“Showdown at Saddleback”: McCain & Obama Take Part in SoCal Church Forum

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Earlier this evening Presidential hopefuls Barack Obama and John McCain took turns answering questions from mega church Pastor Rick Warren. The setting was Saddleback Mega Church, which is located in sunny Orange County, CA and also is one of the larger, more mainstream evangelical super centers of prayer. Both candidates are friends with Pastor Warren, the founder of the church and moderator of tonights forum, and came up with the idea of a dual candidate Q and A months ago.

The questions were far from “softballs”, and ranged from their stance on abortion to Supreme Court Justice nominations. Both Obama and McCain received the same line of questioning, and to keep it fair McCain, who went on after Obama, was sequestered in a soundproof room backstage so he could not hear the answers his opponent was giving.

McCain currently is on stage as I type this, however below you will see I have gone ahead and put together some of Barack Obama’s answers to some of the more difficult questions:

• Obama on Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas:

“I would not have nominated Clarence Thomas,” said the presumptive Democratic nominee. “I don’t think that he…” the crowd interrupted with applause. “I don’t think that he was a strong enough jurist or legal thinker at the time for that elevation. Setting aside the fact that I profoundly disagree with his interpretations of a lot of the constitution. I would not have nominated Justice Scalia though I do on think there is any doubt about his intellectual brilliance. Because he and I just disagree.”

• Obama on Chief Justice of the Supreme Court John Roberts:

“John Roberts I have to say was a tougher question only because I find him to be a very compelling person in conversation, individuals,” replied Obama. “He is clearly smart and very thoughtful. I will tell you that how I have seen him operate since he went to the bench confirms the suspicions that I had and the reasons I voted against him… One of the most important jobs of the Supreme Court is to guard against the encroachment of the Executive Branch on the power of the other branches. And I think he has been a little bit to willing or eager to give an administration whether it is mine or George Bush’s more power than I think the constitution originally intended.”

• Obama on America’s greatest moral failure:

“Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said Saturday that America’s greatest moral failure is its insufficient help to the disadvantaged. Obama noted that the Bible quotes Jesus as saying “whatever you do for the least of my brothers, you do for me.” He said the maxim should apply to victims of poverty, sexism and racism.”

• Obama on his definition of Marriage:

“I am not someone who promotes same-sex marriage,” but went on to say that his marriage and faith were “strong enough” to support civil unions for gay and lesbian couples.”

As I stated above, John McCain is still in the middle of his session on stage. So I am going to wait until he is done, and then provide his answers (as I did above with Obama’s responses). So check back shortly and those will be available.

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