Rep. Barney Frank Criticizes Choice Of Pastor Rick Warren For Inauguration

December 22, 2008 4:27 p.m. EST

Washington, DC (AHN) - The latest criticism over President-elect Barack Obama's controversial selection of Pastor Rick Warren to deliver his inauguration invocation comes from Massachusetts Democrat Rep. Barney Frank, one of the only openly gay members of Congress.

Frank, who appeared on CNN's "Late Edition" on Monday called Obama's choice of Rick Warren "a mistake," saying that, "Giving that kind of mark of approval and honor to someone who has frankly spoken in ways I and many others have found personally very offensive, I thought that was a mistake for the president-elect to do."

Despite the criticism, Obama continues to defend his selection of Pastor Warren, saying that while he doesn't share Warren's views on gay rights, he wants to create an atmosphere "where we can disagree without being disagreeable and then focus on those things that we hold in common as Americans."

Warren, who is the founder of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, has drawn criticism from gay rights groups for his opposition to same-sex marriage, but defended himself by saying he loves both "gays and straights."