Outside Rick Warren's Obama-McCain Faith Forum

OTB community member Lynn Lyons was on the ground outside Saddleback this past Saturday for Pastor Rick Warren's Faith Forum with candidates Barack Obama and John McCain. The candidates answered an identical set of questions posed by the popular Orange County church leader. On Sunday, Warren told his congregants to assess the candidates based partly on their character.

"Don't just look at issues, look at character. Look at the candidate and say, 'Does he live with integrity, service with humility, share with generosity, or not?'"

Lyons set up her photos of the crowd gathered outside the forum Saturday online here and sent the observations below (you can also click on the photo to see her slideshow.) :

People gathered on four corners at entrance to Saddleback church campus. Different factions migrated to their own corners.

The Obama crowd was largest. I saw more signs for Ron Paul than for McCain. The other demonstrators wanted to stop abortion, end the war, or praise Bush...

The abortion protesters evoked the most emotional response. They carried large banners depicting photos of dead fetuses. One photo shows an older woman wearing a veteran's hat getting vocal with them. Personally, I only saw one shoving scuffle, which required police intervention -- they took one man to a squad car. Appears they let him go later. The crowd was chanting "Set him free."

Several loud speaker systems, drums and whistles within the groups.... Small Ron Paul gathering and diverse Obama gathering were peaceful. None of the police at-the-ready on horseback or cycles were required on their corners.

Comments

[groucho]

it was said they did a coin toss to see who would be first. If mcsane was in his limo during part of obama's interview, were we going to have to wait a half hour while he was stuck in traffic? something stinks of more lies.

[Paul Peete - Huffpost Blogger]

Excellent work from OTB team mate Lynn Lyons! I can't wait to hear from the OTB members who will be in Denver and Minn./St. Paul.

[HAPNY]

For me as a Christian, Obama showed significant depth as someone who wrestles through issues of personal integrity and faith, and who looks to make a positive difference in the world. This was particular true when it came to reflecting on evil. Obama quoted various scriptures and brought out that it is God who will get rid of evil; he sought to be a humble soldier in the fight. For McCain, it seemed that we can get rid of evil purely in our own power by using our military power. Similar to President Bush, for McCain, evil is “them,” e.g. violent Muslim extremists and the Iraq war is justified because our own nation is the “shining light.”

[laocoon]

And McCains approach, especially when lacking meaningful reflection, is the trick the devil uses to get us to do unspeakable evil to others.

[IowaKid]

How can Pastor Warren call it the "Cone of Silence" when McCain wasn't even there for the first 30 minutes? I'd be interested in an answer to that on Larry King tonight.

[doctorwang]

If you'd like to ask him yourself, via email, go to:

http://www.cnn.com/feedback/forms/form5.lkl.html

This will take you directly to Larry King's 'Contact Us' page.

[IowaKid]

Thanks John for great slideshow. Great job.

[atienne]

Thanks for the great images! The MSM would not want people to see all the support for Obama out there! As far as the answers at the forum...McCain stumped. Same sorry stump speech I've been hearing! Obama actually had thoughtful answers based on his Christian beliefs unlike McCain. Since when does 'DRILL NOW' have anything to do with Christian beliefs??? It was a sad display. And to the person that thinks Obama did poorly-I can tell you that I was very pleased with Obama!! I don't do soundbytes! I want thought out answers and solutions. I don't do pandering! I want the truth! My Republican husband listened carefully to both candidates and he is more assured of his decision to cross party lines and vote Obama!

[jackjack]

I was disgusted watching Grandpa. All this ' let me tell you a story' stuff got tired really fast. If the most significant part of your life was 40 years ago (then your best days are obviously BEHIND YOU.) I want a president who is looking TOWARD the future, not reminiscing in the past.

[elevando]

The anger from the Obama people confirms it: McCain had a great night (who would have thought?!)

While Obama was long winded and monotone, McCain by contrast was concise, energetic, and funny.

Plus, the visual contrast between Obama and McCain didn't provide the Kennedy/Nixon contrast most Democrats were looking for. Obama was taller, but looked gangly and puerile next to McCain.

The question as to why the Obama people didn't want to do a town hall debate tour with McCain was answered Saturday night.

