'Today' Christmas Gift: Lauer's Apolitical Chat With Rick Warren

When during its first half-hour this Christmas morning "Today" moved to a conversation between Matt Lauer and Pastor Rick Warren, I braced myself.  Don't tell me, I thought, they're going to get into the invitation Pres.-elect Obama extended him to give the invocation at the Inauguration, and the reaction of some gay-rights groups. Well, surprise!  They didn't: not in word or implication.  Warren appeared strictly in his role as pastor, and the conversation focused exclusively on the meaning of the day.  

The video clip is of the portion of the conversation in which Warren describes the origin and practice of a Warren family tradition of holding a birthday party for Jesus on Christmas Day.  

As you see, the segment ended with a friendly handshake between the two. In the coming year, there'll be plenty of time for politics. Kudos to "Today" and Lauer for taking a hiatus in the spirit of the day.