LAKE FOREST, Calif. — In their most direct effort yet to court people of faith, Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain will make their first joint appearance of the campaign in August at Rick Warren’s megachurch, Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif.
Warren’s Saddleback Civil Forum on Leadership and Compassion, co-sponsored by the non-partisan group Faith in Public Life, will focus on wider moral issues rather than policy, and give both candidates an opportunity to make their pitch to religious voters.
At the event, part of an ongoing series of forums hosted by Warren’s church, the two candidates will field questions from Warren for one hour apiece Aug. 16.
Warren, whose “Purpose-Driven Life” books have sold more than 25 million copies, will be the sole moderator of the event, although he will solicit input from Muslim and Jewish leaders from Faith in Public Life. In a July 20 statement, Warren said his questions will focus less on matters of policy and more on broader, personal issues.
“The primaries proved that Americans care deeply about the faith, values, character and leadership convictions of candidates as much as they do about the issues,” Warren said. “While I know both men as friends and they recognize I will be frank, but fair, they also know I will be raising questions … beyond what reporters typically ask.”
Share with others: