ~ ~

plez sez: it's amazing that Eartha Kitt would pass away on Christmas Day, seeing as her biggest hit was "Santa Baby." back in the day, Ms. Kitt was known as a sultry, seductive beauty... even transcended the taboo of being the Black love interest of whitebread white batman in the mid- to late-1960's (to my knowledge, batman's only Black nemesis).

i still recall being amazed as a youngster watching the SUPER HOT Black catwoman work her magic on batman... and then being mildly upset when Kitt was replaced by lee meriweather (Kitt had replaced julie newmar).

talent like hers is rare... she'll be missed.

~ ~ Citations ~ ~

Read the New York Times article about the seductive actress and singer.

Read the CNN.com article about Eartha Kitt's death.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Christmas Yule Log

Merry Christmas from plezWorld

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Someday at Christmas" - Stevie Wonder - 1967

Title song for the Stevie Wonder Christmas album is probably one of the most moving of all songs written for the Christmas holiday.

"Someday at Christmas" was also covered by Wonder's label mates at Motown, The Jackson 5, on their Christmas album a few years later.

Someday at Christmas by Stevie Wonder


~ ~ ~

plez sez: wow! this one is deep. should give all a reason to pause and think what is the reason for this season.

Merry Christmas!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Cornbread Dressing in plezWorld

Cornbread Dressing Prep

Growing up, my mother always made stuffing in the turkey while cooking it for Thanksgiving. In adulthood, plezWorld has taken to making dressing since I make an awesome roasted brine turkey that is stuffed with aromatics rather than breadcrumbs.

My wife was raised on dressing and as a consequence, I spent a good portion of our marriage perfecting a cornbread dressing that is to her liking: moist, flavorful, and good without gravy. Once again, I've invaded the archives of the Food Network to get some basic direction on the type of cornbread dressing that I would ultimately create.

This old-fashioned cornbread dressing is flavorful, tender and moist. Although, slightly embellished by plezWorld, the ingredients are simple, the flavors blend well, and it's not necessary to slather your plate with gravy.

plezWorld's Cornbread Dressing

The Cornbread:

• 2 ears of yellow corn
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 teaspoon chipotle chile pepper powder
  
  
• 2 large eggs
  
• 3 cups corn meal
  
  
• 1 cup yogurt (vanilla or plain)
  
• 1 cup cold water
  
• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt the butter and set aside.

Cut the corn kernels from the cob into a small bowl. Dust the kernels with salt and chipotle chile pepper. Mix well.

Beat the eggs in a large bowl until frothy. Add the corn meal, and stir to combine. Add the yogurt, water, and corn mixture. Mix well.

Add melted butter to batter. Stir all ingredients well until the batter reaches a uniform consistency.

Pour the batter into a greased 9x13-inch pan, and bake 30 minutes. The cornbread will begin to pull away from the sides of the pan.

Make the cornbread a day before you intend to make your dressing. Leave it out, uncovered, overnight.

~ ~ ~

The Dressing:

• 1 9x13-inch pan of cornbread, crumbled
  
• 1 bag of seasoned stuffing croutons
  
• 3/4 cup butter (1-1/2 sticks)
  
  
• 1 cup portabello mushrooms, chopped
  
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  
• 3 large stalks celery, chopped
  
• 1 large onion, chopped (2-1/2 to 3 cups)
  
• 1 large red pepper, diced
  
  
• 1 cup pecans, chopped
  
• 1 cup fresh cranberry
  
  
• 4 cups chicken stock
  
• 3 large eggs, slightly beaten
  
• 4 leaves fresh sage, rubbed
  
• 2 sprigs fresh oregano, rubbed
  
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  
• 2 teaspoons curry powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Crumble the cornbread and croutons into a large mixing bowl.

In a large skillet, melt the butter. Sauté the onion, celery, mushroom, and green pepper in butter over medium heat until onion is transparent. Add minced garlic and continue to saute until garlic sweats.

