Obama and the "Ex-Gay' Gospel Singer

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has taken a lot of heat for including "ex-gay" gospel singer Donnie McClurkin in the South Carolina performance of his campaign's "Embrace the Change" gospel series.

Rightly so.

Here is an excerpt from McClurkin's comments at the concert from CNN:

McClurkin has said that homosexuality is a choice and that he overcame homosexual desires through prayer, comments that drew fire from gay and lesbian activists and caught the Obama campaign, which has been using faith to reach out to African-American voters, off guard.

The Grammy-winning singer said Sunday his words had been "twisted."

"Don't call me a bigot or anti-gay, when I have been touched by the same feelings," McClurkin went on. "When I have suffered with the same feelings. Don't call me a homophobe, when I love everybody … Don't tell me that I stand up and I say vile words against the gay community because I don't. I don't speak against the homosexual. I tell you that God delivered me from homosexuality."

McCurkin also took time to say that homosexuality was a sin, least there be any doubt where he stood on that point.

Why did Obama stick with McClurkin's participation in this event even after GLBT activists raised such a stink about it? Also from the CNN report:

A September poll conducted by Winthrop University and ETV showed that 74 percent of South Carolina African-Americans believe homosexuality is "unacceptable."

In my opinion, that's all you need to know. While Obama publicly restated his support for the GLBT community, he sold them down the river to the South Carolina African-American community and round up some votes in a critical primary state.

This is just the latest example of a politician pandering to people's faith in order to get their votes. I guess Obama is overcoming his inexperience and learning how to play the game.

Too bad.