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• On August 17, 2008, a civil forum and debate between Barack Obama and John McCain took place at the Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California. The presidential candidates discussed faith, religion, moral values and other issues. Rick Warren, a local pastor and religious leader, moderated the discussion. Some of the commentators described the debate as a victory for McCain, while others took a more cautious stance.The Moderate Voice: Did McCain Best Obama...? (August 17, 2008)

• Fast Facts

  1. McCain mentioned that his biggest moral faltering was the failure of his first marriagePolitico: Obama slams Thomas... (August 17, 2008)
  2. Obama said his biggest moral misstep was trying marijuanaPolitico: Obama slams Thomas... (August 17, 2008)
  3. Other debated issues: abortion, same-sex marriage and stem-cell research.
  4. The candidates exchanged a handshake and huggedLA Times: Obama, McCain discuss faith... (August 17, 2008)
  5. The debate was televised by three cable networksLA Times: Obama, McCain discuss faith... (August 17, 2008)
  6. 67% of white evangelical voters support McCain, 24% favor ObamaLA Times: Obama, McCain discuss faith... (August 17, 2008)
  7. Obama declared that he supports aborton rights, while McCain restated his pro-life positionPolitico: Obama slams Thomas... (August 17, 2008)
  8. McCain repeated his threat to chase Osama Bin Laden to the "gates of hell"LA Times: Obama, McCain discuss faith... (August 17, 2008)

• McCain's "Cross in the Dirt"

  McCain's "Cross in the Dirt" story details an experience McCain had as a POW during the Vietnam War. The story details a prison guard drawing a Christian cross in the dirt to symbolize his embracing of the Christmas season. After telling this story at Saddleback Church, several liberal blogs compared the story to a similar tale described in Alexander Solzhenitsyn's Gulag Archipelago.The Raw Story: Did McCain Ad Lift Cross...

• McCain's Supposed "Cone of Silence"

  Both candidates were questioned separately by Warren while the other candidate was supposed to be in a "cone of silence"— a soundproof location where they could not hear their rival's responses. On August 17, 2008, Warren confirmed in a CNN interview that McCain had been in his motorcade during Obama's questioning and thus could have theoretically heard Obama's responses ahead of time.

• Quotes

  "I know that I don't walk alone, and I know that if I can get myself out of the way that I can maybe carry out in some small way what he intends." —Barack ObamaLA Times: Obama, McCain discuss faith... (August 17, 2008)

  "We've got to drill now. We've got to drill here."—John McCainLA Times: Obama, McCain discuss faith... (August 17, 2008)

• Related Mahalo Pages

  Presidential Elections 2008 | Christianity | Barack Obama | John McCain | Presidential Candidates 2008

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