Walking Tall

Posted by Jake G. on 12.18.2008

Barack Obama continues to march to the beat of his own drum.

Barack Obama continues not to play ball with liberals or conservatives. This week he's announced that Pastor Rick Warren will perform the President-elect's invocation. Now there is a litany of reasons why this is considered by many to be a shocking move, not the least of which was Warren's Saddleback Church forum that seemed poised to throw the Obama campaign off right from the start.

For those that need a refresher, the Saddleback forum was a heavily advertised "first meeting" between Barack Obama and John McCain, long before the two had any debates. It was advertised as being their first unofficial debate and Rick Warren would ask religious questions of the candidates. The format was supposed to be an hour with Obama and then an hour with John McCain. The person not answering questions was supposed to be locked in a "cone of silence" so that they couldn't hear the other person's answers because they'd be asked the exact same questions...

What happened from there is up to the speculations of many, but in a nutshell McCain was never locked in a cone of anything, Obama was asked for knowledge of scripture and almost grilled by the pastor and when McCain came onto the stage he seemed to know the questions. In fact he answered a few questions before they were ever asked and instead of delivering poignant thought out answers as Obama had, he answered with rhetoric torn directly from his stump speeches. The questions themselves differed quite a lot in wording and how they were asked, making many on the left feel as though Obama had been duped by the right wing pastor.

Yet that doesn't seem to be the thing that's gotten most on the left upset. It's more that Rick Warren supports the gay marriage ban in California, or Prop 8 as it was known. Obama told those upset to "come together," and seems to be unfazed by the controversy.

Some have speculated that Obama has a big head and feels that nothing can hurt him. I tend to disagree. Obama is doing exactly what he said he'd do, that's change Washington. Barack hasn't caved into the left's demands of putting together a cabinet of liberals, nor has he given in to the right's desires either. He's set his own course and picking Rick Warren continues to prove that. Obviously no matter how Warren may have treated Obama in the Saddleback forum, nor his beliefs on gay marriage, effect how Barack Obama sees Rick Warren. We've come to know that the President-elect is a deeply spiritual man and when he seeks out spiritual guidance, he isn't afraid to go to pastors who may not share Obama's political beliefs.

I continue to be amazed by Barack Obama. While I, myself would have never picked Warren, I find it refreshing that the President-elect plays by his own rules. He will not be shaped by the left, or by the right. He's a man who walks in his own shoes. It's quite impressive, even when you don't agree with his beliefs. He said his entire campaign was about bringing America together, even on the tough social issues that seek to drive us apart and I can't think of a better way to prove that then not only talking the talk, but walking the walk. It's exactly what he's been doing.