Pastor Warren Misleading His Evangelical Audience?
Did Pastor Warren (seen above-m) help presumptive Republican nominee John McCain (seen above-l), during last Saturday's Civil Forum at a church in Orange County, California?
Allegedly, interviewer Pastor Warren told his Evangelical audience that Senator McCain was in a cone of silence in a backroom and couldn't hear his interview with Senator Obama. However, John McCain wasn't in any backroom within the church building but yet was in a vehicle on the way to the forum and could have heard the interview on the car radio.
This stirred media frenzy with questions of, "Did Pastor Warren lie for John McCain, so he could prepare himself before the interview?"
This stirred media frenzy with questions of, "Did Pastor Warren lie for John McCain, so he could prepare himself before the interview?"
Barack Obama and John McCain shook hands and hugged, officially signifying the beginning of their first public appearance together since their presidential campaigns took off. Watching the body language of both candidates during the debate showdown and listening intently to their words, I must admit, I was anxious to finally see the 2 senators together so that I could examine the interaction between them.
Barack Obama answered questions ranging from abortion, faith, 
same-sex marriage, and wealth among other topics. Senator Obama was thoughtful in his approach and mannerism, and you could tell he really thought hard about his answers. He gave detailed descriptions for just about every question asked of him and from the debate I learned that Obama is pro-choice, he believes evil exists, and he's committed to solving America's energy problem.
Pastor Warren asked Senator Obama, "What America's moral failure was as well as the failures in his life."
President-elect Obama pulled moments from his past experiences, speaking of his difficult childhood growing up with a single mother and no father. He spoke of past drug and drinking issues during his teenage years when he struggled the most to understand who he really was and where he belonged in the world. Obama commented that he was so "selfish and dissatisfied" with himself, that he couldn't focus on others.
The Illinois senator then stated that America's moral failure, "Is not abiding by the rule of helping your fellow brother in regards to slavery, poverty, racism, sexism, and people left with no opportunities."
same-sex marriage, and wealth among other topics. Senator Obama was thoughtful in his approach and mannerism, and you could tell he really thought hard about his answers. He gave detailed descriptions for just about every question asked of him and from the debate I learned that Obama is pro-choice, he believes evil exists, and he's committed to solving America's energy problem. Pastor Warren asked Senator Obama, "What America's moral failure was as well as the failures in his life."
President-elect Obama pulled moments from his past experiences, speaking of his difficult childhood growing up with a single mother and no father. He spoke of past drug and drinking issues during his teenage years when he struggled the most to understand who he really was and where he belonged in the world. Obama commented that he was so "selfish and dissatisfied" with himself, that he couldn't focus on others.
The Illinois senator then stated that America's moral failure, "Is not abiding by the rule of helping your fellow brother in regards to slavery, poverty, racism, sexism, and people left with no opportunities."
The same question was posed to Senator McCain who commented on his failure with his first marriage. His first wife Carol McCain was a supermodel and when John McCain left to serve in the Navy, his wife ended up in a life changing car accident that altered her figure and appearance. When McCain arrived back home to find his bride not in the condition he left her, as a result, he cheated on her. He then met his current wife Cindy while in Hawaii and discovered she was an heiress to a billion dollar beer company, in which her father had strong political connections to help John further his career. McCain forgot about his wife Carol and pursued Cindy; in Cindy's words "John traveled all over the country to be with me."
Senator McCain then answered what America's moral failure was and stated that, "America's failure is not devoting ourselves to causes greater then our self-interest. During 9-11 instead of telling Americans to go shopping, we should have told Americans to join the Peace Corp, the military and volunteer. This is not about you, you have to serve a great cause better then yourselves."
I was shocked when John McCain didn't mention slavery as America's biggest moral failure, so African Americans better not look for an apology regarding slavery should he become president.
Both presidential candidates were asked, "What was the most gut wrenching decision they ever had to make?"
Senator Obama replied, "Opposing the war was a serious decision because there just wasn't enough evidence that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction."
Both presidential candidates were asked, "What was the most gut wrenching decision they ever had to make?"