Combine the sautéed vegetables with the bread crumbs and mix well. Fold in sage, oregano, pecans, and cranberries. Mix well. NOTE: Up to this point, the dressing can be prepared an hour or so in advance.

When you are ready to bake the dressing, add the beaten eggs and chicken stock, and stir. Add rubbed sage and oregano, black pepper, and curry powder. Mix thoroughly.

Pour mixture into well greased large shallow pan and bake for 40 minutes. After baking for 15 minutes, stir dressing in the pan so that it cooks uniformly.

plez sez: prepare your taste buds for a blast of flavor that compliments the turkey and other fixin's.

Happy Holidays from plezWorld to your family!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Christmas Rappin'" - Kurtis Blow - 1979

This is a plezWorld re-post to get you in the Spirit.

To aid in that effort and help you work up a sweat, I've included "Christmas Rappin'" and Part 2 of "Rappin' Blow"!

"Christmas Rappin'" by Kurtis Blow

As released by Mercury Records in 1979

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house...

Hold Up! That's played out!

Don't you get me all that jive
About things you wrote before I was alive
'Cause this ain't 1823
Ain't even 1970

Now I'm the guy named Kurtis Blow
And Christmas is one thing I know
So every year, just about this time
I celebrate it with a rhyme

Gonna shake it, gonna bake it, gonna make it good
Gonna rock shock rock through your neighborhood
Gonna ring it, gonna sing it till it's understood
My rap's about to happen
Like the knee you was slappin
Or the toe you been tappin' on a hunk of wood

'Bout a red-suited dude, with a friendly attitude
And a sleigh full of goodies for the people on the block
Got a long white beard, maybe looks kind of weird
And if you ever seen him he could give a quite shock

Now people let me tell ya about last year
When the dude came flying over here
Well the hawk was out, the snow's on the ground,
Folks stayed in to party down

The beat was thumping on the block,
And I was dancing in my socks

And the drummer played at a solid pace

And a taste of the bass was in my face

And the guitar player laid down a heavy layer of the funky chunky rhythm of the disco beat

And the guy with the 88
Started to participate
And I could sure appreciate it sound so sweat

We were all in the mood so we had a little food
And a joke, and a smoke, and a little bit of wine
When I thought I heard a hoof on top of the roof
Could it be or was it me? I was feeling super fine

So I went to the attic where I thought heard the static
On a chance that the prance was somebody breaking in
But the noise on the top was a reindeer clop
Just a tricky St. Nick so I let the sucker in

He was rolly, he was poly, and not the holy moly
You got a lot of whiskers on your chinny, chin, chin
He was loud, he was proud of the hairy little crowd
On the point of the door where the skin should've been

Get's cool for a fool throwin' out a merry yule
For a day on sleigh where the cold winds blow
So the beard maybe cleared but I never have it cheered
'Cause it's warm in the storm when it's ten below

I said, "You're right it's cold tonight,
Can you stop for a drop before you go?"
He said, "Why not? If the music's hot,
And I'll chance a dance beneath the mistletoe."

So he went downstairs and forgot his cares
And he rocked the spot and danced like a pro
And every young girl tried to rock his world
But he boogie oogie oogied till he had to go

And before he went this fine old gent
Finding gifts went sift through his big red bag
In the top for the bottom he reached in and got 'em
Had toys for boys and a girl's glad rag

And the grownups got some presents too
A new TV and a stere-ooh.
A new Seville 'bout as blue as the sky
The best that money couldn't buy

'Cause money could never ever buy the feelin
The one that comes from not concealin'
The way you feel about your friends
And this is how the story ends

