August 31, 2008
First Obama/Biden Interview; McCain Bounce?
Steve Kroft of 60 Minutes conducts what appears to be the first joint interview with Senators Obama and Biden. The Democratic ticket responds to Obama's nomination acceptance speech and to Senator McCain's selection of Governor Sarah Palin as a running mate. Kroft (like many in the MSM) seems a bit in awe of Obama (he incorrectly opines that Palin is less experienced than Obama -- Palin has instituted reform), and some of his questions strike me as irrelevant, but this 15-minute segment is nevertheless interesting:
On a related note, CNN conducted a poll over the weekend (after the Gov. Palin announcement was made). They have Obama (49) - McCain (48), just a one-point advantage over the dead tie they had on the eve of the democratic convention. The analysis:
“The convention — and particularly Obama's speech — seems to be well-received. And the selection of Sarah Palin as the GOP running mate, also seems to be well-received. So why is the race still a virtual tie? Probably because the two events created equal and opposite bounces — assuming that either one created a bounce at all,” says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland.Rasmussen also shows McCain gaining ground since the Palin announcement:
There have been significant changes in perception of John McCain in the two days of polling since he named Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate. Since then, 49% of Republicans voice a Very Favorable opinion of McCain. That’s up six percentage points from 43% just before the announcement. Also, 64% of unaffiliated voters now give positive reviews to McCain, up ten points since naming his running mate.
August 30, 2008
John McCain is Not George W. Bush
The Democratic Convention seemed united in the view that McCain is "more of the same" -- i.e., that McCain is running for Bush's third term. Dick Morris assembles helpful list of differences:
1. McCain fought for campaign finance reform — McCain-Feingold — that Bush resisted and ultimately signed because he had no choice.
2. McCain led the battle to restrict interrogation techniques of terror suspects and to ban torture.
3. McCain went with Joe Lieberman on a tough measure to curb climate change, something Bush denies is going on.
4. McCain opposed the Bush tax cuts when they passed.
5. McCain urged the Iraq surge, a posture Bush rejected for years before conceding its wisdom.
6. McCain favors FDA regulation of tobacco and sponsored legislation to that effect, a position all but a handful of Republican senators oppose.
7. McCain’s energy bill, also with Lieberman, is a virtual blueprint for energy independence and development of alternate sources.
8. After the Enron scandal, McCain introduced sweeping reforms in corporate governance and legislation to guarantee pensions and prohibit golden parachutes for executives. Bush opposed McCain’s changes and the watered-down Sarbanes-Oxley bill eventuated.
9. McCain has been harshly critical of congressional overspending, particularly of budgetary earmarks, a position Bush only lately adopted (after the Democrats took over Congress).
How Sarah Palin Got Picked
Stephen Hayes (Weekly Standard) provides a detailed, inside-look on how Gov. Sarah Palin got picked.
Sarah Palin Viewed More Favorably Than Joe Biden
Rasmussen:
Palin earns positive reviews from 78% of Republicans, 26% of Democrats and 63% of unaffiliated voters....Among all voters, 29% have a Very Favorable opinion of Palin while 9% hold a Very Unfavorable view. By way of comparison, on the day he was selected as Barack Obama’s running mate, Delaware Senator Joseph Biden was viewed favorably by 43% of voters.Check it out.
August 29, 2008
R.C. Sproul's Latest Book - Now Available
Dr. R.C. Sproul is well-known as a first-rate theologian. With Five Things Every Christian Needs To Grow, he has penned a book that is meaty and rich, while digestible by any layman, and particularly well suited to a newer believer. I had the privilege of proof-reading this short book and highly recommend it.
(HT: Chris Larson)
Senator Clinton on the Palin nomination
Senator Hillary Clinton released this brief statement today:
“We should all be proud of Governor Sarah Palin's historic nomination, and I congratulate her and Senator McCain," Clinton, the first woman to win a presidential primary, said in the statement. "While their policies would take America in the wrong direction, Governor Palin will add an important new voice to the debate.”Translation?
Dobson Pledges Vote for McCain - Palin
As a guest today on the Dennis Prager show, talk show host James Dobson pledged his vote for McCain - Palin.
McCain - Palin Rally
National Review on Gov. Sarah Palin
The National Review Editors say it well:
By picking Alaska governor Sarah Palin as his running mate, John McCain has wowed the public and enthused the Right. He has reinforced some of his winning themes — that he has the mindset of an outsider and a fighter against corruption. He has also reinforced his appeal as the candidate more in touch with traditional values on moral issues.They go on to note that the Palin selection means that McCain must carry more of the foreign policy load. (Just fine, IMHO, given that he is particularly passionate about those matters.) Another great line:
"They (McCain - Palin) should not accept the portrait of middle-class Americans as hapless victims that so many of the Democratic speakers this week portrayed; but they need to show that they share middle-class frustrations."This is super-important, given that Obama/Biden have aimed squarely at portraying McCain as out of touch with people's needs. Read the whole (short) piece.
McCain - Palin? Would Be Bold!
I'm really hoping he picked her (HT: Benjamin). There is conflicting evidence as to her current whereabouts.
Palin brings a lot to the ticket. A female conservative, a staunch pro-life activist, someone who has stood up to excesses in government spending, an advocate of off-shore drilling. She could debate Biden if for no other reason than he would look mean. A new face -- which would get the media buzzing about her for days, suppressing (to some degree) the expected bounce for Obama-Biden.
I really like her. She brings some inexperience, yes, but McCain has experience aplenty. She is young, compelling, attractive, and engaging. Of course, being female does not hurt in turns of bringing in disaffected Hillary supporters (which seems to be a big part of the McCain strategy).
Update: CNBC is saying it is Palin. So is the Chicago Tribune. The McCain Team neither confirms nor denies the report.
Wow, what an ability on McCain's part to keep a secret -- multiple decoys!
Update #2: CNN reports:
Thursday night's arrival of a private jet from Alaska at the Middleton, Ohio, airport raised speculation that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin would be McCain's pick. Middleton is 25 miles from Dayton.Rich Bevis, an airport manager at the Middleton airport, said that a woman, two men and two teenagers were onboard. Video Watch conservative analyst Bill Bennett mull Palin as a VP pick.
"This is the most secretive flight we've ever had," Bevis said.
I agree with Erick Erickson of Redstate -- this is an incredible, game-changing move, and it is being executed brilliantly. The media will be forgetting about Obama's speech. Also, Jonathan Martin is saying it is Palin. It does not seem like a big deal (to me) that her "spokesman says she is in Alaska". Of course, that's what he thinks.
Barack Obama: The Perfect Stranger
Charles Krauthammer writes a simply devastating assessment:
Barack Obama is an immensely talented man whose talents have been largely devoted to crafting, and chronicling, his own life. Not things. Not ideas. Not institutions. But himself.He goes on to note that John Kerry (and he could have added Al Gore) had numerous associates testify to their accomplishments when they received the Democratic nomination. But even when President Clinton said, "Obama is ready to lead," the claim was not backed up with any sort of rationale. Instead:Nothing wrong or even terribly odd about that, except that he is laying claim to the job of crafting the coming history of the United States. A leap of such audacity is odd. The air of unease at the Democratic convention this week was not just a result of the Clinton psychodrama. The deeper anxiety was that the party was nominating a man of many gifts but precious few accomplishments -- bearing even fewer witnesses.
Eerily missing at the Democratic convention this year were people of stature who were seriously involved at some point in Obama's life standing up to say: I know Barack Obama. I've been with Barack Obama. We've toiled/endured together. You can trust him. I do.The conclusion:Hillary Clinton could have said something like that. She and Obama had, after all, engaged in a historic, utterly compelling contest for the nomination. During her convention speech, you kept waiting for her to offer just one line of testimony: I have come to know this man, to admire this man, to see his character, his courage, his wisdom, his judgment. Whatever. Anything.
