Themes for Today's Forum: Leadership (Character), Competence, Experience, Stewardship

[jefferson_dem]

Rick Warren on Today's Forum, Mormonism and His Fave Bible Verse

August 16, 2008 11:55 AM

Popular and influential pastor Rick Warren told me that in today's forum at the Saddleback Church in Lake Forrest, Calif., with Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Barack Obama, D-Ill., "we’re going to look at four different things. Were going to look at leadership, specifically their character, their competence, their experience. We’re going to look at stewardship, which is the role of the president, the role of America, the role of government. We’re going to look at worldview, which are some faith issues and some moral issues. And were going to look at America’s role international, what is their vision for America into the future.

"A lot of people expect me to ask softball questions," Warren said. "They will not be softball, they will be fair. In fact, I’m going to ask the identical questions to both candidates. We flipped a coin and Obama goes first for one hour, and then John McCain will be in a cone of silence for an hour."

"Oh, he won’t hear it?" I asked.

"He will not hear it," Warren said. "To be fair."

"Just like a game show?" I said. (Thinking of “Family Feud.”)

"Just like a game show," Warren said. "I will ask the identical questions to John McCain. So there’s no bias. There’s no gotcha on one and not on the other, ‘ well he was too hard or too soft.' The identical questions and we call it a civil forum because I think you can disagree without being disagreeable, without demonizing the opposition."

Warren said that he's been "working on this for about a month, questions that don’t have any wiggle room so that people just can’t go into the well."

"Having interviewed both these guys good luck with that," I said.

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http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/08/rick-warren-on.html

[Ichingcarpenter]

1. The side by side answers after it is done are going to be interesting

to review and dissect. Obama is rested and ready to go. McCain?
I wonder how many times he'll say I didn't hear the question or
he was a POW?

[Ichingcarpenter]

2. Is there a TV schedule out yet on this jefferson_dem?

I like the format and the identical question arraignment, don't care for the venue
but think its necessary. I would like to see a science/technology forum set up the same way.

[jefferson_dem]

3. It'll be on at 8:00 pm ET.

CNN is carrying it - not sure about the other cable nets.

[Ichingcarpenter]

4. I just check C-SPAN and they are headlining it too.

Looks like McCain will miss the Early Bird Special since its starts at 5:00
on the west coast where it is hosted.

I think most Americans will be either watching the Olympics, going to the movies
or having a BBQ

I plan on watching this one.

[DianeG5385]

5. CSPAN is also carrying it

I'll be very interested in the call in after if they do one!