McCain, Obama to share stage
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/07/21/art.split.gi.jpg caption="McCain and Obama will share the same stage."](CNN) - John McCain and Barack Obama will share a stage next month, shortly before officially claiming their parties’ presidential nominations.
Both men will appear at a forum at Pastor Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church August 16 – and briefly appear on stage together before being interviewed separately by the “Purpose-Driven Life” author.
“This is a critical time for our nation and the American people deserve to hear both candidates speak from the heart – without interruption – in a civil and thoughtful format absent the partisan ‘gotcha’ questions that typically produce heat instead of light,” said Warren in a statement released Monday.
He added that he viewed both men as friends, but “they also know I will be raising questions… beyond what political reporters typically ask,” including issues like climate change, human rights, poverty and HIV/AIDS.
The Saddlebrook forum will be co-sponsored by Faith in Public Life, which co-organized a similar event with CNN at Messiah College in advance of the Pennsylvania primary.
Barack Obama’s campaign has made an ambitious effort – unprecedented from a Democratic White House hopeful - to reach religious voters this campaign cycle. "Senator Obama has consistently been one of our nation's leaders in addressing the role of faith in his own life and the lives of the American people,” said Josh Dubois, National Director of Religious Affairs for the Obama campaign. “He's looking forward to going back to Saddleback with his good friend Pastor Rick Warren - where he already spoke in 2006 - to talk about the role of values in solving some of our nation's most pressing challenges, and what all Americans can do to bridge religious divides and move our country forward.”
John McCain – whose campaign has worked hard to hold on to conservative Christians who typically vote Republican – got a major boost Sunday with the news that long-time critic James Dobson of Focus on the Family was weighing an endorsement of the presumptive Republican nominee.
“John McCain has a strong record of working on the issues that are important with pro-family voters,” said McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds of the Arizona senator’s decision to participate in the August forum. “Our campaign is working diligently to build even greater support for Senator McCain’s message of reform, prosperity and peace – so we are encouraged by signals of additional supporters and new venues for our conversation with voters.”
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Mike, TX. Try to stop to be interesting because criticizing my comment and the comment of different people in the previous article prove that you are pathetic. I was just joking but why are you speaking you don't even no nothing.
Yeah I am French and doest it mean that I am irrelevant ?
Thank you
Looser and joker
Senator McCain will have a lot to answer for .
misjudgements and following party lines .Arizona land deals.
lobbyist that were part of deregulation of banking laws.voting along with Bush to allow UAE to have control of our maritime ports..
2 million dollars of investment in Sudan oil companies ,directly linked to providing Al Qaeda funds.going against Webb ammendment to the Gi bill flip flopping on that after you saw how damaging it was to your poll numbers.
not the kind of true leadership and experience we need. for our country , during these tough times.
Change 08
now you mcsame supporters will see how stupid your candate is. since he wont' have lieberman to correct him when he messes up. the only thing he knows about is war. WAR IS NOT THE ANSWER.
Good move. It's about time dems learnt to appeal and aggressively court those value voters. Does anyone doubt that if McCain were to trade some of his family background (divorced, not a church goer, etc.) with Obama that McCain would not be 10 points ahead and probably headed for an easy victory? Repubs would have smeared Obama and paint ed him in the worst possible light - playboy, dead beat, heathen, you name it . But amazingly dems are too proper to win in such a down and dirty way.
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Good things from now
We are going to fallow the debate in Europe between the war monger called by the democrat and the empty suit called by the GOP. Mc cain you should buy you a brain, take some medication to be awake because this is not the primary and you are going to be clashed this time.
By the way you shouldn't think that you deserve to be president just because you have been persecuted.
Hom many soldiers like Rambo have been kidnapped and tortured in Iraq since the war. Does all of them have the qualities to be the next us president? joker
Regarding you Obama you should carry on like you did in the different debates that you had with hillary, however try to smile a bit but look serious most of time because the media portray you as a rock star and someone who just want the fame.
