Today’s NY Times blog “The Caucus” discusses Barack Obama’s disgraceful pandering.

COLUMBIA, S.C. _ At Barack Obama’s gospel concert here last night, more than 2,000 black evangelicals were singing, waving their hands and cramming the aisles _ most enthusiastically when Donnie McClurkin, the superstar black gospel singer, decried the criticism he has generated because of his views that homosexuality is a choice.

He said his past statements about homosexuality had been twisted and he had been unfairly maligned. He segued into a hymn about standing up for one’s self and thrust a defiant fist toward the ceiling. This led to a short pitch for Mr. Obama, who, he said, stands for change. “But the greatest change a person can have is not in politics,” he said. “There is only one king.”

Mr. McClurkin is the preacher who had said he was gay but was “cured” through prayer and tonight he was the star act in a parade of star acts, which included the Mighty Clouds.

I know a little something about addictions. I studied up a bit on alcoholism because both my parents were afflicted with this disease. You can’t cure alcoholism, but you can arrest it with effective treatment, which includes honest, even brutal, introspection and a strong resolve to change your life.

From what I’ve read about homosexuality it’s a hard-wired genetic change in our DNA that turns us towards members of the same gender. You can’t change it just with prayer, just as you can’t change alcoholism with prayer alone. I used to have a good laugh when I read fawning stories in the media about George Bu$h changing his life with prayer.

Has anyone who’s been paying attention for the last six years think he’s changed his life by dedicating it to a deity?

His inclusion had drawn public criticism from gay activists who wanted Mr. Obama to cancel his appearance. Mr. Obama did not, but issued a statement a few days ago saying he strongly disagrees with Mr. McClurkin’s views and that he has tried to address what he called the homophobia among some black voters.

So he looks to score points with black Christians, who actually follow the example of that carpenter far more than most of the self-expressed white “Christians” in this land. He invites a black preacher and gospel singer to take the stage with him, thereby implying an endorsement. People start asking what’s up with Pastor McClurkin and his unusual ways and Obama then denies any association, other than, of course, standing on the same stage with him, and at a political rally organized for Senator Obama’s benefit.

I don’t know a lot about the down low lifestyle – just what I’ve read at Steve Gilliard’s. He always said African-Americans were dead set against it, that it was more shameful than among whites. I have to go with his authority, because he was right about so many other things.

I can’t help wondering if Senator Obama really has tried to address the issue of homophobia, or is trying to, or would like to, maybe the best thing to do would have been to have stepped up to the microphone while Pastor McClurkin was heefin and hollerin and put his hand over the mike, and said, “Wait. Wait. You can’t say that. I disagree with the lifestyle too, but you can’t malign people like that. It’s not Christian. Did Jesus malign the lepers? Did he malign the Romans? Did he even malign Judas? Stop. Just stop. Thank you. Go home. We’re not here for this.” That would have put the focus right back on Senator Obama and not on Pastor McClurkin.

That could have established the two-year Senator, with very limited experience at the Federal level, as ready for prime time.

UPDATE: It seems Matt Stoller agrees, at least in part.