[PTTY]

McCain had all the questions and was prepared for them. He had the nerve to ask Pastor Warren where was the Supreme Court question.

McCain was NOT IN A "CONE OF SECRECY".

He was not in the building during the Obama segment. McCain cheated as always.

[Pupadup4oBama]

Wow, I'm sorry you are so easily duped, but then again, I guess that's why this country is in the mess it's in.

[jupitor]

Mccain cheated!

[SconnieGrl]

I'm so sorry you can only digest information in 3-second sound bytes and don't have the attention span to listen to well-thought-out answers.

[jupitor]

Keep up elevando! Mccain cheated! He had the questions before the event! Warren lied about him being in a cone of silence! He was in his lemo on the way to the church for 30 to 40 minutes of Obama's speech! So laugh all you want, The man got caught!

[RevolutionMan]

Did John McCain win the night? I am not sure I can answer that question with any real accuracy. It seems to me that you saw two very different personalities on stage. Although McCain seemed to be quick to reply with short "concise" answers while Obama took time with the "nuances" of the answer does not mean he won the debate of ideas. It just goes to prove that as a nation we have become less educated and less informed then you would expect from a country with such easy access to information. McCain pandered to those voters who need a 3 second answer or they start to get lost, while Obama seems more thoughtful and showed he had a grasp on the nuances of the question. Not all questions can be answered with a yes or no, real life is more intricate then that and we need a leader who not only understands that, but can see those small nuances and be prepared for them.
The whole premise of the event was undermined by the fact that we were mislead to believe that McCain was in a "cone of silence" the entire time Obama was answering questions. We come to learn that he was not even there until Obama was over halfway through his portion. I know that his campaign claims he had not heard any of it, I find it insulting for them to want me to believe that not one of his aids was monitoring the session.

[mjc]

From the little I saw of the forum, think there is a very good reason why Obama does not want to go to public debates with McCain. On the abortion issue in particular Obama's hesitation and distress was evident: Warren asked him when a baby's life begins. Not sure what the response meant: ".....above my pay grade." But McCain asked the same question smoothly said, "At conception." Tend to think Obama was more correct than McCain because don't think that contraception should EVER be denied or punished, just not sure what Obama said, and I don't think I'm the only one.

[briefer]

No...the question was when does a baby get "civil rights." So, you've got "civil rights" at conception? That's never been the law, even before Roe v Wade.

[psychmaj323]

Actually the question was about when does life begin, but let me address your stance. In order for a person to begin to have civil rights, you have to determine when life begins, and as Obama stated, that's above him. No on really knows, it's inferred and implied, but there;'s nothing in the bible that says life begins at conception. There's POTENTIAL for life.

[Pupadup4oBama]

It's so funny that people can't understand what he's talking about...it's quite simple actually.
Let me see if i can explain it to you in simple terms.

The subject of abortion is multi-dimensional as well as the subject of when does life actually begin....what Obama is SAYING is that it's not for HIM to determine when life begins...that's for "someone" else to decide aka God God is so great, that he is "above his pay grade". In other words he is not as "presumptuous (a term Rethugs seem to enjoy throwing about) as McCheesy in answering that question.

I hope you can wrap your pea brain around that one...if not...then I'm sorry- you're on your own.

Oh, by the way, it's easy to answer questions when you know them ahead of time...(hint,hint)

[mjc]

Pupadup...., as I said I don't think I was the only one who had a problem with that answer and several others that Obama gave; maybe it's just my pea brain. But if people...., and I qualify, don't understand what Obama is talking about, perhaps a good reason why he shouldn't be running for president. Where did your massive brain get that answer? Is that yours or Obama's explanation? As to knowing the questions ahead of time, Warren did say yesterday that both candidates had had a chance to view the question. So hope your brain is ready to understand that because while McCain was prepared, Obama was not.

[elmoor]

But did you HEAR McCain's answer about fetuses having human rights at CONCEPTION? Not only will Roe v. Wade be at risk, but so will birth control, my ability as a pregnant woman to have a glass of wine without going to jail for child endangerment, just to name a few.

McCain would be devastating to women.