Saturday, August 16, 2008

McCain, Obama and the Great Equalizer....

Well, OK, not really. I feel like I'm being bombarded by Rick Warren. Friday, while waiting an unbelievable amount of time for my doctor's appointment, I read an article in Time about RW - very interesting, intriguing... I then came home to an email invitation to hear RW speak in NYC. Then later I heard about this interview! YIKES!

I thought it said something in that article about him wanting to focus on more unifying topics, not "sin" oriented ones. I'm pretty sure that's not so much what happened tonight, but I can still appreciate the questions.

I missed the first 15 minutes of Obama - bummer - and I wasn't really surprised by anything after that he said. Several months ago I watched the same type of forum at Wheaton College, and his answers are basically the same. The question running through my mind, however, was, "Is this what he really believes? thinks? or is he trying to figure out how to answer this question for this audience?" I guess in some way, I wasn't really feeling much authenticity. Just a little more wishy-washy than I prefer. Some of his answers seemed a bit contradictory (states should be left to define what marriage is but government can define who is "rich") and others he hit right on the nose (can't think of an example!).

McCain sort of surprised me, and while many of his answers resonate with me, I wish he had let RW finish asking the questions! There were definitely a few in there that he didn't answer, and I would love to know what he thinks about teacher salaries based on merit. I have to admit, I felt a little more secure following someone who thinks like my dad, older, wiser, more experienced. I think McCain is fascinating, he's comfortable in his skin, he's willing to make tough decisions even when they don't benefit him. He seems to have a story to tell for everything to illustrate a point, and when all is said and done, you know more about him, the way he thinks, the way his heart leads...

As for the Christian aspect, Obama felt a need to express the way he sees his Christianity and what it means to him but not to express his views on other religions, their legitimacy or force in the world. This could be a purposeful elimination so as not to allow any of his remarks to be used against him - understandable. McCain didn't feel that same need to keep reiterating what he believes. Maybe it was clear to the audience? Who knows, but I did pick up on that difference, still processing it.

Up to this point, I have not really been interested in voting, although I feel like it's an exercise of freedom, so I'm sure I'll vote. More events like this will help, but I sort of expected more from RW. I'm not sure what, but I guess more futuristic, more about a vision these men have and not so much what they believe. We kind of already know what they believe. I'm glad they both agreed to do this and I hope they are each happy with the ideas they were able to express.

My one question. Most of the media reported that the audience was mostly evangelical Christian, but I'm wondering if that is really so. Did you need tickets for this event? Was there some kind of selection to be chosen to be in the audience? Were most of the audience, in fact, from Saddleback?? I'll have to check into that. It almost appeared to me to be pretty split.

Finally, if I were choosing a president who I thought would really work bipartisanly, across the aisle, for the good of all Americans, I'd have to choose McCain. I don't believe for one second that Obama is interested in doing anything "republican" at all. The whole "everything in the past 8 years is wrong" just doesn't sit with me - I just don't see that at all. For real, that guy scares me. Personally, I'd rather not live in a country that is run by Obama, his wife, his grandmother and a Kennedy. It's a bit too dictatorial for me! I mean, isn't that what the Clintons did? (I'm just way too conservative, and I should stop right now!) What I really want for president is someone who is truly different. I'm thinking not republican or democrat at this point. I just wish that person would show their face sometime before Nov. 4! And no, I wouldn't vote for Rick Warren! LOL

No comments: