Faith Forum

17 August 2008 |permalink | email article

For 36 seconds, as the New York Times described it, “it was the hug heard around the country.”

Obama and McCain on Saturday night briefly smiled and shook hands, belying the nasty campaign ahead, at Pastor Rick Warren’s evangelical mega-church in Lake Forest, Calif. as their nominating conventions approach.

Warren grilled them separately for an hour on issues including character, values, competence, leadership and experience. The forum failed to produce any breaking news or real gotcha questions. While McCain drew more applause, Obama got a standing ovation and more than held his own.

** Abortion: McCain is pro-life; Obama for legalized abortion.

** U.S. moral failure: McCain for causes greater than our self interest; Obama cites insufficient help for disadvantaged.

** Supreme Court: McCain would not have appointed Ginsburg, Breyer, Souter and Stevens; Obama would have nixed Thomas and not keen about Scalia or Roberts.

** Defining who is “rich,” McCain said about five million; Obama put the number at over $250,000.

Quote of the Day

“Consider the source….He was the person who advertised himself as Dan Quayle’s brain.” – Colin Powell confidante Ken Duberstein, responding to Bill Kristol’s report that Powell might attend the Democratic National Convention. (He won’t but odds suggest he may endorse Obama before Nov. 4.)

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