The dude he heads back at the pole
Up north where everything is cold
But if he were right here tonight
He'd say "Merry Christmas! And to all -- a good night!"

~~~~~ RAPPIN' BLOW, PART 2 ~~~~~

I see that its not clear,
For you good buddy so clean out your ears,
So listen very closely while I pop my game,
'Cause my names in the Hall of Fame

The K-U-R, the T-I-S,
The first is the best I must confess
The B-L-O and the W
Makes you wanna catch the boogaloo flu

Now, If your name is Annie
Get up off your fannie
If your name is Clyde,
Get off your backside
If you name is Pete,
You don't need a seat

'Cause i'm Kurtis Blow and i'm on the go
I'm rocking to the beat in stere-ery-ooh!

Now just throw your hands in the air
And wave 'em like you just don't care.
And if your ready like Freddie to rock real steady ,
Somebody say, "Oh yeah!"

Young ladies, all the ladies in the house say, "Owww"
And you don't stop, come on, come on, come on, let me see you rock.

Ah get down and stop messing around
When Kurtis Blow is in your town
I'm Kurtis Blow on the microphone
A place called Harlem was my home

I was rocking one day, it started to shake
It sound to me a-like a earthquake
I packed my bags, I said goodbye
I kissed my woman, and I started to fly

I came to Earth by a meteorite
To rock you all on the mic
So just kick off your shoes, let your fingers pop
Kurtis Blow's just about ready to rock

Now people in the back, if you're not too whack, say:
"Don't stop the body rock!"

People in the front, if you want to bump, say:
"Don't stop the body rock!"

People in the middle, if you want to wiggle, say:
"Don't stop the body rock!"

And people on the side, if you want to slide, say:
"Don't stop the body rock!"

Now a preacher or a teacher or a e-lec-tri-cian
A fighter, or a writer, or a po-li-ti-cian
The man with the key to your ignition
Kurtis Blow is competition

Young ladies, shock the house
Yes, the young ladies, shock the house

A-just throw your hands in the air
And wave them like you just don't care

If you're really, really ready to rock this house this morning
Somebody say, "Oh yeah!"

Somebody scream

Young ladies, Mercedes, all the ladies in the house say "ow"
"Ow"

Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho-ho-ho!

KURTIS BLOW AD LIB & 70's ERA PARTY CHANTS

plez sez: quite possibly the GREATEST christmas song ever?!? quite possibly the GREATEST dance hit ever?!? ok, it is easily the GREATEST christmas song that you can dance to!!!

it is a fact that this was the FIRST rap single ever released by a major record label! kurtis blow and his two producers took this song to Mercury Records, who signed him to a 2-single deal, under the condition that if both singles were successful, he would get an album deal. this was the first single, and it did very well. the second single was "The Breaks," and it became the first rap song to be certified as a gold record, selling over 500,000 copies. kurtis got the album deal and became the first rapper signed to a major label. his first album contained the second part of "Christmas Rappin'," the party part with was released as "Rappin' Blow, Part 2."

plezWorld was in high school and had a party at my parents' house during the christmas break. i remember that my parents' house was packed, cars were all over the front lawn, and my oldest brother hooked me up with some "punch" and one of his frat brothers played the part of the dj. this song had just been released and it was the ONLY song that we played at the party... over and over and over! it was such a JAM, that we didn't want to listen to any of the other records! those were the days when you could throw a house party with only one or two records.

it's funny, but this single (which was a 12" single) is probably still in the record player at my parents' house.

NOTE: the sugar hill gang's "rapper's delight" was released earlier in the year by sugar hill records, which was not a major label at the time.


["christmas rappin'" info courtesy of SongFacts.]

[Lyrics are courtesy of plez sez from my bank vault-type memory of 29 years ago!]

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Christmas with the Jackson 5 (1970)

In 1970, the Jackson 5 (Michael, Jermaine, Marlon, Jackie, and Tito) released what has turned out to be a classic Christmas album: "Jackson 5 Christmas Album." Already riding the crest of a string of hits, the Jackson 5 hit this one out of the proverbial park with updated interpretations of some old and some new Christmas themed songs. The beauty of the album lies in its simplicity and timeless aura.

All were in their early to late teens; check out the tight harmonies of the Jackson 5. You can hear the talent of Jermaine Jackson as he is replaced on this album as lead singer by a much more confident and savvy younger brother by the name of Michael. Yeah, THAT Michael Jackson! He takes each song and applies a signature sound that can be felt to this day in his music.

