So I just finished watching the Warren interviews with McCain and Obama. Because of my role as a pastor of a diverse congregation --Democrats, Republicans, Independents, Green, whatever -- I will probably never come out and tell people who I'm voting for... so please don't ask. I believe this is a position somewhat unique to me as a pastor, and not to most people. So therefore, I'm going to ask you questions that I am unwilling to answer. It may not seem fair, but well, life's not fair. :)I'm curious, those of you who watched the program, what did you think? How do you think the candidates did? How do you think Warren did as a moderator (and as a Christian leader)? I will say, I'm honestly surprised that I felt Warren was biased (You can tell me which way YOU think he was biased). This is especially surprising to me given what I understood Warren's political stance to be. Maybe I was wrong. So tell me your thoughts.
Finally (if you are willing) if the election was tomorrow, who would you vote for and why?
11 comments:
So... to perhaps get this thing rolling, because I'm curious as to what everyone else thinks.
I didn't see the forum, I wish I had. I am seriously considering not voting in this election, my civil duty aside.
you can find it on the internet.
It wasn't bad overall. But I just about quit watching when he hit the abortion and gay marriage questions. Come on. There are SO many other pressing issues. It felt like those questions were really forced - they seemed so out of sync with the others that were asked.
I thought the candidates did a good job. I actually appreciated some of the things that McCain said and I'm not exactly his biggest fan.
I could say much, much more. But I won't. :)
I thought the exact same thing about my ring as soon as I re-read my post...
But, I watched the forum, and if the election were tomorrow I would vote for Barrack Obama. He quoted Micah 6:8, and that is a verse that I spent a lot of time with this past school year, and has become a favorite. I like that he thinks a big moral dilemma for America is that we are not caring for "the least of these." I did not like McCain's response to the same question which, if I recall correctly, had something to do with the military. (remember, my favorite ring has the word peace inscribed in it) There are other reasons I would vote this way, but these are just two thoughts that really struck me.
I just watched it on youtube. Was there a section missing from McCain's interview or did Warren not ask him the all the same questions? They didn't cover Christianity or Stem cell or Abortion.
I have not yet watched the forum, but plan to do so soon. However, on reading commentary regarding it, as well as poll numbers on the way (self-described) evangelicals plan to vote I realize that some of us who think of ourselves as both "liberal" and "evangelical" may've been living in a bubble. A bubble within which we hoped that significant numbers of Evangelicals would actually take a serious look at all the issues and where both candidates stood on them.
But I very much get the impression that out there in evangelical-land the Right is, well, right. And while many in that land might be willing to "admit" that Obama is a Christian (i.e. not a closet Muslim or something) as long as he doesn't give a pat answer on when life begins (and promise to appoint Supreme Court justices on the basis of that answer) he will remain anathema.
I wish it were not so, but if the poll numbers are right how else do I explain the 67-21 split for McCain? Especially when members of every other religious group are breaking for Obama. Statistically speaking there MUST be something distinctive about Evangelical voters that makes them view Obama less favourably than do other Christians. Actually, I'd prefer the abortion-is-my-only-issue explanation be true rather than another possible one: racial bigotry.
Or perhaps it's just that it takes more than the Matthew 25 network, a Democratic candidate who's a Christian, a problematic war, and a huge budget deficit to cause a big shift in a Christian sub-culture that has for years equated Evangelical and Republican.
Well said, Daniel. Well said.
And I realized that I forgot to state who I'd vote for in my comment...as if it's a surprise.
Obama. Hands down.
I've finally finished watching the YouTube versions and am working on/working out my own post, but for now I'll say that I liked the concept and how it was carried out (although, heLLO, Central did it first. This was a "Central Conversation"--Saddleback's *second*. They're so behind. But since Warren's sold a bazillion books CNN shows up for theirs). The questions, however, were totally slanted towards the traditional right-winger-evangelical platform; Warren hasn't "expanded the agenda" nearly as much as he's given himself credit for.
