The Evangelical-driven Night

Well, I'm jumping between the Olympics (which right now consists of the Women's Marathon--btw, do competitors typically drop like flies during World Class Marathon competitions?) and Rick Warren's Presidential Forum.

I was kind of surprised to hear that people were paying up to $2,000 for a ticket to the event . . . then I read <a href="http://www.ocregister.com/articles/church-tickets-saddleback-2122308-members-ross">that EVERYone had to pay</a>. Then I was surprised--despite all the hype about Obama's purported entree to Evangelicals, to see a standing ovation when Obama made his appearance, not to mention when people applauded--mid answer, Obama's circuitous (as all his answers were) reply to some "social issue" question.

I had assumed that this was more of a Saddleback event than simply an event staged in Saddleback facilities. I would have preferred--and I generally prefer, debates that don't have live studio audiences. I'm not sure what I think about that, and I'm not sure I agree with Saddleback using this event to raise $$.

I must admit I didn't watch the entire event, but several other things occurred to me as I watched, all related to the candor of the candidates. Both men face a challenge of wooing skeptical Evangelicals, and I think that McCain's forthrightness will be a serious asset in a campaign against a personality like Obama. Warren asked for names of the three wisest counselors he had and he gave three. Obama's answer was, shall we say, less than forthright, though I was disappointed that he did not attempt to rehabilitate Rev. Jeremiad Wright as he did his grandmother.

Obama's Clarence Thomas answer was also disingenuous. Based on his follow-up, Liberally-obligatory swipe at Scalia, Obama seems to think that Thomas is not intelligent enough (lacks "intellectual brilliance") to be a Supreme Court justice. It was a knee-jerk jab at Thomas and indisputably ironic in light of Obama's bid to be president . . . as Obama said, he's "been on the stump a long time" . . . 140 days after becoming a U.S. Senator.

One other seemingly disingenuous statement I heard from Obama was his statement about being concerned about the election (I think): "As a person of faith, I believe things will work out and we will get the president we need." That is a smooth answer for the Evangelical target demo, but I'm guessing Obama thinks God was out to lunch each time Dubya was elected?