Instead, nothing. She of course endorsed him. But the endorsement was entirely programmatic: We're all Democrats. He's a Democrat. He believes what you believe. So we must elect him -- I am currently unavailable -- to get Democratic things done. God bless America.
So where are the colleagues? The buddies? The political or spiritual soul mates? His most important spiritual adviser and mentor was Jeremiah Wright. But he's out. Then there's William Ayers, with whom he served on a board. He's out. Where are the others?Read the whole thing.The oddity of this convention is that its central figure is the ultimate self-made man, a dazzling mysterious Gatsby. The palpable apprehension is that the anointed is a stranger -- a deeply engaging, elegant, brilliant stranger with whom the Democrats had a torrid affair. Having slowly woken up, they see the ring and wonder who exactly they married last night.
Obama’s Friend, America’s Enemy
The National Review editors write an excellent article on Barack Obama's association with Bill Ayers, an unrepentant member of a terrorist cell which bombed the Pentagon, the U.S. Capitol, various police headquarters, and other targets in the early 1970s. Obama has said Ayers was "just a guy in the neighborhood." Reality:
1. In 1995, Bill Ayers and his wife Bernadine Dohrn hosted a fundraiser that helped launch Obama's career in Chicago politics.
2. Writing in the Chicago Tribune in 1997, Obama called A Kind and Just Parent
3. They served together on the board of the Woods Fund.
Even more intriguing, in 1995 Ayers won a $49.2 million grant from the Annenberg Foundation — matched two-to-one by public and private contributions — to promote “reform” in the Chicago school system. He quickly brought in Obama, then all of 33 and bereft of any executive experience, to chair the board. With Ayers directing the project’s operational arm and Obama overseeing its financial affairs until 1999, the Chicago Annenberg Challenge distributed more than $100 million to ideological allies with no discernible improvement in public education.Until this week, moreover, the University of Illinois at Chicago, where Ayers works, was blocking access to the project’s files (examination of which was being sought by frequent National Review contributor Stanley Kurtz), until finally relenting under public pressure.
Team McCain Rebuts Obama Speech
Barack Obama's nomination speech entitled "The American Promise" has received this point-by-point rebuttal from Team McCain.
FWIW: I thought Obama's speech was delivered brilliantly (as expected), and will result in a sizable (if short-lived) bump in the polls. After all, the news shifts to McCain and his VP early tomorrow. Furthermore, when analysts pick apart the Obama speech, I think they will find the factual basis of Obama's attacks on McCain to be meager at best. Obama's claims to being a bipartisan leader are entirely unfounded by his voting record. McCain's tendency to buck his own party is well established (torture, spending, Gang of 14, etc.), whereas Obama has voted with his party 96-97% of the time since being in the U.S. Senate.
August 28, 2008
MN House Minority Leader Reports Unusual Activity in St. Paul
Marty Siefert (R), Minority Leader for the Minnesota House of Representatives, called into NPR tonight and reported usual activity in St. Paul, MN related to Governor Pawlenty. Apparently, a flurry of helicopters and the like converging.
It seems someone thinks they found the man.....
HT: Chris McHorney
Romney or Pawlenty? -- I think Pawlenty
Roll Call is reporting that the Secret Service has conducted a security sweep of the home of Romney's sister.
Tim Pawlenty has cleared his schedule for today and tomorrow.
For what it may be worth (not much, considering last time), I think it is Pawlenty (one report says Romney is out). I used to think it was Romney, but with reports that Karl Rove was pushing hard for Romney, I'm guessing maverick McCain went the other way (you cannot push McCain around).
Update: John Fund's detailed argument for Governor Tim Pawlenty as McCain's vice presidential candidate.
Update #2: Jonathan Martin says Lieberman is out.
Update #3: RedState is calling it for Pawlenty, and they have a helpful bio on Pawlenty's positions and accomplishments.
Rove Responds to Biden on Obama Accomplishments
Obama has finally started to get a modest bounce out of his convention. Senator Biden gave a stirring speech, rhetorically effective both in its attack of John McCain and in its praise of Barack Obama. Moreover, Biden's address was a considerable improvement upon Senator Clinton's in that he hailed specific legislative accomplishments. Senator Clinton's praise for the nominee could have been given to any generic democratic candidate. She did not give Obama specific praise (other than noting his proven ability to draw a crowd and create excitement). In other words, she didn't go far in undoing the most damaging claim against him: that he brings insufficient experience to the job of Commander in Chief. Both Biden and President Clinton were more pointed in their support last night: by highlighting accomplishments, they raised Obama's credibility. So now Obama has a modest bounce.
But while the loquacious Senator Biden heaped praised last night, I kept wondering: Are Obama's accomplishments being exaggerated? If not, why is this the first I've heard of them? Karl Rove examines the vice presidential candidate's remarks, both on Saturday (at his first rally with Obama) and last night at the Democratic Convention:
...Saturday and again Wednesday night, Mr. Biden also praised Mr. Obama for three specific legislative accomplishments. One of them was an ethics bill, called by Mr. Biden in his acceptance speech "the most sweeping in a generation." However, many critics--including Hillary Clinton--criticized it as weak. For example, under Mr. Obama's bill, lobbyists may buy politicians meals if they are eating standing up but not if they're sitting down. Mr. Obama's bill didn't ban privately funded travel for congressmen or authorize an independent investigation office. But Mr. Obama did help draft, negotiate, and push the legislation that passed. The other two supposed accomplishments are more problematic.Read the whole thing.Saturday, Mr. Biden asserted Mr. Obama "made his mark literally from day one, reaching across the aisle to pass legislation to secure the world's deadliest weapons," a claim similar to one Mr. Obama made earlier in the campaign. Wednesday night, Mr. Biden was more expansive, claiming Mr. Obama was a leader "to pass a law that helps keep nuclear weapons out of the hands of terrorists." This implied a big, important controversial measure, passed with difficulty after the intervention of an extraordinary leader.
In reality, the Lugar-Obama Bill was passed on a voice vote on December 11, 2006. It was so routine, there was no recorded vote. The media didn't consider it important or controversial. Neither the New York Times nor the Washington Post reported its Senate passage, though the Post ran a 798-word op-ed by Senators Lugar and Obama the week before it was approved. It was not the subject of a story on the CBS, ABC or NBC evening news--not when it passed, not when it was signed, not ever. No story about it appeared in Roll Call or The Hill, the daily newspapers that cover the minutiae of Congress. It drew only one squib in Congressional Quarterly--and that story didn't mention Obama, just Lugar. The Bush administration supported it. The legislation required the administration to report to Congress within 180 days "on proliferation and interdiction assistance" to secure the mostly conventional weapons stocks littering the nations born from the collapsed Soviet empire. It created a new State Department office to support the Bush administration's "Proliferation Security Initiative" aimed at interdicting weapons of mass destruction and conventional weaponry. And the bill authorized $110 million in funding. But this legislation didn't require a profile in courage to co-sponsor or hard work and powerful persuasion to pass, as Mr. Biden implied.
August 27, 2008
The Republican and Democratic Party Platforms
Christianity Today provides a comparison on where the two major party platforms stand on issues that many Christians find relevant: Abortion, Africa, Climate Change, Embryonic Research, Faith-Based Programs, Global Poverty, HIV/AIDS, Human Trafficking, Israel/Middle East, Marriage & Sexuality, and Religious Liberty. Note that the comparison was only based on the draft Republican platform whereas the final version of the Democratic Party platform has been published.
