Just this Saturday, my uncle and I watched the Saddleback Church forum on CNN, where Pastor Rick Warren, pastor of Saadleback Church in California, asked questions to the two presumtive Presidential nominees from the Democratic Party and the Republican Party.
It was an interesting tv program as never in my life, have I seen a Church (and not a parachurch organization or a non-Church Christian organization) become so involved in politics, and on National Television (as in American National TV) as well.
It was also interesting as the questions asked weren’t those usually asked (both Obama and McCain were asked the same questions), i.e. “what’s your favourite sermon?” or “what was your favorite sunday school lesson?”, but “what is your greatest moral failure?”, “what is your position on/definition of marriage”, “what does your faith mean to you?”, or other questions about policies and other positions that they might have.
Watching this program, I was suprised as this wasn’t the usual preverted American political program where the moderator would be lobsided, completely bias, and just full of bs, but the style of questions and discussion was very close (with exception of the large audience) to how Steve Paiken hosts his show: unbiased, neutral, helpful commentary, questions and discussion.
Overall, I was very pleased how the program played out.
Now, to put the spotlight on the Candidates:
I found that Obama was here and there while he was answering questions from Rick Warren, but didn’t really connect with or focus on the audience, either in the Church auditorium or for those watching on television.
He was being his usual self: a very good orator, confident, and has good ideas.
Now, John McCain on the other hand, was being really straight forward, and the fact that he told stories, stories about his past, stories about his ordeal in Vietnam during his captivity, it help him connect with the people. As well, he focus more on and addressed the audience when the questions were being asked by Rick Warren, as opposed to Obama focusing on Warren.
In my opinion, although Obama did well and he did get his message across, McCain certainly “won” in the sense that he connected with the people and focused his attention on them.
And that was the key, in who came out of this forum as the better candidate.
(note: each candidate was asked the same set of Questions but Obama was “interviewed” first and McCain came on the stage as Obama was leaving)
I am in total agreement with you. I sat in the audience and was impressed with Obama’s style and speaking ability, but he was not focused and was typically vague. McCain was “real”, believable and was talking to the audience.
Read my eyewitness account here:
http://www.luxeman.wordpress.com
Just want to say that CNN’s Rick Sanchez interviewed Pastor Rick today (Sunday) and two things were revealed:
1 — McCain was NOT in the building during the first 30 minutes of the forum. Therefore, there was no “cone of silence” that Pastor Rick referred to. The forum was broadcast simultaneously on all three major cable networks as well as radio. It was fairly clear that McCain knew the questions that were coming.
At one point, he even said, “Can we get to the selection of the Supreme Court Justices…?” Pastor Rick hadn’t even asked the question yet! My red flag went up immediately.
Sadly, when CNN asked Pastor Rick about the so-called “coin toss”, he was pretty speechless. Just fumbled around for words. After all, how can you have a coin toss when both parties aren’t even in the building.
Sad.
Mom of 3 in GA,
You should be congratulated on a leap of epic proportions…
You state that Rick Sanchez states (there’s already a problem there because of biased third party reporting) McCain was not in the building… this may or may not be true, but you then take the Herculean leap of stating:
“It was fairly clear that McCain knew the questions that were coming.”
Just because McCain may or may not have been in the building does not mean he was listening. Shame on you if you were to ever walk by an adult book store. I’ll have to tell your 3 children you’re into smut! Guilt by proximity? Very fascist. Or Marxist??
“Can we get to the selection of the supreme court…?” This was a forum for religious, world views and social concerns by an evangelical pastor. OF course the topic would come up. It’s one of the 3 most important aspects of this election for Christians. If Pastor Rick didn’t ask that he’d be a fool.
It was well known days in advance that Obama would be first. It was printed on the event schedule I received as I entered the building. This wasn’t a HS football game. They did not go out and flip a coin just before kick off. These are US senators running for president. All their moves must be known well in advance.