At the Saddleback Civil Forum yesterday, Senator Barack Obama and Senator John McCain were individually interviewed by Pastor Rick Warren before an audience of Evangelical Christians.
They were essentially asked the same questions. Obama went first and he was pleasant to listen to. He has high hopes and I agree with his approaches to many things...not everything...but lots.
When the show started, Pastor Warren claimed that McCain was sealed off backstage so that he would have no prior knowledge of the questions asked.
When it was McCain's turn to come out, Warren's first statement was to ask McCain how he felt in the soundproof chamber. McCain made a joke about trying to listen to the walls. Not a bad joke...but, it turned out that McCain was never IN a soundproof booth...he was in his motorcade the whole time and upon arrival was set up in a green room backstage.
McCain answered all the questions almost before they were even asked. Seems a bit unfair...but here's the big question:
WHO CARES?!
It shouldn't matter if Obama or McCain knew or didn't know what they were going to be asked. Why would EITHER of them have to have a prepared answer? Can they not simply be honest with the American people? I suppose not.
If anything, McCain SHOULD know what's going to be asked. He probably needs a hell of a lot more preparation time than Obama does. But, this is the BIG issue...this element of the discussion. I don't feel this is an issue at all, but there it is.
Today on Sean Hannity's radio show, a caller claimed that McCain was straight forward and steady in his beliefs. McCain stated everything matter-of-factly, and THAT is the quality of someone who everyone should vote for.
I disagree...for one reason...why would you vote for someone who matter-of-factly stated ridiculousness that only narrow-minded dumbstruck people would find appealing?
Maybe I'm being too harsh...
And I'm totally getting away from my MAIN grievance.
I have several strong issues with this debate:
1. It was held in a church for the purpose of appealing to EVANGELICAL Christians.
2. It was conducted by a famous PASTOR who shaped many of his questions around the idea of Faith and Religious beliefs.
3. McCain plagerized a story, claimed it happened to HIM, and won praise.
4. The candidates are both basing their policies on the words of an imaginary sky-monster who wrote a book and they think is talking to them.
5. OF COURSE MCCAIN WON THE DEBATE!! All he had to do was say: "Overturn Roe v. Wade", "Gays don't have the same rights as us straight people", and "I'm a Christian" and the crowd melts. And with the exception of Roe v. Wade, Obama did the exact same thing.
Why does no one in the media talk about the issue of faith and religious beliefs as a bad thing? Not for votes (of course), but for policy...and for its combination with politics.
I don't want my president taking foreign and domestic policy advice from his imaginary friend!
Is that too much to ask? I don't think it should be...
I still hold out hope that Obama is an Atheist (or at least not as religious as he claims to be). I think this is a plausible idea. If it were true, I wish he would come out and say it...but I understand why he doesn't.
I'll end this post with one thought...look at the image above. If it disturbs you, for whatever reason, as it does me, then you know what this country is all about. You know the basis on which this country was formed.
If it doesn't...then I tremble for the fate of my country.
(PS: Larry King currently in a discussion with Pastor Rick Warren.
Larry King: "I imagine you didn't know that McCain wasn't actually in his secluded room. Pastor Rick Warren would never tell a mistruth."
What? Religion is the biggest mistruth that has ever been told.)
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