McCain and Obama to Make First Joint Campaign Appearance on August 16 at Saddleback Church

Yahoo News! ^ | 7-21-08

[rawhide]

Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama, respective presumed Republican and Democratic presidential nominees, will end the primary season by making their first joint appearance of the 2008 campaign at Saddleback Church on Saturday, Aug. 16 at the Saddleback Civil Forum on Leadership and Compassion. Dr. Rick Warren, founding pastor of the 22,000-member Orange County, Calif. mega church and moderator for the event, made the announcement today upon confirmation by both campaigns.

"We're honored that the candidates chose The Saddleback Civil Forum on Leadership and Compassion for their first joint appearance, an unprecedented opportunity for America to hear both men back-to-back on the same platform," Warren said. "This is a critical time for our nation and the American people deserve to hear both candidates speak from the heart -- without interruption -- in a civil and thoughtful format absent the partisan 'gotcha' questions that typically produce heat instead of light.

"The primaries proved that Americans care deeply about the faith, values, character and leadership convictions of candidates as much as they do about the issues. While I know both men as friends and they recognize I will be frank, but fair, they also know I will be raising questions in these four areas beyond what political reporters typically ask..."

Warren confirmed that, at the candidates' request, this two-hour event from 5-7 p.m. (PDT) will be held in a non-debate format and open to all media. Both candidates also requested that questions be posed exclusively by Warren, instead of a panel or members of the audience. Each will converse separately with Warren for approximately one-hour, beginning with Sen. Obama as determined by a coin toss. This historic forum will be the only joint campaign event prior to each party's national convention.

[Wuli]

It does not surprise me one bit that Warren wants (desires, lusts) to be in the middle of this.

Eventually, always, pride goeth before the fall.

[mkjessup]

Rick Warren who said that Bill Clinton 'honored' him and his flock of deluded sheep with his presence, is going for the gusto, err lusto, hosting both presidential candidates in an attempt to polish his own self-inflated ego.

In this case, I'd love to see McCain denounce Warren right there as an 'agent of intolerable ego' and watch Warren's head explode. LOL

[AD from SpringBay]

Purpose driven fund raising.

[mkjessup]

And HOW appropriate, this little get together is on August 16th, the anniversary of the death of Elvis.

Maybe they can invite Billigula to play the saxophone for ‘em.

[kittymyrib]

Wonder what would happen at that forum for compassion if Jesus would appear and issue the same challenge to Rick Warren as He did to another rich man (Mark 10:21): “Sell everything you have and give it to the poor.”

[cblue55]

This is very disappointing that Saddleback would allow itself to be used as a backdrop for political propaganda. I wonder what the flock is thinking about this?

[mkjessup]

Wonder what would happen at that forum for compassion if Jesus would appear and issue the same challenge to Rick Warren as He did to another rich man

Warren would say "do I know you?"

[SE Mom]

Whooopeee. Back to back appearances.

This is not a DEBATE. When is Obama going to meet McCain in townhall meetings?

When is this guy going to be subjected to ANY REASONABLE SCRUTINY????

[ken21]

is this going to be a joint presidency?

[Hegewisch Dupa]

If that’s the case I’m not inhaling either

[Bryan24]

I’m sure the Saddleback Church has a religious tax exemption, doesn’t it?

[Coldwater Creek]

I'm embarrassed and ashamed that Rick Warren is a Southern Baptist pastor, and a graduate of California Baptist University.

My parents and husband went to this very conservative school.

[bereanway]

13 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 “For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

Warren has attempted to widen the narrow-gate to make it appear as a super-highway. His version of the social gospel is not that much different than the one that destroyed mainline protestantism. AS I’ve heard John MacArthur state in so many words, the only thing worse than not being saved is thinking you’re saved when in fact you’re not. Warren is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

[Coldwater Creek]

I love John MacAuthur,a wise and Godly man.

[Piquaboy]

Is that place located on Brokeback Mountain?

[XR7]

Writer Gwendolyn Driscoll spent a year interviewing Rick Warren, his staff and more than
100 church followers and observers, as well as examining thousands of pages of church and
other documents. Driscoll and Register photographer Mindy Schauer also spent months with
Warren’s flock, both in Orange County, Washington, D.C. and Rwanda.
ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER 20-part Sunday series about Warren: http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/sections/news/local/warren

[kc8ukw]

Journalists should be ashamed of themselves for never being willing to ask hard questions. Obama was willing to do only one town-hall style debate, and only on foreign policy. He knows a lot of Americans are fed up with Iraq and that that issue helps him, and he also knows that if they knew his domestic policy they would hate it. It's so transparent of him. Why doesn't someone point this out to him and ask him if he would be willing to do more debates?

Most journalism today is just a regurgitation of what government, or some other body, tells journalists. At best they'll also talk to the "other side" to get a statement from them. But real digging to get at the truth doesn't happen that often.

