Saddleback forum

I am easily frustrated by politics. I'm not very excited about election '08. But, I am excited about this event.

Rick Warren, Pastor of Saddleback Church (Lake Forest, CA) is hosting a Civil Forum on the Presidency. It will be held Saturday, August 16, 5-7 PM-PST, 8-10 PM-EST. It is to be broadcast live on CNN, or on the Internet at http://www.saddlebackcivilforum.com/. Several Moody radio stations will also be carrying it live. I'm sure it will be rebroadcast over the Internet, if you miss the actual live event.

This is NOT a debate. Pastor Warren will spend an hour interviewing each candidate, individually. Per a coin toss, Sen. Obama will be the first guest. To avoid an advantage, Sen. McCain will not be able to hear Sen. Obama's questions/answers. The questions for both candidates will be the same, or very similar, and will be presented by Pastor Warren. The questions will cover 5 categories: Leadership, World view, Stewardship, International compassion, and Vision.

I applaud Pastor Warren for taking on this responsibility and I am happy that both candidates have agreed to appear. I am not impressed with political debates, but I think this is a much more productive format. I think it will be a good opportunity to learn more about each candidate without the confrontation of a debate.