The Raw Story is reporting that in a press conference this morning, President-elect Obama defended the choice of Rick Warren to give the invocation at his inauguration. The transcript of his comments are below the video (skip to about 2:30).

I think that it is no secret that I am a fierce advocate for equality for gay and lesbian Americans. It is something that I have been consistent on and something that I intend to continue to be consistent on during my presidency. What I’ve also said is that it’s important for Americans to come together even though we may have disagreements on certain social issues and I would note that a couple of years ago I was invited to Rick Warren’s church to speak despite his awareness that I held views that were entirely contrary to his when it came to gay an lesbian rights, when it came to issues like abortion.

Nevertheless, I had an opportunity to speak and that dialog is part of what my campaign has been all about. We’re not going to agree on every single issue but what we have to do is be able to create an atmosphere where we can disagree without being disagreeable and focus on those things that we hold in common as Americans. Rick Warren has been invited to speak. Dr. Joseph Lowry who has deeply contrasting views to Rick Warren on a whole host of issues is also speaking.

During the course of the entire inaugural festivities there is going to be a wide range to viewpoints that are going to be presented. And that’s how it should be because that’s what America is about. Part of the magic of this country is that we are diverse and noisy and opinionated and that’s the spirit we have put together what I think will be a terrific inauguration that’s hopefully going to be a spirit that carries over into my administration.

This is so frustrating. This is not the action of a “fierce advocate”. As others have pointed out, we certainly wouldn’t have given George Wallace the stage just to get a balance of views as black people were abused in the 1950s. An anti-Semite wouldn’t be invited to represent a differing opinion to a Rabbi.

Likewise, a homophobic bigot like Rick Warren shouldn’t be offered the national stage to make sure the homophobes have a representative on the dais.

This is a horrible misstep, one that should demonstrate for the LGBT community that we still don’t have a friend in the White House. I’m not suggesting that Bishop Gene Robinson should have been asked (though that would have been tremendous), but there must be better candidates than one who just two days ago gleefully compared me to a rapist.

Mr. Obama, there’s still time to correct this. Senators and Representatives on the Inauguration Committee, there’s still time to fix the mess you’ve made.

You have 34 days until this becomes the first blemish on your presidency.