Senator Obama replied, "Opposing the war was a serious decision because there just wasn't enough evidence that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction."
Senator McCain replied, "Long ago and faraway in a prison camp in Vietnam, I was told I could leave prison early. I said no and stayed and the high ranking officer told me to go back to my cell and that it would be very tough on me now."
Through the entire forum it would seem that John McCain, only had military experiences to refer to. I assume he consistently harps on this point as a way of showing that he's more knowledgeable regarding wars than his opponent.
But did you catch McCain's fairytale opening?!
Pastor Warren asked both candidates to "define rich."
Senator Obama made a joke that if you sell over 25 million books, that constitutes you as being rich; of course referring to Pastor Warrens' record breaking sells of his book, The Purpose Driven Life. Obama went on to say that "If you make between 200-250 thousand dollars you may not be living on easy street, but your doing well."
Senator McCain's long-winded response prompted Pastor Warren to ask him for a ball park figure when defining rich, with McCain stating “Some of the richest people I’ve ever known in my life are the most unhappy. I think that rich is — should be defined by a home, a good job and education and the ability to hand to our children a more prosperous and safer world than the one that we inherited. I don’t want to take any money from the rich. I want everybody to get rich. I don’t believe in class warfare or redistribution of the wealth. But I can tell you for example there are small businessmen and women who are working 16 hours a day, seven days a week that some people would classify as, quote, ‘rich,’ my friends, who want to raise their taxes and raise their payroll taxes.
Senator Obama made a joke that if you sell over 25 million books, that constitutes you as being rich; of course referring to Pastor Warrens' record breaking sells of his book, The Purpose Driven Life. Obama went on to say that "If you make between 200-250 thousand dollars you may not be living on easy street, but your doing well."
Senator McCain's long-winded response prompted Pastor Warren to ask him for a ball park figure when defining rich, with McCain stating “Some of the richest people I’ve ever known in my life are the most unhappy. I think that rich is — should be defined by a home, a good job and education and the ability to hand to our children a more prosperous and safer world than the one that we inherited. I don’t want to take any money from the rich. I want everybody to get rich. I don’t believe in class warfare or redistribution of the wealth. But I can tell you for example there are small businessmen and women who are working 16 hours a day, seven days a week that some people would classify as, quote, ‘rich,’ my friends, who want to raise their taxes and raise their payroll taxes.
Let’s have — keep taxes low. Let’s give every family in America a 7 thousand tax credit for every child they have. Let’s give them a 5 thousand refundable tax credit to go out and get the health insurance of their choice. Let’s not have the government take over the health care system in America.So I think if you’re just talking about income, how about 5 million. But seriously, I don’t think you can — I don’t think, seriously that — the point is that I’m trying to make here seriously — and I’m sure that comment will be distorted, but the point is — the point is — the point is that we want to keep people’s taxes low and increase revenues. And my friend, it was not taxes that mattered in America in the last several years. It was spending. Spending got completely out of control. We spent money in a way that mortgaged our kids futures. My friends, we spent 3 million of your money to study the DNA of bears in Montana. Now I don’t know if that was a paternity issue or a criminal issue, but the point is — but the point is it was 3 million of your money. It was your money.
And you know, we laugh about it, but we cry and we should cry because the Congress is supposed to be careful stewards of your tax dollars. So what did they just do in the middle of an energy crisis when in California we are paying 4 dollars a gallon for gas, went on vacation for five weeks. I guarantee you, two things they never miss, a pay raise and a vacation. And we should stop that and call them back and not raise your taxes. We should not and cannot raise taxes in tough economic times. So it doesn’t matter really what my definition of rich is because I don’t want to raise anybody’s taxes.”
Wow! Long answer right? And how does McCain expect everyone to become rich if he continues to follow George W. Bush's policies, which gives tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans, big oil companies, and lobbyists?
Wow! Long answer right? And how does McCain expect everyone to become rich if he continues to follow George W. Bush's policies, which gives tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans, big oil companies, and lobbyists?
CNN reporter Larry King interviewed Pastor Warren, asking if
he helped McCain to cheat during the Civil Forum?