Christians Under Attack in Eastern India
The Baptist World Alliance reports that Christians are under attack in Orissa, India:
Christians are under attack in the state of Orissa in eastern India. More than 600 churches have been demolished, 4,000 Christians forced to flee from their villages, and at least 25 killed as a result of violent persecution.In response to the attacks, Baptist World Alliance (BWA) General Secretary Neville Callam said, “Unfortunate events have taken place in Orissa in recent days. These began with the senseless killing of Hindu Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati on August 23. I am disappointed by the false claim that Christians have responsibility for this murder and I am saddened by the atrocities being visited on Christians in Orissa.”
Vishwa Hindu Parishad religious leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and four of his associates were murdered in the Kandhamal District of Orissa on Saturday, August 23.
Although a Maoist group claimed responsibility for the murders, supporters of the slain leader claim that Christians were behind the killings. Hindu fundamentalists have launched a series of attacks against Christians in retaliation.
Since Sunday, August 24, churches, schools and other institutions, prayer rooms, and homes of Christians have been ransacked, burnt and destroyed. Christians have been assaulted and reportedly at least twenty-five have been killed, some of them burnt alive or cut into pieces.
n an August 26th email to the BWA, Swarupananda Patra, General Secretary of the All Orissa Baptist Churches Federation, said “All Christian villages [are] empty in Kandhamal as Christians, old and young, sick and pregnant mothers [are] hiding in forests exposed to the non-stop monsoon rains without food.”
He reported that Kandhamal is the hardest hit, with at least eight Christians killed and almost all Christian homes demolished, but Christians in the districts of Balasore, Bargarh, and Kalahandi are also experiencing severe persecution.
P. Ramesh Kumar, Principal of the Balasore Technical School, reported to the BWA on August 25, “We are all under immense danger and threat from these groups…Please continue to uphold us in your prayer particularly for the safety of Christian brothers and sisters who are now hiding themselves in jungles.”
“I appeal to the governing authorities in India to intervene to save the lives of the many who are being victimized in the current crisis,” said Callam. “Respect for the principle of religious liberty and the sacredness of human life requires nothing less. I also appeal to all Baptists worldwide to pray God’s protection for our brothers and sisters in Orissa.”
Patra also appealed for prayer for the crisis. “Now we have no request except prayer from our Baptist world as we do not know how to face tomorrow.”
This is not the first time Christians in Orissa have experienced violent attacks. In December 2007, Hindu militants burned approximately 90 churches and 600 homes, killing an estimated 10 persons.
There are several Baptist conventions and unions in Orissa state that are member bodies of the BWA, with total membership in Orissa of nearly 500,000 baptized believers and approximately 3,500 churches.
August 26, 2008
CT Interviews McCain's Evangelical Outreach Coordinator
Sarah Pulliam of Christianity Today interviews Marlys Popma (whom I believe I briefly met at the Saddleback Civil Forum). Excerpt from Popma:
We understand on this campaign that there are essentially two groups in which we look for evangelicals. One is what I call "movement conservatives." Those are individuals who have for years been working for the unborn and working hard to make sure that the definition of marriage is between one man and one woman. There is also a young emerging group of people who have broadened their scope. They haven't neglected marriage and life issues, but they've broadened them into a concern about global poverty and making sure the quality of life for individuals is one that a human expects and deserves. The exciting thing about John McCain is that he hits on all cylinders. There's not any one of the things that evangelicals would be looking for — creation care, all of them — that John McCain has (not) had in his agenda for years.
Harris, Harris and Chediak on Prime Time America
Phil Fleischman interviewed Alex Harris, Brett Harris, and yours truly for a short piece on the phenomenon of "adultolescents" (whereby teenagers -- i.e., "adolescents" -- continue avoiding responsibility while enjoying increasing measures of freedom into their adult years). The segment aired yesterday on Moody Radio's Prime Time America hosted by Greg Wheatley. The audio for the two-hour program is available; the "adultolescents" segment comes about 80 minutes into the program (confession: some of what I said I got here).
Alex and Brett Harris are the authors of Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations, a fantastic book which I was honored to endorse.
If the segment interests you, you'll also want to check out ReThink -- a great book on "rethinking" youth ministry (shifting the primary responsibility for the discipleship of teens from youth pastors to parents).
Obama's Ties to Unrepentant Terrorist William Ayers
William Ayers is back in the news again, thanks in part to a recent ad from the Obama campaign. This lengthy article gives a good background on the significance of Obama's association with Ayers and the Chicago politics from which Obama has arisen.
Newsweek: The Democrats and the Abortion Wars
I previously noted that the MSM has been somewhat reluctant to address abortion. However, an article that Newsweek published last night by George Weigel provides an outstanding secular argument for the pro-life position (on scientific and rational grounds) and the duplicity of the Democratic Party's leadership. Excerpt:
At the Aug. 16 "Civil Forum on the Presidency" at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., Sen. Barack Obama was asked by pastor Rick Warren, "At what point does a baby get human rights, in your view?" Obama quickly changed the subject to when life begins, and then demurred: "... whether you are looking at it from a theological perspective or a scientific perspective, answering that question with specificity ... is above my pay grade." Why, though? An embryology text widely used in American medical schools, "The Developing Human," is not so reticent about the science involved: "Human development begins at fertilization when a male gamete or sperm (spermatazoon) unites with a female gamete or oocyte (ovum) to produce a single cell—a zygote. This highly specialized, totipotent cell marked the beginning of each of us as a unique individual." That is the science. It's quite specific, and understanding the science here is surely not above the "pay grade" of a president who will be making public-policy decisions based on that science.Weigel later unpacks some of the political implications of the abortion issue:
There are also serious questions of political theory and governance at stake in the abortion wars. Pro-lifers have long argued that allowing the government to declare an entire class of human creatures—the unborn—outside the protection of the law is a danger for everyone (wherever they may be located on the Doerflinger timeline). Does Senator Obama agree that the abortion debate involves that first principle of justice which teaches that innocent life is inviolable and that the equal protection of the laws must extend to everyone, regardless of condition?Then Weigel comes back to Obama, unmasking Obama's "understanding" of the pro-life view and showing what it really is: a caricature, a straw man:
At Saddleback, Senator Obama expressed his "respect" for the views of consistent pro-lifers because their conviction that "life begins at conception ... is a core issue of faith" for those voters. This, however, is another dodge. Yes, for some pro-lifers, obedience to religious authority is the source of their conviction. Yet to suggest, as Obama did, that the pro-life position rests on private (and thus inherently undebatable) religious intuitions is to have missed virtually the entirety of the substantive pro-life argument since 1973. Pro-lifers of both parties—some of them agnostic and atheists—have made genuinely public arguments, based on scientific knowledge, reason and democratic political theory. Judging from the evidence to date, the Democratic candidate for president has yet to engage those arguments seriously.
Towards the end Weigel excoriates Speaker Pelosi's "Meet the Press" appearance on August 24:
In her "Meet the Press" appearance Aug. 24, Pelosi was asked by Tom Brokaw whether she agreed with Senator Obama's statements on abortion at Saddleback. Pelosi, declaring herself an "ardent, practicing Catholic," told Brokaw that "this is an issue that I have studied for a long time"—and then got herself into a deep muddle, in which she seemed to confuse St. Augustine with St. Thomas Aquinas (neither of whom, in any case, knew anything about modern embryology); misrepresented the settled (and scientifically informed) judgment of the Catholic Church on when life begins by declaring it an open question, and concluded by suggesting that none of this really makes a difference, because what the scientists, theologians, and philosophers say "... shouldn't have an impact on a the woman's right to choose." The Speaker then misrepresented the legal impact of Roe v. Wade, arguing that the Supreme Court hadn't created a right to "abortion on demand"—which will come as news to those on both sides of the ongoing debates over partial-birth abortion and other late-term abortion procedures, parental- and spousal-notifications laws and regulatory oversight of abortion clinics.Read the whole thing.