Also be ready to have some surprised questions by the GOP.
In Europe we don't want an other republican, we are to tired of this.
The GOP don't like to use diplomatic actions. Its only since their fear of obama that they try to use diplomatic actions against Iran or other country.
We don’t say anything but we fear mc cain because he is a war monger.
Thank you cnn
Bad news for McCain. Would you want to be speaking before a LIVE audience with Obama speaking at the same event? This will be like combining the Lawrence Welk show with LIVE 8. Which do you think will look better?
Good Luck Obama I hope you've practiced on your debating skills
Please don't make a fool of yourself!!
Try to keep your teeth in John, you old goat.
I agree with Phil.
Well – I'm sure you'll do much better against McCain then you did against Hillary.
Play it safe – you definitely are smarter than a 5th grader!
OMG!!! I cannot believe that the old, white, pale Irish guy wants to be seen next to the young, tanned, energetic looking biracial guy! The man has guts! I'll give him that. And some Metimucil if he needs it
Rick Warren is a staunch Republican who pretends he's neutral. I don't know how well this will work. The deck is stacked against Barack. We'll see.
President Bush ranted and raved all during his Campaign about the close relationship he had with his God. He wasn't Pres a year till he Shocked and Awed Iraq nearly out of existence. He choose bombs vs. dialogue. I'm sure God had no place in that conversation. It was George talking to George. I say lets hear what Obama and McSame have to say. I"d like to know before they get to Office if Christian is just a name like it was for Bush or if they really walk the walk and talk the talk. We sure could use some Undenomination Christian Principles given our world today.
Question: Do these guys really want to take a chance appearing at a religious gathering seeing as how preachers just don't tend to work out in either of their favors? Hope they're both vetting the people they'll be seen on-stage with.
I don't know, Orange County, CA is pretty racist. I hope Barack's team knows what it's doing.
While Michelle is in etiquette school Barack can ask Hillary for a few tips at debating as well.
Sure hope they ask McCain about his minister so we can go through 30 years of his sermons with a fine-tooth comb. McCain does have one? Sure! I mean he must. Certainly he wouldn't be a hypocrite who criticizes his opponent's religion without having one himself. Of course not.
Obama = Jimmy Carter
Everyone will regret voting for Obama, just like with Carter.
People will wonder why they ever bought into his empty promises.
when they are on stage you can tell them apart. Obama will be the one who is awake.
"upik1 July 21st, 2008 4:08 pm ET
Where's McCain's flag pin?
Good catch. OMG, McCain's a Muslim Terrorist!!! How unpatriotic! He hates America!"
This just in, It is true that Obama is a Patriot he is a wearing a flag pin, McCain is not because he is not wearing one. Lets burn him at the stake until he does.
With McCain not knowing sects in the Middle East; economy not is major skill, computer illiterate, oil drilling as his only answer to high oil prices and his belief that Pakistan and Iraq share a border THIS SHOULD BE FUN - I can't wait - don't forget the popcorn this is gonna be a blow out.
That church is not very inviting for liberals, I mean with all it's talk of saving the world, it's not a great place to worship.
I hope Senator Obama will be our next president!
Dan, this in no way forces religion on anyone. There are many religious people in the country and they deserve to have their questions and concerns addressed same as everyone else. And for the record, I'm an atheist.
I just read McSame's op-ed that the NYT rejected. I understand why they rejected it. They also said they would be happy to print a true plan of McSame's if he rewrote his op-ed.
His op-ed that was rejected, was nothing more than an attack on Obama. No plan of his own, just that Obama was wrong about this or that. the same old attack the other guy and offer nothing of your own, no ides, no plan, just attacks. But then again, if you have no plan, then attack is all you have.
Poor John McSame, he just doesn't get it. You have offer a plan, an idea, an alternative.
I see a Landslide coming in November.