The officials who planned Sunday's inaugural music celebration, We Are One, have apologized for a error that resulted in excluding the invocation by openly gay Episcopal bishop, the Rev. Gene Robinson, from the televised portion of the program. They also say the bishop's prayer may be broadcast on the big screens before Tuesday's inauguration program begins.

Premium cable channel HBO, which secured the exclusive rights to air the celebration, began its broadcast about 15 minutes after Robinson delivered his opening prayer. The omission angered some critics and activists who originally had seen Robinson's scheduling as an attempt to ease criticism over the selection of evangelist Rick Warren, an open opponent of gay marriage, to deliver the invocation for Tuesday's inauguration.

With Robinson omitted from the telecast, some began to wonder if his inclusion was an elaborate bait-and-switch.

But HBO forwarded me a statement from inauguration committee spokesman Josh Earnest (really!) who said "“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.”

There is talk that Robinson's invocation will be shown early tomorrow and the inauguration committee may post video of his prayer on its channel within the video-sharing Web site YouTube. But the committee has not yet confirmed that to me.

I do find it interesting that Robinson did a sizable interview with MSNBC today, and wasn't asked about his omission from the program.

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