John Piper: Abortion is About God
Democratic Convention: Reverse Bounce??
Rasmussen:
The Democratic National Convention has begun and the poll numbers are bouncing, but not in the direction that most people anticipated.Check it out.The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Tuesday shows Barack Obama attracting 44% of the vote while John McCain also earns 44%. When "leaners" are included, it’s still tied with Obama at 46% and McCain at 46%. Yesterday, with leaners, Obama had a three-point advantage over McCain.
(HT: Gayne)
August 24, 2008
Post-Biden Poll Shows Obama - McCain Dead Heat
Paul Steinhauser of CNN reports:
The first national poll conducted after Barack Obama publicly named Joe Biden as his running mate suggests that the battle for the presidency between the Illinois senator and John McCain is all tied up.It's 47% - 47%. CNN Polling Director Keating Holland notes that it appears to be a step back for Obama, who lead 51-44 last month. Why?
Sixty-six percent of Clinton supporters -- registered Democrats who want Clinton as the nominee -- are now backing Obama. That's down from 75 percent in the end of June. Twenty-seven percent of them now say they'll support McCain, up from 16 percent in late June.Perhaps that would explain McCain's recent "Passed Over" ad and his campaign allegedly spreading the rumor that Obama's "3 AM text message" was a direct dig at Clinton. Both are clearly intended to reach disaffected Clinton supporters through inciting anger toward Obama. (IMHO - A silly rumor to spread: Why would it be in Obama's interest to take a dig at Clinton? Too much of this sort of thing could backfire on McCain.)"The number of Clinton Democrats who say they would vote for McCain has gone up 11 points since June, enough to account for most, although not all, of the support McCain has gained in that time," Holland said.
August 23, 2008
Obama Taps Biden: An Example of Terrible Judgement
I was wrong about the Obama-Bayh ticket. Sorry for the false alarm. I apparently gave Obama too much credit. Senator Obama, in selecting Senator Biden as his Vice Presidential nominee, has made a blunder that just might help mercifully tip the election to McCain. As John Mark Reynolds notes, Joe Biden is the perfect case of a candidate that Washington insiders find appealing but that appalls the rest of the country. Read the whole thing.
McCain Rally in MO With Romney and Huckabee
It seems that McCain's VP selection process is closing in around either Romney or Pawlenty. But Jonathan Martin of Politico announces a confusing development in the saga: Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee are slated to join John McCain for a rally in St. Louis, MO the day before the start of the GOP Convention (and two days after McCain is scheduled to name his running mate). Martin notes:
Missouri was hard-fought territory on Super Tuesday, with each of the three Republicans faring well. So the event would seem to represent a pre-convention unity rally in a swing state where each has a strong following. But Huckabee and Romney can hardly stand one another, and Huckabee has warned twice this month against selecting his once and perhaps future rival.It would take a considerable act of pride-swallowing for Huckabee to stand before thousands of fans and watch as McCain touts Romney as his running mate.
But then it would take the same amount of magnamity for Romney to join such a rally the day before the convention if McCain were to tap somebody else as his veep choice and then laud that person in Missouri.
John McCain Hits Obama on Born Alive Infants
Obama's voting record on the Born Alive Infant Protection Act (BAIPA) bills in Illinois is atrocious (he opposed the legislation three times). It is considered extreme even by the standards of pro-choice legislators (Barbara Boxer, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, and many others all supported the federal version of BAIPA, which passed the Senate 98-0). However, it is not very well known by the American public since the main stream media (MSM) refuses to cover it (just as they once refused to cover the John Edwards affair).
One of the benefits of the Saddleback Civil Forum last Saturday is that it allowed a wide range of viewers to hear Obama speak for himself on the question of when a baby gets rights (note that Warren did not say "fetus"). Obama's now famous response is the subject of critique in John McCain's weekly radio address, posted earlier today. John McCain:
Here was a candidate for the presidency of the United States, asked for his position on one of the central moral and legal questions of our time, and this was the best he could offer: It’s above his pay grade. He went on to assure his interviewer that there is a, quote, “moral and ethical element to this issue.” Americans expect more of their leaders. There seems to be a pattern here in my opponent’s approach to many hard issues. Whether it’s the surge in Iraq that has brought us near to victory, or the issue of campaign reform, or the question of offshore drilling, Senator Obama’s speeches can be impressive. But when it’s time for straight answers, clear conviction, and decisive action, suddenly all of these responsibilities are — well, as he puts it, “above my pay grade.” As mottos of leadership go, it doesn’t exactly have the ring of “the buck stops here.”After giving a brief overview of BAIPA legislation, McCain notes:
At Saddleback, he assured a reporter that he’d have voted “yes” on that bill if it had contained language similar to the federal version of the Born Alive Infants Protection Act. Even though the language of both the state and federal bills was identical, Senator Obama said people were, quote, “lying” about his record. When that record was later produced, he dropped the subject but didn’t withdraw the slander. And now even Senator Obama’s campaign has conceded that his claims and accusations were false.McCain's short radio address today was entirely about abortion -- an issue McCain rarely seems comfortable discussing. Jennifer Rubin offers some thoughts on why McCain has now chosen to go after Obama on this issue.
1. He is forcing the MSM to cover the issue, since the MSM (naturally) has staff dedicated to covering the content of McCain's speeches.
2. Obama's contorted "above my pay grade" reply speaks beyond the pro-life/pro-choice discussion. It speaks to Obama's honesty (calling others "liars", when in fact, what you were saying was false?). It speaks to his failure to display leadership on tough issues. (To which I would add: It reveals a fear of man -- a certain need to please everyone, rather than stick your neck out for what you believe, letting the chips fall where they may. McCain did that with his early support for the surge, for example.)
3. Obama's position on abortion is so extreme that even many pro-choice moderates will find it repugnant.
4. McCain intends to rain on Obama's Denver parade.
Read the whole thing. Listen to or read McCain's ~five minute radio address.
August 22, 2008
Uhm...Biden? Sebelius? Chet Edwards?
It appears that Senator Joe Biden has been selected. After all, the United States Secret Service seems to think so. But, hey, it still could be Gov. Kathleen Sebelius or Texas Democratic Rep. Chet Edwards!
Uhhm....as I was saying. (:-
HT: James Grant, Candice, CNN, FOX,....
Update: Jim Geraghty has collected a great set of quotes from Senator Biden on McCain, Obama, and Iraq.
Democratic Ticket: Barack Obama - Evan Bayh?
This leak looks highly credible. I'm not a prophet, but I believe that Senator Evan Bayh has been selected as Barack Obama's running mate. KMBC out of Kansas City has announced:
KMBC's Micheal Mahoney reported that the company, which specializes in political literature, has been printing Obama-Bayh material. That's Bayh as in U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana. Word leaked out about the material as it was being printed up by Gill Studios of Lenexa. The Obama campaign had said it would make the announcement by text message on Friday.Gill Studios, would not confirm information about the material. They would not deny it either. The company president would not comment when asked by Mahoney about the reports. But at least three sources close to the plant's operations reported the Obama-Bayh material was being produced.
It makes sense. Obama said he didn't want a "media hog"; Bayh is widely considered '"vanilla" or "boring" by Beltway insiders, according to Andrew Romano of Newsweek. Obama wanted someone who "complemented" him (as opposed to augmenting his strengths) and who was "independent" (with whom he could have vigorous, productive debate in the White House). Well, Bayh was a supporter of Senator Clinton (perhaps he could reach out to disaffected Clinton supporters, some 30% of which have pledged support for McCain) and an early supporter of the War in Iraq. So there you have it.