Pastor Warren of course wouldn't admit to such a thing that would make him look like a hypocrite, so while Larry King asked his questions Warren fumbled, stuttered, and hesitated through just about all of them. Watching Warren stumble over his words,made me feel as if he were lying. He couldn't seem to give a straight answer without taking us all around the mulberry bush, which is the same strategy of John McCain when attempting to avoid questions.
Pastor Warren of course wouldn't admit to such a thing that would make him look like a hypocrite, so while Larry King asked his questions Warren fumbled, stuttered, and hesitated through just about all of them. Watching Warren stumble over his words,made me feel as if he were lying. He couldn't seem to give a straight answer without taking us all around the mulberry bush, which is the same strategy of John McCain when attempting to avoid questions.
Larry King asked Pastor Warren, "Did you know Senator McCain was not in the green room, but in a car on the way to the forum?"
Pastor Warren responsed, "I didn't know he wasn't in the green room, secret service was with him the whole time. McCain was put in a building completely separate from the church. There is a TV in the room McCain was in, but I had someone disconnect the television two days ago, so McCain couldn't have watched the television."
Pastor Warren responsed, "I didn't know he wasn't in the green room, secret service was with him the whole time. McCain was put in a building completely separate from the church. There is a TV in the room McCain was in, but I had someone disconnect the television two days ago, so McCain couldn't have watched the television."
How
does Pastor Warren know that McCain didn't plug the TV back in to watch it? And
If McCain wasn't in the room but in a car, how could Pastor Warren make the
assumption that he knew McCain was in the building, knew who he was with,
and that he was in the exact room of the unplugged television?
Larry
King went on to ask Warren was he surprised that John McCain, didn't mention
slavery as America's greatest moral failure?
Warren responded, "I was very surprised he didn't mention it. But if you saw, his eyes teared up when he talked about his marriage, the war with Georgia in Russia and......and.....ummm...what else did he tear up about? Oh I forgot what it was.....oh yea....he teared up when Mother Teresa, recommended to him that he adopt an orphan."
What does McCain tearing up over other issues, have to do with him not mentioning America's greatest sin? It was extremely interesting that Pastor Warren took time out to personally let Americans know in case they didn't catch it, that Senator McCain teared up. I did watch McCain as a-matter-of-fact, and I can't say that I saw a glisten in his eyes. Mr. Warren you can't compare a marriage one chose to destroy, to the atrocities of slavery. Sorry, try again.
During conversation with King, Pastor Warren stated he gave 90 percent of his book earnings to charity. But after he said those very words he became a bit hesitant as if he didn't mean to really say it. Immediately after Warren's words slipped out King asked him did he really "give 90 percent of his earnings to charity?"
Pastor Warren sat with his mouth open, unable to answer the question, but eventually he said yes. After the interview I'm almost sure that Warren's first phone call was to his accountant asking him to edit a few things. After all, you can't be a pastor and get caught in a lie, right?
2008 LA
Warren responded, "I was very surprised he didn't mention it. But if you saw, his eyes teared up when he talked about his marriage, the war with Georgia in Russia and......and.....ummm...what else did he tear up about? Oh I forgot what it was.....oh yea....he teared up when Mother Teresa, recommended to him that he adopt an orphan."
What does McCain tearing up over other issues, have to do with him not mentioning America's greatest sin? It was extremely interesting that Pastor Warren took time out to personally let Americans know in case they didn't catch it, that Senator McCain teared up. I did watch McCain as a-matter-of-fact, and I can't say that I saw a glisten in his eyes. Mr. Warren you can't compare a marriage one chose to destroy, to the atrocities of slavery. Sorry, try again.
During conversation with King, Pastor Warren stated he gave 90 percent of his book earnings to charity. But after he said those very words he became a bit hesitant as if he didn't mean to really say it. Immediately after Warren's words slipped out King asked him did he really "give 90 percent of his earnings to charity?"
Pastor Warren sat with his mouth open, unable to answer the question, but eventually he said yes. After the interview I'm almost sure that Warren's first phone call was to his accountant asking him to edit a few things. After all, you can't be a pastor and get caught in a lie, right?