I still get a laugh at how Marlon and Michael needed to have their hair picked out on the album cover! And then I remember how tough it was for my parents to keep my afro right when I was a little boy.

One should also note because they were Jehovah Witnesses, the Jackson 5 did not celebrate Christmas! All of the songs are secular in nature with no religious overtones. None mention the birth of Jesus Christ... except for a veiled reference to bringing gifts in "The Little Drummer Boy."

The album appeared at Christmas time in plezWorld in 1970 and has been a fixture in my music rotation during Holidays for almost 40 years! I can put that album on right now to the listening pleasure of my wife, the seven-year old SugarPlum, and me. That's what I call timeless!

Album Playlist

1. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" (Blane/Martin) – 5:19
2. "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" (Coots/Gillespie) – 2:24
3. "The Christmas Song" (Torme/Wells) – 5:11
4. "Up on the Housetop" – 3:16
5. "Frosty the Snowman" (Nelson/Rollins) – 2:39
   
6. "The Little Drummer Boy" (Davis/Onorati/Simeone) – 3:15
7. "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" (Marks) – 2:32
8. "Christmas Won't Be the Same This Year" (Sawyer/Ware) – 2:31
9. "Give Love on Christmas Day" (Gordy/Mizell/Perren/Richards) – 2:44
10. "Someday at Christmas" (Miller/Wells) – 2:44
11. "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" (Connors) – 3:01

~ ~ ~
Enjoy a few selections that I found on YouTube:

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - Jackson 5


Santa Claus Is Coming to Town - Jackson 5


Frosty the Snowman - Jackson 5


Give Love On Christmas Day - Jackson 5


Christmas Won't Be The Same This Year - Jackson 5


Someday at Christmas - Jackson 5


Little Christmas Tree - Michael Jackson (solo)

This song is not on the "Jackson 5 Christmas Album"

~ ~ ~

plez sez: Merry Christmas, Ya'll!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

plezWorld on the Ruckus Over the Obama Inaugural Speaker

Earlier in the week, it was announced that Rick Warren, bestselling author and pastor of the 20,000-member Saddleback Church in Southern California, would give the invocation at President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration in January. Warren is against gay marriage and he was a vocal supporter of California's Proposition 8 - a ban on gay marriage - which passed in November. He has also reportedly made some very disparaging remarks about gay men, in particular, from his position as pastor of this mega-church.

As one would suspect, gay activists have come out of the woodwork to oppose this decision by Obama to include this guy in his inauguration, much less provide the invocation! Even though, Obama has been a staunch supporter of gay rights, he does agree with Warren that the definition of marriage is a union between one man and one woman (to the surprise of many, plezWorld agrees with this definition of marriage). One talking head has written that Obama is a bigot for including this homophobic preacher in his program.

Recall during the 2008 presidential campaign, Sen. John McCain and Sen. Barack Obama visited Saddleback Church and Rick Warren for what was called the Faith Forum. Each candidate was given the opportunity to provide insight on a number of issues (including gay marriage). Warren did not insert his opinion in the forum and it turned out to be one of the best "debates" that was held in 2008, even though, Obama was a bit too cerebral and thoughtful for most listeners.

~ ~ ~

In an effort to provide some balance to the dust up about Barack Obama and Rick Warren, plezWorld will provide opposing views below:

Excerpts from CNN Commentary "Respect Obama's choice of Rick Warren":

By Ruben Navarrette Jr.

I support a woman's right to choose and civil rights for gays and lesbians. And when I have flashes of intolerance, it's often an intolerance of those who seem intent on taking away the rights of others.

And unlike Warren, who is an outspoken supporter of Proposition 8 -- the divisive ballot measure that amended the California constitution to ban gay marriage -- I opposed the initiative. For many on my side of the issue, this was bigotry on full display; for me, it was bullying.

One minute, gay couples in my state had to the right to marry; the next, they didn't. The privilege was stripped away by brute force just because a slim majority had the votes to do it. That's cruel, arrogant and wrong.

