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 ...
hmm
audacity of hope vs REALITY of hope.
Put my country first.
Put our country first!!!
My job is to tell them I will be the President of EVERY american and put my country first!
The nice thing is regardless of your personal views, once you pledge something in the campaign, you end up having to push that. So, despite him being a moderate GOP on some issues in the past, he will have to govern a bit more to the right since that is what he has pledged to do on these issues.
He’s on FOX CNN CSPAN
Huge audience...
He’s been great. Good answer on why he wants to be President too.
I cannot believe how straightforward he has been.
“Cut me Mick! Cut me! I’ve been nailed and can’t see! Is my nose bleeding too?”
15,500 according to Yahoo! Finance.
And the crowd cheers!
Ummm... McCain, don’t be fooled, we will fight you tooth and nail.
Don’t play yourself.
Just get a conservative VP STAT.
The question is does the MSM realize how well McCain did?
Obama made a major tactical mistake when he won the coin toss and chose to go first. Huge mistake. McCain got to close, and leave the last impression. Everyone forgets about the first guy if the second guy is doing good. And McCain did exceptionally well. Won hands down.
LOL!
Yo, Adrian!
church website said all 550 members are from the press.
~~~
That’s the press clapping ??????? Shocking.
Leni
just the sight of goober makes me want to heave.
Boisterous applause for McCain at the conclusion of the interview.
Really well done.
I’ll always put my country first...
We’re based on Judeo-Christian principles...
:)
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