TODAY: Rev. Rick Warren puts Obama, McCain on the same stage (LIVE thread)

The Seattle Times ^ | 8/16/08 | Duke Helfand

[XR7]

LAKE FOREST, Calif. — When John McCain and Barack Obama appear on the same stage today, they will vividly demonstrate the reach that has made the Rev. Rick Warren among the most significant evangelists of his generation.

He's a megastar who leads the nation's fourth-largest church and reaches thousands of ministers through the Internet and crusades against poverty and AIDS. That globe-trotting work and his successful book — "The Purpose-Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For?" — puts him at the vanguard of a movement that inspires young, socially conscious Christians.

But his willingness to soft-pedal political issues once central to U.S. evangelicals, such as opposition to abortion, has opened him to criticism that he has strayed from his calling to spread the Gospel.

Today's forum also is a sign of religion's importance in the 2008 presidential campaign, and the emergence of a new style of evangelical leadership on the national stage that is not tied to a single party and has broadened its social agenda beyond that of the religious right.

"This is absolutely a changing of the guard, and it suggests that the new guard of the evangelical movement is able to generate the attention and focus of both parties," said D. Michael Lindsay, a sociologist at Rice University and author of "Faith in the Halls of Power: How Evangelicals Joined the American Elite."

Warren personally invited the two candidates — "friends of mine" — via their cellphones. His event at the Saddleback Church will be broadcast live on CNN and Fox News Channel and streamed on the Web. It has among its aims "helping the church regain credibility and encouraging our society to return to civility," he said.

It's likely that fans and critics will be watching closely...

[XR7]

Senators John McCain and Barack Obama will hold their first joint appearance Saturday at 8 p.m. EDT (5 p.m. PDT) at Rick Warren's Saddleback Church in California.

This historic forum will be the only joint event for the two, and the last public appearance
for either candidate prior to the two-week hiatus during each party’s national convention.

The two-hour Civil Forum on the Presidency will be held in a non-debate format, with Warren asking the questions. Obama will take the stage first.

The forum will air live on Fox News and CNN.

Watch Live Streaming from Saddleback Online // August 16, 2008 - 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.

_____________________________________________________________

2008 Presidential Voters Guide

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[conservativefromGa]

Is this Rick Warren fellow a conservative or lib?

[TornadoAlley3]

all about global warming, poverty, AIDS...and whatcha gonna do about it when president, how much taxpayer money will you give to these causes. Obama will go first as McCain sits in a sound proof booth.

[Fudd Fan]

Isn’t Warren an obama-bot? For some time now (even before a lot of people had heard of obama) I’ve considered Warren a snake-oil salesman type.

[XR7]

Is this Rick Warren fellow a conservative or lib?

Good question.

[TornadoAlley3]

[Always Right]

Is this Rick Warren fellow a conservative or lib?

He is pro-abortion and pro-gay rights....McCain is gonna get ambushed.

[Pacothecat]

As far as I'm concerned if he doesn’t ask about Black Liberation Theology you know he's in the tank for Obama

[TornadoAlley3]

The megachurch pastor Rick Warren is a signer of the “Evangelical Climate Initiative.”

[Always Right]

Good question.

Warrens main issues are global warming and promoting gay rights. This was a dumb forum for McCain to agree to.

[Fudd Fan]

I’ll go out on a limb, and say he won’t ask.

[TornadoAlley3]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2051734/posts

[seekthetruth]

It will be interesting to see if McCain and Obama get the same questions and if Obama is asked anything about his wanting the partial birth abortion ban to be overturned.

[Blogger]

Warren had both Obama and Hillary in his pulpit prior to this. Any questions?

[austinaero]

He is pro-abortion and pro-gay rights....McCain is gonna get ambushed.

****Nah, I’m sure someone on McCain’s staff knows at least that much about Rick Warren. Hopefully Senator McCain has done his homework.

[XR7]

The Global Ambition of Rick Warren
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1830147,00.html

[They'reGone2000]

Mr. Carbon Offset flew from Hawaii to Chicago, arriving in the early morning hours of Saturday, Aug. 16.

A few hours later he flew from Chicago to California.

[TornadoAlley3]

Monday, December 18, 2006
RICK WARREN: Obama is “amazing” and has “got the stuff” to be Prez...
Posted by: Kevin McCullough at 12:53 PM Townhall

Remember back when Rick Warren was adamantly denying that his inviting Barack Obama to his HIV conference had anything to do with politics?

Well - if that’s the case - why is it that he’s now TALKING POLITICS on CNN and sending the message that “Obama’s Da Man”?

Warren also says the reason he believes Obama would be such a good President is because of his character.

[KansasGirl]

I bet Obama already has a list of the questions and signed off on them.

Obama wouldn’t have agreed to this unless he knew Warren was on his side. That’s not how the Obama campaign operates.