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McCain's New Hope - The Candidate Shines at Saddleback Forum
Washington Post ^ | August 18, 2008 | Michael Gerson

Posted on 08/17/2008 11:05:33 PM PDT by ricks_place

It is now clear why Barack Obama has refused John McCain's offer of joint town hall appearances during the fall campaign. McCain is obviously better at them.

Pastor Rick Warren's Saddleback Civil Forum on the Presidency -- two hours on Saturday night evenly divided between the relaxed, tieless candidates -- was expected to be a sideshow. McCain and Obama would make their specialized appeals to evangelicals as if they were an interest group such as organized labor or the National Rifle Association...

What took place instead under Warren's precise and revealing questioning was the most important event so far of the 2008 campaign -- a performance every voter should seek out on the Internet and watch.

First, the forum previewed the stylistic battle lines of the contest ahead, and it should give Democrats pause. Obama was fluent, cool and cerebral -- the qualities that made Adlai Stevenson interesting but did not make him president. Obama took care to point out that he had once been a professor at the University of Chicago, but that bit of biography was unnecessary. His whole manner smacks of chalkboards and campus ivy. Issues from stem cell research to the nature of evil are weighed, analyzed and explained instead of confronted.

...

Second, the Warren forum demonstrated how difficult it will be for Obama to appeal to religious and conservative voters as the campaign proceeds...

...

Obama's response on abortion -- the issue that remains his largest obstacle to evangelical support -- bordered on a gaffe. Asked by Warren at what point in its development a baby gains "human rights," Obama said that such determinations were "above my pay grade" -- a silly answer to a sophisticated question.

...

Finally, McCain's performance at the Warren forum helps change the political psychology going into the conventions...

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; News/Current Events; Philosophy; Politics/Elections; US: California
KEYWORDS: electionover; gerson; johnmccain; mccain; michaelgerson; obama; obamessiah; rickwarren; saddleback; saddlebackcivilforum; washingtonpost
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1 posted on 08/17/2008 11:05:34 PM PDT by ricks_place
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To: ricks_place

From WP? Stuning.


2 posted on 08/17/2008 11:13:24 PM PDT by Jeff Chandler (My friends, I am voting against Obama because he is white.)
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To: ricks_place

Just finished watching the entire rebroadcast on CNN. McCain seemed to answer from heartfelt conviction, Obama from calculation on political benefit verses harm. John McCain’s performance was head and shoulders above Obama. The polls will reflect and Obama will be doing damage control for the forseeable future.


3 posted on 08/17/2008 11:15:41 PM PDT by downtownconservative (Intelligence sans reason is vainglorious pulp)
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To: Jeff Chandler
From WP? Stuning.

Not so much. It's an op-ed column by Gerson, who was Bush's main speech writer for years.

4 posted on 08/17/2008 11:17:49 PM PDT by AHerald ("Be faithful to God ... do not bother about the ridicule of the foolish." - St. Pio of Pietrelcina)
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To: ricks_place

It was genuinely satisfying to see McCain defend religious and patriotic values so forthrightly.

Wish he understood the Constitution and the Bill of Rights...

He is sure about human rights beginning at conception, so it is sad that he is so ignorant of what those rights are.


5 posted on 08/17/2008 11:18:13 PM PDT by patriciaruth (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1993905/posts)
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To: patriciaruth

man! Is that scathing or what?
Keep up the hope re: the VP yes?


6 posted on 08/17/2008 11:24:29 PM PDT by bossmechanic (If all else fails, hit it with a hammer)
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To: downtownconservative

The thing is did anyone watch it? Olympics, Olympics, Olympics.


7 posted on 08/17/2008 11:25:21 PM PDT by SideoutFred (Save us from the Looney Left)
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To: ricks_place
Having not seen the whole thing last night, I sat and watched the rebroadcast tonight on CNN—the whole thing.

Obama was rather dull and uninspiring. His answers were too long, flowery, and unfulfilling; I expected him to be pulling out all the stops and completely prepared. You know, the brilliant orator we are constantly told he is. His abortion answer was pathetic. He HAD to know this was coming, how could he be so ILL-prepared to handle it? He did not win any pro-lifers over with that answer. I could see even Rick Warren, who I personally do not trust, was even leaning away from him with that answer.

