The Presidential Inauguration Committee today apologized for not broadcasting yesterday’s invocation by the Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson.
“We had always intended and planned for Rt. Rev. Robinson’s invocation to be included in the televised portion of yesterday’s program. We regret the error in executing this plan ? but are gratified that hundreds of thousands of people who gathered on the mall heard his eloquent prayer for our nation that was a fitting start to our event,” PIC communications director Josh Earnest said in a statement to Christianity Today.
Update: Ben Smith of Politico writes that a source on the committee told him that yesterday’s program will be shown on screens on the Mall to entertain the assembled crowd. Tomorrow’s version will include Robinson’s prayer, the source said.
CT posted a video on YouTube yesterday (below) that is getting thousands of hits and comments. Most commenters were aggravated at HBO for not airing the video.
HBO had already shifted blame for not broadcasting the invocation, telling AfterElton.com that, “The producer of the concert has said that the Presidential Inaugural Committee made the decision to keep the invocation as part of the pre-show.”
Robinson’s prayer seemed to stifle some of the anger stoked by Rick Warren, who will deliver an invocation at tomorrow’s inauguration. The video of the prayer is posted below.