Summer '08 SBJT: Church Fathers
Jeff Robinson introduces the summer 2008 issue of the Southern Baptist Journal of Theology (SBJT):
Should historical amnesia be an option for the average Christian?Learning from the Church FathersKnowing church history, particularly as it relates to the early years of Christianity and the theological issues which faced leaders in that age is important for all believers, essayists in the summer edition of the Southern Baptist Journal of Theology argue. The latest SBJT examines the early church and encourages Christians to learn from important church fathers such as Athanasius, Augustine and Irenaeus.
Vol. 12, No. 2, Summer 2008
2 Editorial: Stephen J. Wellum "Standing on the Shoulders of Giants"
4 Todd L. Miles "Irenaeus in the Hands of Soteriological Inclusivists: Validation or Tendentious Historiography?"
18 John Piper "Contending for Christ Contra Mundum: Exile and Incarnation in the Life of Athanasius"
38 Nick Needham "Augustine of Hippo: The Relevance of His Life and Thought Today"
52 Carl Trueman "Patristics And Reformed Orthodoxy: Some Brief Notes and Proposals"
62 Michael A. G. Haykin "Recovering Ancient Church Practices: A Review of Brian McLaren, Finding Our Way Again: The Return of the Ancient Practices"
68 The SBJT Forum
78 Book Reviews
McCain's Veep: Romney or Pawlenty
Senator John McCain has narrowed his list of potential running mates to a handful of candidates and appears unlikely to select anyone who supports abortion rights, several advisers close to his campaign said on Thursday. Former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts and Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota are the top candidates as Mr. McCain and his advisers gather over the next several days at Mr. McCain’s cabin near Sedona, they said.Each has their own advantages. Romney could help compete not only in Michigan (where his father was governor) but also in Colorado, New Mexico, and Nevada (all of which are swing states this year and have significant Mormon populations). On the other hand, it is sometimes reported that McCain and Romney do not get along very well. Though they had a testy primary battle, it is not uncommon for a nominee to name a rival as a veep (e.g., Reagan - Bush, Kerry - Edwards). Pawlenty, on the other hand, has a long-standing record as an evangelical and a social conservative, not to mention a history of loyalty to MCain. Pawlenty gets along very well with McCain, but is less well known outside Minnesota (which could be difficult to put in play even with Pawlenty on the ticket). We should know a week from today (McCain has said he'd reveal his selection on August 29, his birthday).
August 21, 2008
Purported Audio of Obama Explaining BAIPA Position
This is being circulated by Red State, National Review, and the Weekly Standard, all of which are blogs I respect. I do not know, incontrovertibly, that this audio is legit, and the U2 music is pretty corny, but the explanation given by the (Barack Obama) voice seems consistent with the top ten reasons (as documented by Jill Stanek - see especially #6 and #9) that Barack Obama voted against the Born Alive Infant Protection Act three times.
An original source document: This is the transcript of the Illinois State Senate session on March 30, 2001. Scroll down to pages 84-90 (or just do a text search on "Obama") to read Obama's concerns with Senate Bills 1093-1095, all of which are quite similar. Bill 1095 is the Born Alive Infant Protection Act (BAIPA). Each time, it is Obama, and only Obama, who raises concerns. [Note that while BAIPA passed on March 30, 2001, it later died in committee.]
Steve Wright (reThink) on Family Life Today
My friend Steve Wright, a youth pastor for over twenty years, is the author of ReThink: Decide for Yourself - Is Youth Ministry Working? I previously introduced Steve and did a two-part interview with him (part 1; part 2). Steve was recently a guest on Family Life Today with Dennis Rainey and Bob Lepine. The audio files for the three shows featuring Steve as a guest are available:
August 20, 2008
Ligonier Music: God of Grace and Glory
Though wholly lacking in musical skill, I have a long-lasting appreciation for classical music. I took a music appreciation class in college where we learned about baroque, classical, romantic, and modern styles of music. I thought the first three were terrific. Later, in graduate school, I was a campus representative for the San Francisco Symphony, selling student subscriptions at U.C. Berkeley in exchange for great tickets to six-eight concerts a year. It was a pretty good gig; the SF Symphony (under the direction of Michael Tilson Thomas) is widely regarded as one of the finest in the nation.
The musical quality of Ligonier Ministries' God of Grace and Glory is on par with any concert I heard by the San Francisco symphony. The sound is rich, full, and soothing. Each piece is arranged well and the combination of instruments is delicately balanced. I particularly enjoyed the fact that almost all the songs highlight the combination of the trumpet (one of my favorite instruments) and the organ. If you enjoy classical music, some of the seventeen tunes on this album will be familiar to you. For example, Rondeau from Sinfonies de Fanfares includes the lovely melody that Masterpiece Theater used years ago (and others have used for weddings or other celebrations). The work of Robert Schummann, George Phillipp Telemann, and J.S. Bach are also featured. Though the album includes a few pieces of explicitly sacred music (e.g., God of Grace and Glory by Paul Manz), all of the selections on the album can be played in worship contexts. I heartily recommend this album.
Micah Thornton on With One Voice
Micah Thornton writes a gracious review of my book, With One Voice: Singleness, Dating, and Marriage to the Glory of God.
August 19, 2008
Rick Warren Publicly Criticizes Obama's Abortion Response
Pastor Rick Warren did a lengthy interview with Belief.net following the Saddleback Civil Forum this past Saturday. Excerpt:
When you asked Obama about when life begins, he punted, saying "It’s above my pay grade." Should someone running for the highest office in the land have a clear answer to that, or is that kind of ambivalence acceptable?
WARREN: No. I think he needed to be more specific on that. I happen to disagree with Barack on that. Like I said, he's a friend. But to me, I would not want to die and get before God one day and go, "Oh, sorry, I didn't take the time to figure out" because if I was wrong, then it had severe implications for my leadership if I had the ability to do something about it. He should either say, "No, scientifically, I do not believe it's a human being until X" or whatever it is or say, "Yes, I believe it is a human being at X point," whether it's conception or anything else. But to just say "I don't know" on the most divisive issue in America is not a clear enough answer for me.
(HT: The Christian Post via Daniel L. Patterson)
Were There Already Laws in Illinois re: Born Alive Babies?
David Freddoso, author of The Case Against Barack Obama
Freddoso's answer: The answer is that no law was protecting them. We know this for certain because the Illinois attorney general at the time, Jim Ryan — the man charged with enforcing state laws — wrote a letter on July 17, 2000, expressing his finding that Christ Hospital was breaking no laws in leaving premature babies to die after they survived abortions.
Ryan wrote:
While we are deeply respectful of your serious concerns about the practices and methods of abortions at this hospital, we have concluded that there is no basis for legal action by this office against the Hospital or its employees, agents or staff at this time.
So again: according to the state's chief enforcer of the law, Christ Hospital was doing nothing illegal when they left premature babies to die after they had survived abortions. Note that this is this is the very reason legislators were trying to pass the born-alive bill in the first place.
Saddleback Civil Forum: Final Certified Transcript Available
Obama Camp Changes Story on BAIPA Vote
A couple days ago I posted on the post-Saddleback interview in which Obama accused the NRLC of lying about his abortion record. Well, it appears that team Obama is changing its story. The New York Sun reported yesterday:
Indeed, Mr. Obama appeared to misstate his position in the CBN interview on Saturday when he said the federal version he supported "was not the bill that was presented at the state level."His campaign yesterday acknowledged that he had voted against an identical bill in the state Senate, and a spokesman, Hari Sevugan, said the senator and other lawmakers had concerns that even as worded, the legislation could have undermined existing Illinois abortion law. Those concerns did not exist for the federal bill, because there is no federal abortion law.