John McCain, on the other hand, came across as someone with a rich history, life-changing experiences, and basically HUMAN. His answers, peppered with personal anecdotes made him much more likable. I found myself really warming to him.

When Obama answered that his most difficult moral dilemma was going against the Iraq invasion, I wanted to scream at my TV. He wasn't even PART of that discussion, as he wasn't even in the US Senate at the time. Who was this moral stand against—his bridge club?

It is so obvious why Obama won't do Townhalls with him, McCain would chew him up and spit him out.

But I have the popcorn *just in case* we get to see one.

8 posted on 08/17/2008 11:26:09 PM PDT by Shelayne (Tagline on recess--just like Congress.)
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To: ricks_place

I have said all a long that if McCain has any political savy at all, he will shift to the right during this campaign. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what conservatives didn’t like about his nomination.


9 posted on 08/17/2008 11:32:23 PM PDT by Rennes Templar (est deus in nobis)
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To: AdmSmith; Berosus; Convert from ECUSA; dervish; Ernest_at_the_Beach; Fred Nerks; george76; ...
Obama's response on abortion -- the issue that remains his largest obstacle to evangelical support -- bordered on a gaffe. Asked by Warren at what point in its development a baby gains "human rights," Obama said that such determinations were "above my pay grade" -- a silly answer to a sophisticated question.
That's all for him.
10 posted on 08/17/2008 11:32:37 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/_______Profile hasn't been updated since Friday, May 30, 2008)
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To: SunkenCiv

I hear your point loud and clear.
However...
Try to get any major media exposure on that!
GBWU


11 posted on 08/17/2008 11:40:10 PM PDT by bossmechanic (If all else fails, hit it with a hammer)
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To: ricks_place
I think we can say the election is over. Obama is a smart guy, an elitist but he lacks the temperament and experience to be President. I'm certain the American people will agree.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

12 posted on 08/17/2008 11:42:39 PM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: Shelayne
Obama tries to make every word a political calculation. Every utterance has to be weighed for best effect to get a certain group's support without losing his base.

He has a serious lack of experience to draw upon. Few, if any points, in his life has he taken a stand on principle rather than political posturing. He is an empty vessel with empty promises of unspecific change.

Any direct question that tries to pin him down on what he has done or what he will do on a controversial topic will be met with "um, ahh, well..." followed by a few carefully chosen words which commit him to no specific path other than a general vision of the Utopian destination.

13 posted on 08/17/2008 11:48:49 PM PDT by eggman (Read it on Free Republic tonight, see it on the network news when the DNC sends them the copy.)
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To: bossmechanic

MSM won’t cover it, as you said, but I’m not too sure that’ll matter. The people who he was trying to reach were listening, or will hear it online, and Obama blew it.


14 posted on 08/17/2008 11:50:33 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/_______Profile hasn't been updated since Friday, May 30, 2008)
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To: goldstategop

Fine and good.
However, rest NOT on your illumination.

It’s one thing to be confident in your understanding...
It’s quite another to believe others understand as well.
Kodl,D.A.


15 posted on 08/17/2008 11:51:15 PM PDT by bossmechanic (If all else fails, hit it with a hammer)
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To: ricks_place

When Osbama does not have a teleprompter, sycophants, an audience clapping on cue like sea lions at a circus, and an lap dog press (shivers in my leg); he looks below average to poor.


16 posted on 08/17/2008 11:52:22 PM PDT by KC_Conspirator
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To: bossmechanic
John McCain has a story to tell. Its not about the politician, which turns conservatives off. Its McCain the patriot whom every one likes. Its a compelling one and should be told more often.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

17 posted on 08/17/2008 11:52:52 PM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: Rennes Templar

Yes, that strikes me about this campaign—both candidates are moving to the right!


18 posted on 08/17/2008 11:53:12 PM PDT by 9YearLurker
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To: 9YearLurker
If this is a left of the center country, why do the Democrats feel the need to reach out to evangelical voters? They usually hate God Talk and anything that smacks of moral absolutes.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

19 posted on 08/17/2008 11:54:55 PM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: KC_Conspirator
Obama's greatest strength is getting by on emotional highs and glittering generalities. But when you press him on specifics, he folds like a cheap suit. He wouldn't last one debate with John McCain.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

20 posted on 08/17/2008 11:56:49 PM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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