Candidates Score in Pastor Rick-a-thon

Warrren's examination of candidates' faith was absolutely un-American

(NEWSER) - Discussion of whether John McCain or Barack Obama "won" Saturday’s Saddleback inquisition misses the point, Kathleen Parker writes in the Washington Post. When the presidential candidates are publicly interrogated on their beliefs by a minister, even one as exemplary as Rick Warren, the only winner is the minister—and the biggest loser is America. More»

(NEWSER) - The presidential candidates will put their spiritual views on display tomorrow night, appearing with Rick Warren, the country's most popular pastor, at his megachurch in California. The back-to-back 1-hour interviews are clear signs of both the importance of religion in the campaign and the emergence of a new type of evangelical preacher, the Christian Science Monitor reports. More»

Warren lures both candidates to Orange County

(NEWSER) - Influential evangelical pastor Rick Warren has scored the first joint appearance by Barack Obama and John McCain. The presidential candidates will spend just a few minutes on stage together at Warren's Saddleback Church next month between back-to-back interviews with the pastor. It will be the country’s first look at both candidates in one place, the LA Times reports. More»

Obama 'has given faith more thought and reflection,' Cizik writes

(NEWSER) - The presidential race is a contest between different sets of philosophy, writes Richard Cizik, president of the National Association of Evangelicals. In an NAE newsletter, Cizik says Barack Obama is “a thinker who sees the grays in ethical choices” while McCain opts for the “clarity of moral opposites”—and that Obama “has given faith more thought and reflection” than McCain. More»

Answers match personal wealth, tax proposals

(NEWSER) - If there was a "gotcha" question in Saddleback Pastor Rick Warren's interviews with the presidential candidates Saturday, it was asking them each to take a shot at defining "rich." Barack Obama said people making more than $250,000 per year. John McCain went with $5 million—a figure he immediately regretted—"I'm sure that comment will be distorted," he added—and his campaign later claimed was a joke. More»