In 2005, the campaign noted, a "Born Alive" bill passed the Illinois Legislature after another clause had been added that explicitly stated that the legislation would have no effect on existing state abortion laws.
Told of the campaign's explanation, the legislative director of the National Right to Life Committee, Douglas Johnson, was dubious. "These are newly manufactured and highly implausible excuses," he said. "There is no way that the bill would have had any effect on any method of abortion." Mr. Johnson said the version Mr. Obama voted down clearly applied only to fetuses that emerged from the womb alive.
[HT: Jill Stanek]
P.S. For any who may be unaware, Ms. Stanek is a former nurse who spearheaded the push for the Born Alive Infact Protection Act in Illinois after witnessing a live infant discarded and left to die at the hospital where she worked. She has testified at the state and federal level about this issue. Ms. Stanek appeared at the White House ceremony in 2002 when President Bush signed the federal bill into law.
A Pro-Choice Veep for McCain?
Last week (prior to the Saddleback Civil Forum), McCain foolishly floated the idea that Tom Ridge, despite being pro-choice, might be acceptable. “You know, Tom Ridge is one of the great leaders and he happens to be pro-choice. And I don’t think that that would necessarily rule Tom Ridge out [for the vice presidency],” McCain said. Early this week, high-level rumors were that McCain is actively considering such a selection, possible Joe Lieberman or Tom Ridge.
The editors of the national review respond. I agree with them entirely. A pro-choice VP pick for McCain would be an absolute disaster. It would suggest he takes conservatives (whom he courted so effectively Saturday night at Saddleback) for granted. [FWIW, I actually mentioned my concern about this to high-ranking McCain surrogates on Saturday night. They assured me a pro-choice selection was "unlikely" and would "make things difficult for him," but none assured me it would not happen.]
[HT: James Grant]
Albert Mohler on the Saddleback Civil Forum
Dr. Mohler writes of his initial skepticism about the forum:
Suffice it to say that I was not very hopeful about the Saddleback Civil Forum on the Presidency held at the California megachurch last Saturday night. In the first place, I am not really comfortable with the idea of hosting such a politically charged event in a church. No matter how the event is planned and projected, once the event starts it can turn into something far more politically volatile than planned. That is a truth I have learned by hard experience.However, Mohler notes:
But. . the event turned to be quite worthwhile after all. I still have deep reservations about identifying the event so closely with a church, but the conversations really did get to urgently important and controversial issues, and Pastor Rick Warren handled the conversations with aplomb, demonstrating both civility and candor.Mohler later responds to a (poorly argued) essay in today's USA Today by DeWayne Wickham. Wickham maintains that Warren was "interviewing Barack Obama and John McCain...as though they were vying to be church vicar."
August 17, 2008
Abortion Rates Are At A Thirty Year Low
Contrary to what Senator Obama said at the Saddleback Civil Forum. The Guttmacher Institute, a nonprofit group that focuses on reproductive issues, published its findings in the March 2008 issue of the Institute's journal, Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health.
The actual number of abortions dropped to a new low, with 1.2 million abortions in 2005, compared to a high of 1.6 million abortions in 1990.Check it out.The report does not include an analysis of why the levels have continued to decline. "We don't regard [the findings] as good or bad," Jones said. "It's a descriptive study."
The abortion rate for 2005 was 19.4 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15 to 44. In comparison, the rate was 29.3 abortions per 1,000 women in 1981, 21.3 abortions per 1,000 women in 2000, and 19.7 abortions per 1,000 women in 2004.
(HT: Kevin McCullough)
David Freddoso Responds to Obama on BAIPA
Here. Excerpt:
Obama’s work against the bill to protect premature babies represents one of two times in his political career, along with his speech against the Iraq war, that he really stuck out his neck for something that might hurt him politically. Unlike his Iraq speech, Obama is deeply embarrassed about this one — so embarrassed that he is offering a demonstrable falsehood in explanation for his actions. Fortunately, the documents showing the truth are now available.
Obama Reacts to Born Alive Act Accusations
CBS correspondent David Brody was granted an exclusive interview with Barack Obama last night after the Saddleback Civil Forum. Here is the exchange on the Born Alive Infant Protection Act:
Brody: Real quick, the born alive infant protection act. I gotta tell you that's the one thing I get a lot of emails about and it's just not just from Evangelicals, it about Catholics, Protestants, main -- they're trying to understand it because there was some literature put out by the National Right to Life Committee. And they're basically saying they felt like you misrepresented your position on that bill.If someone from the Obama campaign could send please me the exact wording of the amended bill in Illinois (which Obama helped defeat in 2003), I'd be glad to post it alongside the federal bill (which passed the Senate 98-0) so that we can compare them. I tried politely inquiring about this last night, but an Obama surrogate didn't want to talk about it.Obama: Let me clarify this right now.
Brody: Because it's getting a lot of play.
Obama: Well and because they have not been telling the truth. And I hate to say that people are lying, but here's a situation where folks are lying. I have said repeatedly that I would have been completely in, fully in support of the federal bill that everybody supported - which was to say --that you should provide assistance to any infant that was born - even if it was as a consequence of an induced abortion. That was not the bill that was presented at the state level. What that bill also was doing was trying to undermine Roe vs. Wade. By the way, we also had a bill, a law already in place in Illinois that insured life saving treatment was given to infants.
So for people to suggest that I and the Illinois medical society, so Illinois doctors were somehow in favor of withholding life saving support from an infant born alive is ridiculous. It defies commonsense and it defies imagination and for people to keep on pushing this is offensive and it's an example of the kind of politics that we have to get beyond. It's one thing for people to disagree with me about the issue of choice, it's another thing for people to out and out misrepresent my positions repeatedly, even after they know that they're wrong. And that's what's been happening.
Obama and Babies Getting Human Rights
Rick Warren's question tonight "At what point does a baby get human rights?" was timely, given that there are new indications that Obama is covering up his voting record (note that he did not straightforwardly answer Warren's follow-up question which was specifically about his voting record on this issue.) John Fund has a simple breakdown. (HT: Denny Burk) I've seen several versions of this story in numerous conservative media outlets, but the MSM seems to stay away from it.
Here are the original sources: Originally, the Illinois Born Alive did not contain a "neutrality clause" (that is, an explicit indication that the bill is not meant to influence the legal standing of a fetus). But on March 12, 2003, this Amendment was added:
"Nothing in this Section shall be construed to affirm, deny, expand, or contract any legal status or legal right applicable to any member of the species homo sapiens at any point prior to being born alive as defined in this Section."Obama voted for the amendment (that’s the vote on the left-hand column on this committee vote record), and then voted against the amended bill (that’s the vote on the right column of the same document). The Democrats on the committee (which Obama chaired) followed his lead, and the bill was defeated 6-4 on party lines.
(HT: Yuval Levin)
Saddleback Civil Forum: Obama and McCain on Abortion
(HT: Robert E. Sagers)
Saddleback Civil Forum: Photos
(HT: Candice Yacono)
Saddleback Civil Forum: Post-Forum Reflections
The entire transcript of the Obama-Warren and McCain-Warren interactions is now available.
Congressman Chip Pickering, with whom I spoke with after the Forum, summed it up well: McCain stood head-and-shoulders above Obama in three respects: substance, experience, and depth of character.
Obama noted that his opposition to the war in Iraq was not politically expedient. But I'm not sure that jives with the fact that he opposed the war in 2002, when he represented a (liberal) district on the south side of Chicago, and was preparing to run for the U.S. Senate, in which he'd compete for votes in a Democratic primary in a blue state (Illinois)? I also thought Obama's statement on when a fetus has rights was extremely weak. As President, would making decisions on abortion legislation be "above his pay grade"? I was impressed that Warren asked that question, and was equally impressed with Warren's response (notice that McCain did not get the follow-up question, "Have you ever voted to limit or reduce abortions?")
