Why Rick Warren's Inaugural Invocation Will Anger Many Conservatives

Barack Obama's decision to have Rick Warren deliver the invocation at his inauguration will surely be greeted by many as the triumph of bipartisanship and post-partisan politics.

Predictably, this move is sure to anger some of Obama's base who might view having an Evangelical pro-Life Pastor play such a prominent role in Obama's inauguration as a slap in the face.

... But there is another group who is likely to view this move with suspicion: Traditional conservatives. (In fact, a quick perusal of the conservatives I'm following on Twitter confirms this.)

On the surface, one might wonder why conservatives would object to having an evangelical pastor deliver such an important and historic invocation. But for a long time now, conservative opinion has been greatly divided concerning Warren -- and this latest move is merely one more reason for conservatives to be skeptical of his loyalties.

There are several reasons many conservatives question Rick Warren: 1. Many believe him to be a self-promoting opportunist who is seeking to become the 21st century's version of Billy Graham.

2. As I write this, a debate continues to rage between Michael Gerson style "compassionate conservatives" -- and traditional conservatives who view the term as redundant, and who blame George W. Bush for supporting big government liberal policies. Warren obviously fits into the former camp. And while he is pro-Life, he has sought to "broaden the focus of the evangelical agenda" by focusing more on tailor-made Democratic issues over traditional family issues which favor Republicans.

3. Some conservatives will also view his presence as a tacit endorsement of Obama's policies. Devout pro-Lifer's will surely object to this, though the counter argument is that it is better to have at least one pro-Life voice whispering in Obama's ear than to surrender this opportunity for influence. Still, many conservatives will view Warren as nothing more than a pawn, meant to cheaply provide "cover" or pacify Christian conservatives (who might now be able to justify their vote for Obama), while the new president will predictably support a socially liberal agenda.

While this move will surely be applauded by the center, in one fell swoop, Obama and Warren have found a way to anger many on the left and on the right.



SEE ALSO:
Obama and Rick Warren: Gay Lobby Don't Like It
Barack Obama Is America's Favorite Republican!