Bishop Robinson, in London as a guest of the gay rights group Stonewall for its annual \u201cHero of the Year\u201d\u009d awards dinner at the Victoria and Albert Museum tonight, said that Mr Obama\u2019s campaign team had sought him last year and he had the \u201chonour\u201d\u009d of three private conversations with the future president of the United States last May and June.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe first words out of his mouth were: \u201d\u02dcWell you\u2019re certainly causing a lot of trouble\u2019, My response to him was: \u201d\u02dcWell that makes two of us’.\u201d\u009d<\/p>\n
He said that Mr Obama had indicated his support for equal civil rights for gay and lesbian people and described the election as a \u201creligious experience\u201d\u009d.<\/p>\n
Bishop Robinson described his conversations with him as part of Mr Obama\u2019s \u201cextraordinary\u201d\u009d outreach to all religious communities, not just Christian groups. Mr Obama, although not a member of The Episcopal Church to which Bishop Robinson belongs, is a committed Christian with the United Church of Christ.<\/p>\n