Gary Bauer referred me to the August 13 Pew survey which found that McCain has made substantial gains among evangelicals since June. Other McCain surrogates told me they think McCain is gaining among both "older" and "newer" evangelicals (the latter consisting of those who care deeply about issues like poverty, human trafficking and the environment, but who are still strongly pro-life). Also, the consensus seemed to be that McCain would chose a pro-life running mate.
Several folks are commenting on the irony of Obama taking issue with Clarence Thomas' qualifications for being in the U.S. Supreme Court given Obama's greater inexperience (and his pursuit of the highest office).
At the post-forum reception for members of the media there were about ten McCain staffers for every one Obama representative. The one Obama representative I met was uninterested in discussing the abortion issue. I enjoyed briefly meeting Byran York (a fantastic blogger at The Corner) and Senator Sam Brownback.
August 16, 2008
Saddleback Civil Forum: Interviews?
Although McCain and Obama are not available, representatives of their campaigns will be available for interviews. I'm going to poke around for awhile.
Did you notice that several times Warren said "great" to McCain? I think Warren was very impressed with him.
My immediate reaction: A major, major win for John McCain tonight. Obama looked uncomfortable, and I think McCain hit on the themes he needed to hit.
Saddleback Civil Forum: McCain - America's Role in the World
WARREN: What is worth dying for?
McCAIN: Freedom. We cannot right every wrong, but we can be a beacon of hope for the world. We won the cold war without firing a shot. We can defeat radical Islamic.
WARREN: What about genocide -- in Darfur or Georgia?
McCAIN: We need to stop genocide. We need to work with many groups to fight it.
WARREN: Russia?
McCAIN went off on Russia, and on the devastation being experienced by Georgians. Let' s get the humanitarian aid to Georgia and send a clear message to the Russians.
WARREN: Religious liberty?
McCAIN: We need to support religious liberty everywhere...... (made stronger and more heart-felt remarks than Obama, in my opinion).
WARREN: Orphans?
McCAIN: We need to make adoption easier in America. McCain noted that he and Cindy have adopted children from overseas.
WARREN: In one minute, why do you want to be President.
McCAIN: Inspire the next generation to serve a cause greater than themselves. Work across party lines. Get things done for the good of our country.
WARREN: What would you say to those who oppose my asking you these questions in a church?
McCAIN: I'm glad to be here. I think this venue is very important.
Saddleback Civil Forum: Brief Reflections on McCain
McCain's terse, to-the-point style is serving him well, it seems. But, to his discredit, he often fails to elaborate on his points. I thought his answer on how his Christian faith influences him on a regular basis was rather weak. Simply quoting a story that happened over forty years ago misses the point. OK, they're back.
Saddleback Civil Forum: McCain - Stewardship
WARREN: Which Supreme Court justice would you not have nominated?
McCAIN: Souter, Ginsberg, Stephens.... (named four of them). Said he likes Alito and Roberts a lot.
WARREN: 80% think that faith-based groups do a better job than the government.
McCAIN: No restriction to hire on the basis of faith.
WARREN: We rank 19th in graduation, and 1st in incarcerations. Do you support merit pay for teachers?
McCAIN: Yes, and we should find bad teachers other lines of work. Choice and competition for every American. This is a Civil Rights Issue of the 21st century.
WARREN: Define the rich. When does someone move from middle class to rich?
McCAIN: I don't believe in class warfare; I want everyone to get rich. What's happened is that spending has gotten out of control. We cannot raise taxes in tough economic times. Americans are facing big challenges. I want to give a $7000 tax credit and a $5000 refundable tax credit to purchase health care of their choice.
EXTRA QUESTION (WHICH OBAMA DID NOT RECEIVE DUE TO TIME CONSTRAINTS)
WARREN: Do our rights to privacy and our national security interests ever collide?
McCAIN: Yes, and one issue is secret ballots for unions. We have to keep up with our enemy's ways of communicating.
Saddleback Civil Forum: McCain - Worldview
WARREN: What does it mean to you to be a Christian?
McCAIN: It means I'm forgiven. (Told the story of the soldier who eased his pain in North Vietnam.)
WARREN: At what moment is a baby entitled to human rights.
McCAIN: At the moment of conception. I have a 25 year voting record that is pro-life.
WARREN: Define marriage.
McCAIN: One man, one woman. I think the CA Supreme Court was wrong to over-turn the Prop 22 from 2000. I think the states should decide this, but I might at some point support a Constitutional Amendment.
WARREN: Stem cell research.
McCAIN: I came down on the side of stem cell research. But I am wildly optimistic about skin cell research, which is coming more into view.
WARREN: Is there evil, and what should we do about it?
McCAIN: Defeat it. Which is what we will do in Iraq and elsewhere.
Saddleback Civil Forum: McCain - Leadership
WARREN: The three wisest people that you would listen to.
McCAIN: General David Petraus. John Lewis. Meg Whitman (CEO of eBAY). In these economically challenging times, we need to call on folks like Whitman.
WARREN: What's been your greatest moral failure, and that of America?
McCAIN: My greatest moral failure, that of my first marriage. America: We don't always do what's best for the world (though we do that very well). We don't always serve causes greater than our own self-interest.
WARREN: A lot of good legislation dies because of partisanship. An example of when you led against your party's interest, and even your own, for the good of America.
McCain: Climate change, out of control spending, torture. The list goes on. But as a freshman on Congress, I did not support Reagan's mission to send troops to Beirut for peace-keeping. As you recall, it met a tragic end.
WARREN: A decision you've reversed in the last 10 years.
McCAIN: Offshore drilling. We've got to drill now, but we also need a comprehensive "all of the above" policy.
WARREN: A time you've made a difficult decision, and how you came to make it.
McCAIN: Saying no to early release in prison in North Vietnam. It took a lot of prayer.
Saddleback Civil Forum: Obama - America's Role in the World
WARREN: What's worth fighting for?
OBAMA: Our freedom....
WARREN: Genocide?
OBAMA: There is no hard and fast line. But in cases where ethnic cleansing is taking place, we should take action.
WARREN: 148 million orphans in the world. They don't need to be in an orphanage, they need to be in families. How about a President's emergency plan for orphans.
OBAMA: A great idea. Need to work with NGOs and put something together.
WARREN: Religious persecution.
OBAMA: We need to speak out and not pretend that it is taking place. We need to manage our relationship with countries like China (a trading partner, we don't want to go to war with them). We need to have a moral standing, by being a nation that abides by habias corpus and not torturing.
WARREN: There are 27 million in human trafficking.
OBAMA: This has to be a top priority. We've already seen bipartisan agreement. Need better tools for prosecuting those who perpetrate.
WARREN: In one minute, why do you want to be President.
OBAMA: Basic idea of empathy that my mother taught me. We're at a critical juncture. I want to build bridges across partisan lines to come up with good solutions to critical issues.
(Lots of applause -- which I thought was strange -- it was a wishy-washy answer.)
WARREN: What do you say to those who oppose me asking you these questions?
OBAMA: These are the kind of forums that we need. I want people to know me well. I'm sure McCain wants the same.
WARREN: What would you tell the American people if you knew there would be no repercussions?
OBAMA: Solving problems like energy are going to require a lot of us to make sacrifices and work together.
Saddleback Civil Forum: Comments on Obama
Since the transcript will soon available, I may restrict my comments here to reflections on how the interviews are going.
I believe Obama is struggling to give concise answers, and Warren seems to continually prod him to keep moving. I believe Obama twisted the truth when he said that he did not support gay marriages, but only civil unions (I've posted on this before). OK, they're back.
