Newsweek:
As gay activists protest the selection of evangelical megapastor Rick Warren to give the inaugural invocation, they could have reason to cheer a future Obama announcement. Sources tell NEWSWEEK that the president-elect is considering the appointment of the first openly gay chief of a military branch.
Bill White, president of the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum in New York, is being backed by congressional and former military leaders to be the next secretary of the Navy. Among White's vocal supporters are retired Gen. Hugh Shelton, a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Rep. Jerrold Nadler, a New York Democrat whose district includes the newly renovated Intrepid museum which sits on an aircraft carrier in the Hudson River. Nadler says members of Obama's transition team have reached out to him about White. "They're clearly vetting him," he tells NEWSWEEK.
Though he's never served in the military, backers say White has extensive contacts in the armed forces through his role with the Intrepid Museum and the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, a $100 million nonprofit set up to help military families and wounded vets. White also serves as a trustee of the Fisher House Foundation, which provides free housing at military and veterans hospitals for families who want to be near the recovery process. Reached by telephone, a spokeswoman for White said he would not be commenting, but has considered his work with the armed forces "truly the highest privilege."
As I've said before, let's give Obama a break, shall we? After all, the man isn't even President yet. I wish all the pundits would just STFU and allow the new administration to get through the first one hundred days after he is sworn in, fercrissakes.
As for Warren's role in the proceedings, sure I'm disappointed too, but look at the bigger picture for a moment; if so many people are upset there may be a protest during his routine where folks in the audience will get up and turn their backs on him.
And no, I wouldn't want to be there - historical or not - because it's got the potential of spiraling into another nightmare thanks to the incompetent assholes at FEMA. I'll be watching on TV and if it's all it's touted to be, I'll probably buy the DVD.
I turned on the TV this morning to be confronted with a 'Punch & Judy' show featuring various levels of screeching among 4 or 5 talking heads. Changing channels I saw another old white guy refer to Obama as a Muslim!!! Why, pray tell, was this man given air time? I turned the TV off and listened to music instead.
There are 29 days left (but who's counting) before the Chimp is gone and the real work begins. And that means all of us have work to do here, not just Barak Obama.
Such an appointment would be very interesting!
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