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 ...
McCain is doing great. Very sincere. Great sense of humor. Seems very honest...unliked BO.
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Yeppers
Crowd loved the DRILL NOW!!
Grain, I think. And juniper. I had a relation who was a moonshiner. I'm not sure just what went into his booze. But it was potent and cheap. And really illegal so he had to find another line of work after he was raided :)
Laura will rip the SC statements Monday for sure.
I thought from the beginning, this whole election was set up to push God-fearing people out of the process... giving us no place to go.
I can’t believe how much better spoken McCain is than Obama. I think we are looking at our next President.
Drill now
YES
Yes! Drill here! Drill Now!
I know how you feel.
I think the crowd is more enthusiastic for his (real) answers than the Obama-pablum.
Drilling for oil....YES!
You don’t need the booze... get up and fight!
Yes, now I’m glad he went second. obama comes off as lightweight.
RW is asking a whole different set of questions of McCain!
It’s a set up! At least McCain is handling them well... so far.
“Offshore drilling.
We gotta drill now, and we gotta drill here...Caleeeefornia...
we gotta have nuclear power...”
He’s nailing it!
At least McCain said Drill Here Drill Now!!!!
He lost me a little when he added in the greenhouse gas comment though.
Sounds intelligent and knowledgeable.
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