Posted on 08/16/2008 11:59:35 AM PDT by 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...
(Excerpt) Read more at seattletimes.nwsource.com ...
Talk about straight talk.
while Barry was messing his pants.
now Berries campaign are messing their pants.
Warren mentions how quick McCains answer are
McCain lists the lib judges he wouldn’t have nominated.
He hits a homer on teachers and schools
Fire the teachers
find them another line of work
YEEEEEAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH
competition
VOUCHERS they work....
YEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAHHHHHH
I would rather be with the McCain folks than sitting on the sidelines with you .. sorry.
Maybe they were slipped to both candidates, who knows, who cares. Mac is doing great..sorry to the Mac haters:)
He’s got the right answers,
but so what?
my dang friends .... frink ... jeeeeeeeze
I pray for DH to be Sec Def...
I think we are stating fact. McCain is doing 100% better than Obama did.
McCain is doing outstanding. He uses humor and is relaxed yet his experience and knowledge is strong. He also doesn’t “um, uh..”and waffle.
Yeah I noticed that too. This is an incredible contrast.
its the same answer he has given for a while.
I think his consultants have gotten the message.
Now he has given a direct answer. The courts are going to impose full faith and credit on abnormal marriage. It will be up to mccain to follow through.
He did not address if the fed is going to recognize homosexual based marriage via immigration visas for spouses or joint filing for taxation.
Choice in education. The civil rights issue of this century. Absolutely.
No other choice.
It’s Obama or McCain.
I’ll admit that McCain is doing much better this evening than I thought he would. I’m less inclined to need a designated driver to take me to the polls and pull the lever.
Ohhhhh Nana....can’t believe you wrote that :(
5 point bump in polls?
He even gets a zinger in on Obama sending his children to private school.
[You don’t need the booze... get up and fight!]
I think, so far, JSMc has hit a solid home run. Home run after home run! Terrorism, education, morality, marriage, and the list goes on and on!!!!!!!!!
His answers are reasoned to the point, NO STUTTERING and direct.
“Charter schools work; home schools work; choice and competition work.”
Be still, my heart.
Listen carefully for the sound of thousands of NEA members’ teeth grinding into powder.
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