If they take him off now, it's a cave, a capitulation, and a sign of weakness.

The ironic thing is that of course the easiest thing would be for Donnie M to drop out.  Sometimes reality is not as simple and easy as we would like.

If, as is likely the case, Donnie M stays to the chagrin of the Obama people, then he has no choice to keep him.  

Why?

1.  He would be a hypocrite for giving him the boot, on two levels.  First, the Obama campaign made the mistake in due diligence, not Donnie M.  Second, Obama continually stresses the politics of inclusion and dialogue--being willing to accept people and engage with them even in the face of passionate and bitter disagreement.  To give Donnie M the boot would cut against that.

2.  Ah, but rules are made to be broken, and this is politics after all.  But, the message that was sent would be that Donnie M is unacceptable as a person because of his views.  The message transmitted would be that people with similar views are not welcome.  (Excuse the lack of apostrophes--keyboard on the fritz).  That was the point of the diary--that dissing Donnie M would be awful politics for Obama and for the Democratic party.

3.  Disinviting Donnie M at this point would not be viewed as a move of principle or sympathy for LGBT citizens, but rather a capitulation and sign of weakness.  If you are unable to stand up to a punk like John Aravosis, how can you contend with Vladimir Putin?

This is a gospel concert, and signing up one of the greatest gospel talents in the known universe is a good thing for the cause.  And the cause, in case ya'll didn't know it, is to reach out to the faith community in gospel song.  It is not to address gay and lesbian issues.  Mr. McClurkin's views on gay and lesbians have nothing what so ever to do with his musical talent and stature.  

If a company was hiring electrical engineers, and one of the most qualified applicants was gay, should they be disqualified because of that?  Of course not.  They should be judged on the merits as it applies to the job for which they are being sought, and this is exactly what the gay and lesbian community is constantly harping about.  Yet, in this instance you are asking the Obama camp to engage in the same kind of discriminatory practice that you yourselves abhor.  Shame on you.  

Mr. McClurkin is an extremely accomplished gospel singer, extremely popular in the faith community and very, very much so in the African American community of faith.  For the Obama camp to diss this artist at the behest of the hypocritical gay and lesbian community, is to do serious damage to his constituency in the AA community and the community of faith.  The gay and lesbian community DOES NOT OWN the democratic party and your interests are not the only ones that matter, especially when they require a candidate to diss other important constituents.