Obama, McCain Air Views on Faith

August 17, 2008

Author: Sasha Issenberg

Source: The Boston Globe

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/articles/2008/08/17/obama_mccain_air_views_on_faith/

Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain offered contrasting claims of kinship to an audience of evangelical Christians last night as they shared a stage for the first time, just days before their parties' nominating conventions.

The forum - in which each candidate separately faced the same, hourlong series of questions from Rick Warren, minister of Saddleback Church - was likely the last time the candidates will face each other before they meet for their first debate in September, and the two candidates demonstrated starkly different approaches.

Obama, who on a previous visit described Saddleback Church as "my house," showed an ease on its stage, relying on his comfort with the language of evangelical Christianity - and citations from Warren's own writings and policy proposals - as he attempted to establish a personal bond with the flock through its minister.

McCain, who has often differed with religious conservatives over both policy and style, turned often to his audience while delivering a feisty recitation of his platform as he presented himself as a forceful champion for their common agenda.

Demonstrating the growing range of concerns to evangelical Christians, the candidates were challenged not only over their views on social issues such as abortion and gay rights, but taxes, education, and the standards for military intervention abroad. Warren, however, began with an appeal for soul-searching, asking the candidates to explain their understanding of evil, their method of decision-making, and to identify their greatest moral failures.