I would like to share with you the fantastic afternoon I had this last Saturday. My wife and I had the privilege of being invited to the two hour Saddleback Civil Forum with Senator Barack Obama and Senator John McCain. This was the first time these two presidential hopefuls, and expected nominees for the Democratic and Republican Parties, shared a public stage. 

Rick Warren, author of “A Purpose Driven Life,” and pastor of our Church, Saddleback in Lake Forest, had organized for Obama and McCain to come and present their views on important issues. 

This was not your usual political debate with read-the-teleprompter canned speeches on pre-approved political questions. No sir. This was about the real stuff – the big subjects – topics we usually do not hear about in a presidential face-off.  

On Sundays Rick is usually dressed up in a Hawaiian shirt, but this Saturday was different – he was in a dress shirt, no tie and suit. Rick himself is an excellent and inspiring speaker but the afternoon wasn’t about him. 

During the forum Rick first posted questions to Obama before asking McCain the same set of questions. Topics covered aspects such as personal values, religion, abortion, marriage, education, evil, stem cell research, energy and their respective vision for the United States.  

Obama was enthusiastic, but gave answers that left one often confused with his commentary falling on “both-sides-of-the-fence.” His weakest answer was probably when he replied that’s “above my pay grade.”  

McCain’s appeared more comfortable and his replies were short and concise. His weakest answer was when he jokingly replied that $5 million annual income would qualify as “rich.”   

As Rick noted, it was clear that both care deeply about America. To listen to both interviews click here.