Byron York explains How McCain Won Saddleback
In an unusual setting, his experience overwhelmed Obama.
This was not your usual political TV show. Warren — Pastor Rick, around here — asked big questions, about big subjects; he wasn’t concerned about what appeared on the front page of that morning’s Washington Post. And his simple, direct, big questions brought out something we don’t usually see in a presidential face-off; in this forum, as opposed to a read-the-prompter speech, or even a debate focused on the issues of the moment, the candidates were forced to call on everything they had — the things they have done and learned throughout their lives. And the fact is, John McCain has lived a much bigger life than Barack Obama. That’s not a slam at Obama; McCain has lived a much bigger life than most people. But it still made Obama look small in comparison. McCain was the clear winner of the night.
Then there’s Obama’s above his pay grade waffle. York explains:
Finally, there was the question of abortion. In the days leading up to the forum, pro-lifers had been worried that Warren was not going to include a question on the issue, focusing instead on things like poverty, AIDS, and the “new” evangelical agenda. But Warren brought it up, simple and straight. “At what point does a baby get human rights, in your view?” he asked Obama.
“Well, I think that whether you are looking at it from a theological perspective or a scientific perspective, answering that question with specificity, you know, is above my pay grade,” Obama answered. “But let me just speak more generally about the issue of abortion because this is something obviously the country wrestles with. One thing that I’m absolutely convinced of is there is a moral and ethical content to this issue. So I think that anybody who tries to deny the moral difficulties and gravity of the abortion issue, I think, is not paying attention. So that would be point number one.” Obama went on to say that he is pro-choice. Even for people who agreed with him, it wasn’t a terribly impressive answer.
An hour later, when Warren asked McCain the same thing, he got this: “At the moment of conception. I have a 25-year pro-life record in the Congress, in the Senate, and as president of the United States, I will be a pro-life president and this presidency will have pro-life policies.”
“Okay — we don’t have to go longer on that one,” Warren said, quickly moving on.
Obama had nothing to win on the question; if anything, he seemed wary of saying something that might anger his pro-choice base. But McCain had a lot at stake with this group, and his answer seemed to settle the concerns of social conservatives who have been rattled by reports that he might be considering a pro-choice running mate. While many evangelicals have softened on the issue of gay marriage, they wanted to hear a solid, clear statement from McCain on abortion. “Abortion and marriage are still pivotal issues…but I think that abortion is probably more pivotal than marriage,” Marlys Popma, the Iowa social conservative who is now McCain’s national coordinator for evangelical issues, told me after the forum. “Abortion is still very, very solid with this group, even the younger ones [who are more liberal on marriage]. Life is a real delineating factor.”
Nice Deb posts the videos:
Obama:
McCain:
Nice Deb shreds to ribbons Obama’s statements. Make sure to read her post.
Obama’s immoral objection to the legislation protecting infants who survive abortion is particularly troublesome. And this campaign realizes it. Obama has lied about his opposing the bill, even when the law clearly stated that it only applied to infants born alive:
Obama himself lied about the bill he torpedoed in 2003 that would have required medical providers to give normal medical attention to infants born alive during an abortion.
David Fredosso exposes Obama’s defense of infanticide.
LaShawn Barber takes Obama to task over his use of “the least of my brothers” (Matthew 25)
The Unborn: The Least of My Brothers
With a straight face, Obama chastised others for not abiding by the precepts of Matthew 25, when he had a chance to do the same and failed. For example, instead of choosing to protect and care for the least of his brothers, the unborn, by supporting a bill that would protect those born alive after failed abortion attempts, he voted against the bill. (Obama can’t keep straight his reasons for voting against the bill. Also see Life Lies.)
Who among us is more vulnerable and needy than an infant, unborn or otherwise? Obama the “Christian” said he would not yield when it comes to a woman’s right to have her baby slaughtered.
To Obama, America’s “greatest moral failure” isn’t that babies are murdered; it’s that our “wealthy and powerful” country isn’t giving more money to the poor. (See Carol Platt Liebau’s comment on that.) Never mind that Americans give billions of dollars in charity each year, uncoerced by the government.
Since McCain clearly came out ahead on that debate, now Andrea Mitchell and the NYT claim that it was because McCain cheated, i.e., Mitchell and the NYT are repeating the Obama campaign’s spin. Betsy nails it:
Mitchell also seems to be missing how illuminating that whispered accusation is. They’re at the same time revealing how badly they think their guy did; how impossible it seems to them that their guy could do worse than the old guy; and how little they think of Rick Warren and the Saddleback Church.
The McCain campaign is protesting NBC’s coverage. By accusing McCain, the Obama campaign, Mitchell and the NYT are handing McCain a a huge strategic advantage.
But hey, the Obamamessiah believers can’t see their candidate ever being wrong. Denny has the YouTube:
