Associated Press – July 21, 2008
LAKE FOREST, California – Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama will participate next month in a question-and-answer forum at Saddleback Church, Pastor Rick Warren said Monday.
Warren, who oversees the 22,000-member congregation, will question the presidential candidates on Aug. 16 during the church’s Saddleback Civil Forum on Leadership and Compassion.
Joshua DuBois, Obama’s director of religious affairs, said the senator was “looking forward to going back to Saddleback with his good friend Pastor Rick Warren.” Obama spoke at the church in 2006.
Warren said the candidates are expected to appear together briefly before each takes questions from Warren for about an hour. A coin toss determined that Obama will go first.
Warren is the author of “The Purpose Driven Life.”
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Beliefnet
Advertisement
posted July 21, 2008 at 7:46 pm
Guess they both will have to be on their “best Christian” behavior, in front of 22,000 folks…
posted July 21, 2008 at 9:19 pm
I don’t think I’ll watch it. You know that old adage; Don’t discuss politics or religion if you want to remain friends. How can you answer these type of questions and please everyone? You can’t. I can tell that each of these men are good people and intelligent they don’t have to prove their feelings of faith to me.
posted July 21, 2008 at 9:24 pm
Is it being broadcast nationally, Henrietta? I won’t watch it, but just wondered.
posted July 21, 2008 at 9:38 pm
It’s pathetic that they give someone like him so much power over them. I doubt either has much respect for him.
posted July 22, 2008 at 12:00 pm
I don’t know if this will be broadcast PS, but I doubt if the media will leave it alone. This is more political and religious intertwine.
posted July 23, 2008 at 7:55 am
I was watching the news the other day, or reading Newsweek, something like that, anyway, they were talking about people from the midwest who wanted to hear the candidates talk more about their faith, of all things.
I so don’t get that, and I sure hope that nobody comes back to me with the bogus answer that faith is more important to those people. My faith is deeply critical to me. However, there are nationwide and worldwide issues I’d much rather the candidates discuss in much more detail, and somehow, the role that Jesus plays in their lives doesn’t rank among those important issues. If I were a church member and hiring new clergy; well, now that would be different…
posted July 23, 2008 at 9:28 am
You don’t live in the midwest so it wouldn’t be a bogus answer that faith is more important to those people. Not all midwesterners are of that attitude though. Some actually know the difference between country and religion. But to be fair to the ones who put their faith first, as you call it, that’s is all they talk about, and if you asked them about who is in Washington DC they wouldn’t have a clue. They don’t like politics, their families taught them this and wouldn’t bother with issues in government if they didn’t think it would upset their moral beliefs.
posted July 23, 2008 at 10:01 am
I grew up in the Midwest, happily not in a family like that, and I think the majority of midwesterners, while religious, are not fanatical like that but no doubt too many are. Then there’s the South.
posted July 23, 2008 at 10:44 am
I wonder if Warren will ask either candidate about the “gay issue”?
posted July 23, 2008 at 1:16 pm
No doubt to some in the Midwest & the South, there is no separation of church and state in their minds. Personally, I’d much rather hear what they have in mind for running this country…trying to get us out of the mess it is currently in. Also, staying out of women’s reproductive rights (of course that’s probably religious to some), and the legal rights of homosexual citizens…which should be no different than those of heterosexual citizens. I honestly don’t care who or what they worship…if anything. But this is a debate held in a church…with a “minister” presiding? You know that homosexuality and abortion will come up.