But the Warren controversy doesn't have anything to do with all that. This is about a president-elect, who just came off a bruising 21-month campaign, exercising his prerogative to choose whoever he wants to deliver the blessing at his inauguration. It's about -- as President-elect Obama noted this week -- Americans learning to agree to disagree without becoming disagreeable.

It's about those on the left knowing how to win and how to savor victory without giving into the impulse to attack each other. And, finally, it's about recognizing that -- for those who feel like protesting Warren's appearance -- there is an ocean's worth of bigger fish to fry.

It's interesting. Many of those raising a fuss are talking about respect, demanding respect, insisting they're not given respect, etc. Well, that works both ways. If they want respect, they have to give it. They can start by respecting the wishes of the president-elect to plan his inauguration as he sees fit.

The anti-Warren protesters are looking at the big picture and insisting that the selection of the mega-church pastor is a dead giveaway that Obama isn't interested in advancing gay rights or preserving abortion rights. They say that he just used those groups to get elected and has now thrown them overboard.

That's absurd. And it's an awful lot to glean from the simple act of asking someone to deliver an invocation. Why not let Obama get sworn in and have a chance to govern before we assess whether he'll remain loyal to the base?

The tale gets more curious. Even as Obama takes fire from liberal friends on the left, Warren is taking his share of criticism from conservative supporters on the right who can't believe he is even associating with Obama, let alone appearing at his inauguration.

But what did either camp expect anyway? Those familiar with the evangelical movement in America should already know that Warren falls on the moderate portion of the spectrum. And, if gay rights activists are surprised that Obama would share the spotlight with an opponent of gay marriage, they need to do more research.

Obama himself has stated that he believes marriage is between a man and a woman, a view that also happens to be shared by Vice President-elect Joe Biden.

That didn't stop many on the left from helping to elect Obama and Biden. Nor should it disqualify a certain pastor from blessing their inauguration.

Now that will be something.

Excertpts from CNN Commentary "Choosing Rick Warren was a mistake":

By Kathy Kolbert

The announcement that Pastor Rick Warren has been chosen to give the invocation at Barack Obama's inauguration ceremony landed with a thud in my inbox.

Many people who know Warren as the affable mega-church pastor and best-selling author may be confused about the anger and disappointment that his selection has generated among progressive activists who worked so hard to help elect Obama. Here's my explanation; you can find plenty of other voices online.

Warren enjoys a reputation as a bridge-building moderate based on his informal style and his church's engagement on issues like AIDS in Africa.

He took grief from some of his Religious Right colleagues when he invited then-Senator Obama to his church for a conference on AIDS a couple of years ago. And, in August he hosted presidential candidates Obama and McCain at his church.

Warren has worked hard to cultivate a moderate public personality but his views are very similar to those of traditional Religious Right leaders.In an email sent before the 2004 election he wrote a Falwell-esque message proclaiming that, for Christian voters, the issues of abortion, marriage for same-sex couples, stem cell research, cloning and euthanasia were "non-negotiable." In fact, he said, they are "not even debatable because God's word is clear on these issues."

And while some Religious Right leaders were nervous that Warren would give Obama a platform to talk about poverty and the environment at the August event, Warren thrilled them by eschewing those issues entirely in order to emphasize issues like abortion and marriage that worked to McCain's advantage with the evangelical audience.

Warren also campaigned for Proposition 8, the initiative that stripped same-sex couples in California of their right under the state constitution to get legally married. But it's not just his support for Prop. 8 that is so galling to equality activists.

It's that Warren, in an interview with Beliefnet.com, has since equated allowing loving same-sex couples to get married with redefining marriage to permit incest and pedophilia.

And he has repeated one of the Religious Right's big lies: that somehow allowing marriage equality to stand would have threatened the freedom of preachers like him to say what they thought about homosexuality. That's not remotely true, but it's a standard tool of Religious Right leaders trying to resist the public's increasing support for equality.