Update: Here's a letter that Obama wrote to Alice B. Toklas Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) Democratic Club's Pride Breakfast (scroll down a bit to find it). Though the letter is not dated, note that in the last paragraph Obama says, "I want to congratulate all of you who have shown your love for each other by getting married these last few weeks." So it was written after the May 15, 2008 CA Supreme Court decision. And the letter's language unmistakably marks Obama's support for gay marriage.
Saddleback Civil Forum: Obama - Worldview
WARREN: Belief in Jesus Christ. Tell us about it.
OBAMA: I believe Jesus is my personal Savior, who died for my sins. It imposes a sense of obligation to think about the "least of these", acting justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly. My faith gives me the confidence to try things.
WARREN: Abortion. 40 million abortions since Roe v. Wade. At what point does a baby get human rights?
OBAMA: I cannot answer that; "it is above my pay grade." There is a moral and ethical element to this issue. Anyone who denies them is not paying attention. I am pro-choice, I believe in Roe v. Wade. Why? Because I don't think women make these decisions easily. They agonize.
WARREN: Have you ever voted to reduce the number of abortions?
OBAMA: I support reducing late-term abortions, if there is an exception for the health of the mother. Let's support the health care and the support services so that women can avoid unwanted pregnancies.
WARREN: Define marriage.
OBAMA: One man one woman. But historically, we've not had a Constitutional amendment. I am not someone who supports same-sex marriage. I support civil unions.
WARREN: What about stem cells? Would you still support embryonic stem cell research, given the breakthrough of using adult stem cell lines?
OBAMA: Noted that he supported the bill that Bush vetoed. But that if we can use adult cells, that is good. People who approach this issue and want to do embryonic stem cell research aren't excitedly destroying embryos.
WARREN: Does evil exist? If so, what do we do with it?
OBAMA: Yes, in Darfur. On the streets. In parents who abuse their children. It is God's task to remove evil in the world. But we can be soldiers in that task. We need to have some humility in the way we approach evil.
WARREN: Which Supreme Court justice would you not have nominated?
OBAMA: Clarence Thomas. Scalia.
WARREN: What about John Roberts?
OBAMA: I personally like him, but his votes confirm the reasons why I did not vote for him. The Supreme Court needs to guard against the encroachment of the Executive branch against that of others.
WARREN: The role of faith-based organizations. 80% of Americans say faith-based organizations do a better job at social issues. But these groups are constitutionally allowed to hire people of their political persuasion.
OBAMA: I think faith-based organizations are good. In most cases, faith-based groups are careful about how they use the funds. We do need to make sure that federal funding is not used to discriminate, only the narrowly-focused program being funded.
WARREN: We're 19th in education, and 1st in incarcerations. Most Americans support merit pay. Do you?
OBAMA: All teachers should be paid more, but we should reward excellence.
WARREN: On taxes. Define rich: Give me a number.
OBAMA: If you make $150,000 or less as a family, you are middle class or poor. If you are making more than $250,000, you are doing very well. In the top 3-4% of this country. If we believe in good schools, good roads, etc. Then, we need to pay for these things. We cannot spend $10MM a month on a war and not pay for it. If you make less than $150K, you'll get a tax break. If you make more than $250K, you'll see a modest increase.
Saddleback Civil Forum: Obama - Leadership
Warren explained the groundules after a brief promo video on faith in America.
QUESTIONS ON LEADERSHIP
WARREN: Quoted some verses on listening and wisdom. Asked Obama for the three wisest people he relies upon.
OBAMA: Mentioned family, Sam Nunn, Tom Coburn. Importance of diversity in advisors.
WARREN: What is your greatest moral failure, and that of America?
OBAMA: Drug and alcohol use, and selfishness. Said Amercia still does not abide by Jesus' teaching of doing for the least of these what you would do unto Jesus.
WARREN: Asked about the common ground or the common good. Asked for an example of putting America ahead of self-interest and public policy.
OBAMA: Campaign ethics reform. It was probably not in my interest or that of Senator McCain. Also, not approving the war in Iraq in 2004.
WARREN: "What's the biggest change in policy position that Obama has made from 10 years ago?"
OBAMA: Welfare reform. I didn't think the bill President Clinton signed would work as well as it has. Need to have work as a center piece of any social policy. There is an intrinsic value of work.
WARREN: "What's the most gut wrenching decision you've ever had to make? And how did you process it?"
OBAMA: The decisions about supporting and/or funding Iraq. I gathered advice from many people and asked questions.
Saddleback Civil Forum: A Few Highlights (in Anticipation)
The media papers we were given note that, to the best of their knowledge, this is the first time a church pastor has ever moderated an event featuring the two major candidates for President. To avoid bias, the questions to both candidates will be identical, although the follow-up questions may differ. To ensure fairness, Senator McCain will not hear the questions during the first hour (not sure how that can be guaranteed, given that he is here with a rather large entourage).
A few details on the question categories:
STEWARDSHIP - The constitution, the role of government, education, and energy.
LEADERSHIP - Personal character, competence, convictions, and experience to be President
WORLDVIEW - Life, family, evil, freedom, Christianity, and Islam.
AMERICA'S ROLE IN THE WORLD - War, America's responsibility to bless other nations, poverty and disease, human rights, religious liberty, corruption, and vision for America.
Tomorrow morning Pastor Warren will deliver a message at Saddleback Church entitled "The Kind of Leadership America Needs". National news agencies have expressed interest in broadcasting it, but I've not heard if that is happening.
Saddleback Civil Forum: Question Categories
I have just arrived at the Saddleback Civil Forum. In our press kits we were provided with the categories of questions. There appear to be four equal blocks of time alloted to the following categories: stewardship, leadership, worldview, and America's role in the world. The questions will be presented first to Obama, and then to McCain. Apparently, each will appear separately with Rick Warren. At the very end, both candidates will appear on the stage together to exchange a brief handshake.
New R.C. Sproul Book, and More
Greg Bailey lists some of the excellent forthcoming titles from Reformation Trust Publishing, including a just-released expanded and updated version of Five Things Every Christian Needs to Grow by R.C. Sproul. I had the privilege of proofreading this book, and found it to be outstanding.
Read the Table of Contents and a Sample Chapter.
Saddleback Civil Forum: Transcripts will be available
I'm looking forward to attending the Saddleback Civil Forum later this afternoon.
Saddleback Civil Forum on the Presidency
DATE: Satuday, August 16, 2008
TIME: 8:00-10:00 P.M. ET / 7:00-9:00 P.M. CT / 5:00-7:00 P.M. PT
LOCATION: Saddleback Church (Lake Forest, Calif.)
We were told that wireless internet access would be available, so I plan to post some reflections in real-time. Also, a live transcript service is being used; check this link during the event to see transcripts and updates. You'll have to hit refresh button to get the latest information.
August 14, 2008
Saddleback Civil Forum: We Will Have Wireless
The Saddleback Civil Forum on The Presidency this Saturday (August 16) will be broadcast live on CNN, Fox News Channel and the DayStar network. By way of background, this is a two-hour event in which Pastor Rick Warren will interact with presidential candidates Senator John McCain and Senator Barack Obama. I will be in attendance (with a media pass), and they just confirmed that we will have wireless Internet available. So I'll plan on tossing up a post or two during the event.
August 11, 2008
Marriage/Singleness Message Given At Wellspring
I gave a message on Singleness and Marriage at Wellspring Church yesterday. I am very grateful for those of you who prayed for me. The message (now available in MP3 format) is in my ways a broad introduction to my book With One Voice (for which I've previously written this summary). Those interested in the book may also be interested in an