'Each of the three people on stage at Saddleback Church succeeded in his objective.' -IRD Vice President Alan Wisdom
Contact: Loralei Coyle 202-682-4131, 202-905-6852 cell, lcoyle@ird-renew.org; Radio Interviews: Jeff Walton, jwalton@ird-renew.org
WASHINGTON, Aug. 18 /Christian Newswire/ -- On Saturday night presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama appeared with Pastor Rick Warren at Saddleback Church in Orange County, California. Warren, pastor of the 22,000-member megachurch, posed wide-ranging questions to each candidate during separate hour-long interviews. IRD Vice President Alan Wisdom gave his impressions later on Fox News.
Alan Wisdom, IRD Vice President for Research and Programs, commented:
"Each of the three men on stage at Saddleback Church succeeded in his distinct objective.
"Rick Warren presented a positive image of evangelicals as concerned about a range of issues, willing to listen to candidates from both parties, and able to address tough issues with civility.
"Barack Obama showed himself to be comfortable among evangelicals, able to appeal to them in a language of faith that they understand. Simply appearing at an evangelical megachurch alongside the GOP candidate was a big gain for Obama.
"John McCain effectively reminded the audience that he has clear conservative positions on a range of issues—from abortion and same-sex marriage to school choice, energy policy, and confronting Islamic extremism—that are much closer to where most evangelicals stand. Obama's more equivocal answers on these questions highlighted the substantive contrast between the candidates. Most evangelicals hold to a conservative political philosophy, and they are likely to end up voting for candidates who share that philosophy."
The Institute on Religion and Democracy, founded in 1981, is an ecumenical alliance of U.S. Christians working to reform their churches' social witness, in accord with biblical and historic Christian teachings, thereby contributing to the renewal of democratic society at home and abroad.