In other words, Warren has been divisive and dishonest on the issues of marriage equality and religious freedom -- and on other issues important to many Obama supporters, as well.

He adamantly opposes a woman's legal right to abortion and dismisses common-ground efforts to reduce the need for abortion by comparing them to accommodating the Holocaust. He is disrespectful of progressive people of faith, suggesting that they are tools of the Democratic Party or more Marxist than Christian.

So much for the values of unity and respect, not to mention the constitutional principle of equality, on which President-elect Obama campaigned.

Why exactly is he being given the high honor of delivering the invocation at one of the most historic ceremonies in American history?

There is no shortage of religious leaders who reflect the values on which President-elect Obama campaigned and who are working to advance the common good. Rev. Joseph Lowery, who has been selected to give the benediction, is a lifelong advocate for justice. There are others like him, and in our increasingly diverse nation, they aren't all Christian.

Rick Warren gets plenty of attention through his books and media appearances and has every right to promote his religious views. But he doesn't need or deserve a position of honor at the inauguration of a president who has given hope to so many Americans by rejecting the politics of division and emphasizing his commitment to constitutional values.

I am still excited about the tremendous changes in policy that I expect under an Obama administration. But it's the job of progressive advocates to hold public officials accountable, and to speak up even when our friends drop the ball. This decision, which will leave a bad taste in the mouths of many passionate supporters of Barack Obama, is one of those times.

Excerpts from CNN Story "Choice of Warren reflects diversity of ideas":

Mr. Obama’s forceful defense of Mr. Warren, the author of “The Purpose Driven Life,” has signaled an intent to continue his campaign’s effort to woo even theologically conservative Christians. As his advisers field scores of calls from Democrats angry because Mr. Warren is an outspoken opponent of abortion and same-sex marriage, Mr. Obama has insisted that a range of viewpoints be expressed at the inauguration festivities next month in Washington.

“That’s part of the magic of this country, is that we are diverse and noisy and opinionated,” Mr. Obama said, speaking to reporters here this week. He added, “That’s hopefully going to be a spirit that carries over into my administration.”

The growing alliance of Mr. Obama and Mr. Warren — each of the two publicly refers to the other as “friend” — suggests that Mr. Obama hopes to capitalize on the signs of potential generational and political divisions within the evangelical Christian flock. For his part, Mr. Warren is increasingly being spoken of as a kind of minister to the nation, a status previously occupied by the Rev. Billy Graham.

V. Gene Robinson, the Episcopal bishop of New Hampshire, whose consecration caused a painful divide in his church because he is openly gay, said that when he heard about the selection of Mr. Warren, “it was like a slap in the face.”

Bishop Robinson had been an early public endorser of Mr. Obama’s candidacy, and said he had helped serve as a liaison between the campaign and the gay community. He said he had called officials who work for Mr. Obama to share his dismay, and been told that Mr. Obama was trying to reach out to conservatives and give everybody a seat at the table.

“I’m all for Rick Warren being at the table,” Bishop Robinson said, “but we’re not talking about a discussion, we’re talking about putting someone up front and center at what will be the most watched inauguration in history, and asking his blessing on the nation. And the God that he’s praying to is not the God that I know.”

Excerpts from CNN Story "Choice of Warren reflects diversity of ideas":

President-elect Barack Obama on Thursday defended his pick of evangelical pastor Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at his inauguration next month as one of "a wide range of viewpoints that are presented."

"And that's how it should be, because that's what America is about," Obama said responding to a question at a news conference about his and Warren's differences on social issues. "That's part of the magic of this country is that we are diverse and noisy and opinionated."

Liberal groups and gay rights proponents had criticized the president-elect on Wednesday for choosing Warren, who opposes same-sex marriage and abortion rights.

Those socially conservative stances put him at odds with many in Obama's Democratic Party, especially the party's most liberal wing.