It also would have been nice if McCain had answered in something other than a soundbyte--the chief virtue of this forum is that it allowed for something else, but he stuck with the stock-in-trade stump speeches and the one-liners from The Daily Show, etc.
I found it interesting (and profoundly disturbing) that Obama's answers were usually pretty thoroughly grounded in Christ, yet the crowd lapped up everything McCain had to say, even when what he had to say demonstrated completely crap theology, not to put too fine a point on it. More later...
It shouldn't surprise anyone that I've been an Ombama Mama for a long, long time. One only need read his book The Audacity of Hope to see that he has a firm grasp on Christianity. He became a believer later in life, which, to me, after having read his story, leads me to believe that his faith is pretty authentic - he didn't just grow up celebrating Christmas and check the "christian" box out of habit. His faith seems more thoughtful and purposeful than McCain's. Though I can't know either of their hearts, my gut tels me that Obama's expression of faith is sincere and McCain's is a result of what his advisors tell him polls well.
I'm not voting for Obama because he's a Christian - but I believe his outlook on the issues portray a more Christ-like mindset. He isn't pro-choice because he thinks abortion is awesome. He is pro-choice because he is realistic and knows that women in crisis will do it anyway and he wants them to have a safer option. He also has always focused on finding common ground, particularly with that issue - let's find ways to reduce unsafe, unattached sex through education and relationships and reduce poverty and increase women's access to supportive relationships through communities, organizations, churches, etc.
Obama seems to be doing his best to minimize political pandering and believing that people are smart and can make informed decisions. He hasn't been perfect in this. Example: offshore drilling. I think he knows and firmly believes that this is NOT a sendsible answer, but he has been attacked over and over again, and the Republicans are making it seem like Obama doesn't want people to be able to afford their gas. Unfortunately a lot of people are kind of stupid and they hear that and are outraged, instead of thinking it through - maybe that is not the best option or in our best interests. I literally just five seconds ago saw an ad that said "Higher Taxes, higher gas prices - that's the real Obama." Sigh. I feel he is caving a bit on these issues - he knows what is right, but he is responding defensively to avoid alienating people. My gut says that is a mistake and he should hold firm. I am disappointed when he backpedals.
Who would be stupid enough to believe this stuff - he "wants" higher gas prices and higher taxes??? Yup, Obama just wants high taxes and high gas prices. But that kind of advertising is highly effective with uneducated, staunchly Republican people. I am NOT saying that all Republicans are uneducated or stupid. But there is a substaintial population of people who buy that crap without any further thought.
It is not a major major issue to me that our president be a Christian. Because our current president claims to be, and he is a liar and does the opposite of what I think Jesus would do. So, if you want a Christian president, then look for the person who cares the most about the poor. In my opinion, that is what Jesus was about, more than a lot of other things.
My guess is that this comment will be seen by few being so late in the conversation but I would like to put my two cents in.
Daniel I feel a little bit like a going after the Christian Right for this scenario misses the point of the exercise. I admit my right wing slant and that I have been a John McCain fan since 2000 but it looked to me like Rick Warren was giving the Evangelical community a chance to consider both candidates with a more fair hearing.
I thought that because Barak Obama appeared in one of the largest Evangelical churches in the country he was getting an opportunity to share his thoughts to evangelicals on a platform we would not have gotten any where else.
The questions seemed fair enough and both candidates answered them well and revealed some thing we have know about both for a long time. They both have intense gravitas and I feel that both showed the people of the Evangelical community that they both have great faith in Christ.
Its true that Obama showed a better sense of theology than McCain as far as how he answer the more spiritual questions, still McCains thoughts were not without merit.
McCain's answers were short and concise and presidential, still Obama's thoughts seemed to be more nuances. I think it showed McCain's skill as a politician and it showed Obama's unwillingness to come across as an ideologue.
They both had me on the edge of my seat. I will still vote for McCain but it was great to see Obama's willingness to open up for Rick Warren. I was ready to tell Rick my darkest secret, man is that guy pastoral or what.
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