econtalk

Conversation with Pastor Rick

Ok, I admit I have been negligent in blogging since early this year, but I am getting fired up now with Pastor Rick Warren and Russia in the news. I have no complaints about Pastor Rick. The conversations he hosted with Obama and McCain were excellent and he elicited more useful responses from the candidates than more news reporters have in the many debates we have seen over the past years. The length of the conversations also was more helpful than most settings in getting a feel for the candidate's styles as well as positions on issues. So Pastor Rick was clearly the winner in this event!

What was a shock to me last night and this Sunday morning is the expressed perceptions of the normally level-headed talking heads in the media that McCain was so superior to Obama in this event. Were they watching a different show, or am I the only one who felt that Obama was indeed engaging Pastor Rick in a conversation on a wide range of issues and clearly demonstrated a thoughtful and calm perspective and a comfort with discussing his faith? Many commentators saw this as tentative and halting, while I saw it as sincere and reassuring. This was not a debate and Obama did not treat it as one, thought McCain clearly did. My take on McCain is that he was in full campaign mode trying to make sound bites and not really engaging in a conversation that revealed anything new about his character or his faith. Even most of the anecdotes were the same I have heard over and over again. And what was that about "I have been saved and forgiven-and that goes for the whole world"? It did not even make sense, that comment about the world. And "$5 million" is the cutoff for "rich"?? McCain did comment that may come back to haunt him. Most mere mortals would consider that cutoff to be much lower, and Obama's $250,000 seems more reasonable.

I would agree that McCain's sharp "black and white" positions and decisive responses helps to solidify his Base, but some of those positions would more likely turn off lots of moderate and independent voters. Meanwhile, Obama's style and calm demeanor helps to broaden his appeal and at least "dedemonize" him among evangelicals even gain support from those who are not single issue evangelicals. The most balanced discussion on this today was on the This Week show on ABC, but the others were totally lopsided and shortsighted in my view. I predict that in the longer run, this event will be to Obama's advantage not McCain's.

posted by econtalk @ 8:06 AM