"[It's] shrewd politics, but if anyone is under any illusion that Obama is interested in advancing gay equality, they should probably sober up now," Andrew Sullivan wrote on the Atlantic Web site Wednesday.

Obama in the news conference also defended his record on equality for gays.

"I think that it is no secret that I am a fierce advocate for equality for gay and lesbian Americans," he said. "It is something that I have been consistent on, and I intend to continue to be consistent on during my presidency."

People for the American Way President Kathryn Kolbert told CNN she is "deeply disappointed" with the choice of Warren and said the powerful platform at the inauguration should instead have been given to someone who has "consistent mainstream American values."

Linda Douglass, a spokeswoman for Obama, defended the choice of Warren, saying, "This is going to be the most inclusive, open, accessible inauguration in American history."

"The president-elect certainly disagrees with him on [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender] issues," Douglass said. "But it has always been his goal to find common ground with people with whom you may disagree on some issues."

Douglass also noted that Obama and Warren agree on several issues, including advocating on behalf of the poor, the disadvantaged and people who suffer from HIV/AIDS.

Obama pointed out that Warren had invited him to speak at his Saddleback Church two years ago even though Warren knew that he had views "that were entirely contrary to his."

"We're not going to agree on every single issue, but what we have to do is to be able to create an atmosphere when we can disagree without being disagreeable and then focus on those things that we hold in common as Americans."

Obama also pointed out that Southern Christian Leadership Conference co-founder the Rev. Joseph Lowery, "who has deeply contrasting views to Rick Warren on a whole host of issues," is also speaking.

Warren's support of California's Proposition 8, a measure that outlaws same-sex marriage in the state, sparked the ire of many gay rights proponents earlier this fall.

Warren, who has made it a practice not to endorse candidates or political parties, wrote in October that the issue of gay marriage is not a political issue, but instead "a moral issue that God has spoken clearly about."

"For 5,000 years, every culture and every religion -- not just Christianity -- has defined marriage as a contract between men and women," Warren wrote in a newsletter to his congregation. "There is no reason to change the universal, historical definition of marriage to appease 2 percent of our population."

Warren also stirred controversy earlier this week when he told Beliefnet.com his grounds for opposing same-sex marriage lie primarily on his right of free speech.

"There were all kinds of threats that if [Proposition 8] did not pass, then any pastor could be considered doing hate speech if he shared his views that he didn't think homosexuality was the most natural way for relationships, and that would be hate speech." In the 2008 election, Warren hosted Obama and Sen. John McCain, the Republican presidential nominee, at a candidate forum held in his church.

~ ~ ~

Excerpts of the entry on Aunt Jemima's Revenge blog titled "President-Elect Obama's Pick Of Pastor Rick Warren To Give The Invocation At The Inauguration Stinks To High Heaven!":

First of all, Warren is homophobic. Second of all, he is adamantly anti-abortion. It is absolutely the wrong message for the first black President to give a major platform to a mega-church conservative evangelical who holds beliefs and ideals completely contradictory to the majority of the millions of people who elected you. The President's inaugural invocation should be a message of inclusion for all of the American people and how exactly is Warren going to accomplish that since he has a clear record of excluding others?

Third of all, his inclusion STINKS of political pandering on Obama's part and it makes me sick that Obama would use religion to score political points on his inauguration day. And since Obama threw Reverend Wright under the bus during his Presidential political campaign, how about picking a religious figure from his personal religious denomination of over twenty years to celebrate his inauguration? Could you imagine the power and symbolism of an African American woman pastor delivering the invocation?

Excerpts of the entry on BB&Gcmac's Weblog titled "Preach Preacher! Obama Chooses Right 'Man of God'":

I hear liberals are in an outrage that President elect Obama chose Pastor Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at the inauguration next month. Supposedly the most vocal resistance is coming from the gay rights movement. On the heels of the gay marriage ban in California as well as a few other states, they aren’t too keen on the idea of an evangelical Christian praying the president into office.

I have a message for my gay and lesbian brothers and sisters on this one. “Stand down and pick another battle!” Its is silly and short-sighted to raise hell over this one. For one, Rick Warren isn’t being appointed to any office here. He is a minister and author. He is not going to set forth any policies that affect the gay and lesbian communities. If you do some research on him, you will find that he is one of the most forthright, honest and fair ministers in the country. Warren is no James Dobson or Pat Robertson. Billy Graham, (the traditional presidential preacher) walked away after the election became official cause he didn’t want to deal with a black man. Warren was the only minister who could pull off a presidential form the way he did. He allowed each man to speak on his faith and not offer an opinion on who he thought was “morally right.”

Does Warren believe in gay marriage? No. But everyone who does not agree with you is NOT necessarily your enemy. Faith as well as the precepts that support that faith are a personal issue and he has a right to his beliefs as you do yours. Again if you read his works and listen to his messages, you won’t find a person preaching today who is less judgmental than Mr. Warren. He’s been on the forefront of using his influence for AIDS prevention and awareness, holding an AIDS Summit at his church, with none of the slandering or gay blaming of other ministers. Who was speaking against Warren as he reached out to Obama for support of that program? People like Dobson and Robertson who are notoriously anti gay. Additionally, he is a guy who will listen and dialogue with the gay community. If one is willing to listen, you never know what could come of it.

I did a post on Rick Warren earlier this year when he was on Meet The Press with Tim Russert. In the midst of evangelical leaders vying for position to bring more of the divide and hate tactics to the campaign, Warren’s words were so bright and encouraging, I could see the glow in Russert’s face to have a minister of the gospel speak with such love and perspective. As a man who grew up in the church, loving its virtues and hating its hypocritical and judgmental ways, I felt good about Warren’s message, and even more so his presentation. This guy has it together. Of course you should fight on for what you believe in. However, Warren is the wrong target!

**As an added feature, I am posting the participants of proceedings on January 20th. You will also notice that Rev. Joseph Lowery (a pro gay rights minister) is also speaking and giving the benediction. Obama said this morning that the fact that Lowery and Warren do have some differences of opinions reflect why he chose them both as a reflection of our nation. That's a good thing. What do you think would have happened with a McCain administration?

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plez sez: correct me if i'm wrong, but wasn't the entire premise of Obama's campaign that he was the best person to work with disparate and opposing views? Obama has never wavered in his support of gay rights, BUT he cannot stack his inauguration, nor his Cabinet, with folk who agree with him 100% of the time.

his selection of rick warren as the invocation speaker and joseph lowery as the benediction speaker is completely consistent with how Obama ran his campaign, how he picked his Cabinet members, and how he intends to run this country. we only move forward when we hear thoughts and opinions from all quarters. he is breaking the paradigm of right vs. left, blue vs. red, gay vs. straight, black vs. white... even though, rich warren's message isn't always one of inclusion, the message Obama sends must always be one of inclusion!

Obama is going to be the president of people who support gay marriage as well as people who think gays will burn in the fires of Hell. as he has said so many times, we must learn to disagree without being disagreeable.

gay rights advocacy groups are way off base in their protest of Obama's choice of Warren to speak at his inauguration.

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Read the New York Times article about the furor about Obama's selection for speaker at the inauguration.

Read the CNN.com article about what Obama calls a diversity of ideas.

Read the CNN.com article by Kathy Kolbert about why picking Rick Warren was a bad choice.

Read the CNN.com article by Ruben Navarrette about why we should respect Obama's choice of Warren.

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