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 ...
The Supreme Court Justices answers said it all, and then Mccain added a Babe Ruth performance!
A friend send me videos of the burning of a beautiful old church in Georgia, as well as the Russians taking over a new military installation a couple months old. Unreal.
John has had a longtime association with the president of Georgia.
Obama has his hands full. McCain is all nuts and bolts. Obama is theory. McCain is fully capable of Reganing Obama.
Sit back and watch the fun.
It won’t be Hunter because CA is not in play. CA people would go over the cliff for Oprah and Obama.
I’ll admit that I was a bit skeptical of this format, but it seems to me that Pastor Warren is asking much better questions than the news media do, and I think this is better than the debates we have seen so far.
As a Duncan gal, I did consider not voting for Pres., or writing in Duncan Hunter.
I’m very glad I was able to see this tonight
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same here....
McCain mentioned E-Bay CEO Meg Whitman as one of the three people who wants to listen to.
Do you think she may be the VP choice — successful woman, business leader...
Tell me why the use of “my friends” irritates me like nails on a blackboard.
> Warrens main issues are global warming and promoting gay rights. This was a dumb forum for McCain to agree to.
McCain has bought into global warming, and with his lib appeasement tendencies he is probably not too far from Barry’s stance on gay rights.
Tweedledee, Tweedledumber.
Before I get all excited (I recently got a j-o-b dammit), can’t keep up, did I hear Lieberman really is the VP frontrunner about thirty minutes ago?
My family were die hard Hunterheads too.
If McCain was smart, he would do everything in his power to get him on board as VP.
Make adoption easier. Amen!
Obama reminded me of one of those overpriced lawyers who think they can be “briefed” into enough knowledge to fake sincerity.
Too much ivory tower not enough real world. (not to be confused with street)
Actually that is good to hear, it just wasn’t my experience while working in the personnel office for 10 years.
Those who said that conservatives would never support him are wrong....I was upset, but we have to live with what we got.
I am starting to like him.
It is natural for conservatives to gradually come back to the GOP; they will not truly abandon the party even being angered at the candidate regardless of how many ticked off Freepers post.
here comes the Mother Theresa story.
americans are getting to know John Mccain!!
That says it all.
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