[SoConPubbie]

This is very disappointing that Saddleback would allow itself to be used as a backdrop for political propaganda. I wonder what the flock is thinking about this?

Apparently the "flock" doesn't care.

The pastor of this sad excuse for a church has invited numerous left-wing politicians into his pulpit.

I sincerely doubt the "Christianity" of Rick Warren as a result.

You do not invite open sinners into the pulpit to talk to your congregation and ultimately mock God and be able to honestly call yourself a Christian!

[Nevadan]

What do you want to bet that Obama the Messiah will NOT be asked to defend his defense of abortion, including partial birth abortion and his vote against giving medical care to those babies who survive abortion?

[rawhide]

You are probably right. And any questions to him about that subject will be softball type questions.

[rawhide]

Warren said, "This is a critical time for our nation and the American people deserve to hear both candidates speak from the heart -- without interruption -- in a civil and thoughtful format absent the partisan 'gotcha' questions that typically produce heat instead of light.

"The primaries proved that Americans care deeply about the faith, values, character and leadership convictions of candidates as much as they do about the issues. While I know both men as friends and they recognize I will be frank, but fair, they also know I will be raising questions in these four areas beyond what political reporters typically ask. This includes pressing issues that are bridging divides in our nation, such as poverty, HIV/AIDS, climate and human rights."

I wonder if abortion is even a pressing issue to Warren?

[happygrl]

http://kevinmccullough.townhall.com/blog/g/4645e05e-2ff5-4930-a759-ea6f276a6cbe

[happygrl]

Rick Warren can be challenged from some perspectives, but not on the issue of wealth. You are probably not aware that Warren and his wife decided, once it became apparent that they would become wealthy from the sale of his books, that they would live the same standard as they had in the past, they would "reverse tithe", by giving 90% of the income from the book sales away, and that they would return all 20+ years of the salary that Warren ahd received from Saddleback Church.

As I wrote, Warren is open to criticism in other areas, but for the purposes of clarity, he has not become fabulously rich from the sale of his books.

[mkjessup]

Warren is open to criticism in other areas, but for the purposes of clarity, he has not become fabulously rich from the sale of his books.

Pardon me if I choose to wait to see if he should elect to release his tax returns.

Regardless, after Warren went toadying up to the terrorist leader Asshat in Syria, I had no use for him whatsoever.

[mkjessup]

I love John MacAuthur,a wise and Godly man.

Agreed, and I might also put in a plug for Dr. Charles Stanley of First Baptist in Atlanta.

[rawhide]

You are probably not aware that Warren and his wife decided, once it became apparent that they would become wealthy from the sale of his books, that they would live the same standard as they had in the past, they would "reverse tithe", by giving 90% of the income from the book sales away, and that they would return all 20+ years of the salary that Warren ahd received from Saddleback Church.

Good, but keep quiet about it. Warren likes to brag about this so much, what he is doing with his money. I just wonder if Warren is seeking praise from others? He has written about it and spoken about it. I am so tired hearing of him speaking about his generosity on giving back his salary and the income from his books. It is sickening and not Christlike, to exalt yourself like that, if you ask me.

[rawhide]

Wait till he gets through cozyin’ up to Obama.

[happygrl]

There was no way to excerpt and do this article justice.

That's a fair criticism, and one that I endorse completely.

Rick should stick to preaching the Gospel, doing missionary work, and leave foreign policy to others. He is way out of his league.

[happygrl]

Warren likes to brag about this so much, what he is doing with his money. I just wonder if Warren is seeking praise from others?

I cannot know what his motivations are. But some of it may be to counter criticim about his "wealth". I don't know what I would do if I were in his position.

I'll have to read the Orange County Register series on him and see if these claims hold up, about his retaining his former lifestyle.

[happygrl]

Whoops!

This is what I should have quoted from your comment:

after Warren went toadying up to the terrorist leader Asshat in Syria

[Skooz]

I just dropped by this thread because I was curious how long it would take the Warren bashers to spew venom his way.

Didn’t take long.

You could post the story “Nuclear Fusion Perfected by Scientists at Lab on the Grounds of Saddleback Church — Free Energy For the Earth Forever! Amelia Earhart Found Alive and Well Having Worked on the Secret Project For 70 Years!” and they would show up and post about their distate for Warren.

[easternsky]

Its easy when you have such a large target.

[free_life]

Yep.....accusers of the brethren. They will be held accountable for their words.

Disagree with him politically or on doctrine but Warren is a brother in Christ.

What we are hearing is religious politics and it is sin.

[CaliforniaCon]

Re “joint presidency.”

Yep, co-presidents — and not the co-president duo we thought we might get, is it?

I want to hear these two debate == old style, back and forth, no scripting. Aahhh — dream on, eh?

[oneamericanvoice]

What would it do if Rick Warren sold off everything and gave it to the poor? Jesus also is reported as saying, “The poor you will always have with you.”

[oneamericanvoice]

But they still won’t debate, cuz Barry knows the “old” man will clean his clock. Coward!