by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright August 17, 2008
All Rights Reserved.            

           Stepping into a minefield, presumptive Democratic nominee Sen. Barack Obama (D-Il.) returned from his Hawaiian vacation, facing questions from charismatic pastor Rick Warren of the Saddleback Church in Lake Forrest, Calif.  Warren questioned both candidates individually about God, faith and country.  Asked whether human life began at conception, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.)  agreed, touting his pro-life credentials.  Barack, on the other hand, told Warren, “It’s beyond my pay grade,” sidestepping the issue of when life begins.  McCain was unambiguous declaring human life begins at conception.  “As president I will be a pro-life president and this president will have pro-life policies,” said McCain, receiving cheers from the largely pro-life audience.  Barack passed up a perfect opportunity to tell Warren it’s inappropriate for a president to impose his personal views in the Oval Office.

          In holding a “values forum,” Warren gave both candidates the chance to speak to evangelicals, the same group that helped sweep President George W. Bush into office for two terms.  Since the late President Ronald Reagan ran for president in 1980, the religious right has voted consistently for candidates asserting human life begins at conception.  Whether a candidate believes it or not should have no effect in their presidential policy.  Reagan, and more recently George W. Bush, sought a litmus test for picking federal judges, namely, opposing abortion.  For McCain to declare he’d be a “pro-life president” crosses the line between church and state.  Warren asked both candidates their definition of marriage, as if it’s the president’s job to usurp state rights.  Whether it’s abortion or “gay marriage,” a president should keep his personal opinions out of the White House.

          Saddleback Church showed great approval for McCain’s position on abortion and gay marriage.  Warren showed no interest in national security, the economy or foreign policy that has pushed the U.S. the closest since the 1962 “Cuban Missile Crisis” to a confrontation with Russia.  Warren showed no interest in national health care, balancing the federal budget or fixing the sick economy.  Both candidates fell into the trap of pandering to a group that places higher priority on a Constitutional amendment banning abortion than the solvency or Medicare and Social Security.  Presidential candidates should be leery of groups voting for candidates that hold certain religious views that are inconsistent with the separation of church and state.  While religious groups exerted little control over Reagan, they’ve crossed the line in the Bush administration with his faith-based initiatives.

           McCain will eventually go to Bob Jones University seeking evangelical votes. No one captured the Christian vote better than Bush’s chief strategist Karl Rove.  Obama should make a point to tell religious groups that his decisions on public policy will be based on his conscience, the Constitution and what’s good for the country, not whether he wins more votes from a particular group.  Telling Warren that “it’s beyond his pay grade” to decide issues of when life begins, Barack tried to express that it’s inappropriate for politicians to decide issues best left to theologians and scientists.  Warren referred to abortion as “genocide,” showing the incendiary nature of the issue.  He knows that terminating pregnancy has nothing to do with “genocide.”  While McCain talked the talk, Barack should have told evangelicals he intends to uphold the law of the land in Roe v. Wade, a woman’s right to abortion.

             Faced with a recession, two foreign wars and a neglected domestic agenda, Barack should have reminded Warren that a president’s job is not to advance the agenda of a particular group.  Evangelicals may want a Constitutional amendment banning abortion or gay marriage but a president must remain politically neutral from incendiary issues.  Telling the crowd that he intends to be a pro-life president, McCain crossed the line.  Lobbying groups, like churches, have specific agendas but presidents must remain above the fray and not allowed to get sucked into political causes.  Asked by Warren whether evil exists, McCain said emphatically that he’d follow Osama bin Laden to the “gates of hell.”  Seven years since Sept. 11, Bush had little luck getting Bin Laden or remnants of the Taliban.  McCain talks tough but has no real plan to complete what Bush left unfinished.

             Warren invited McCain and Barack to join his evangelical world, answering questions more properly left to clergy, not presidential candidates.  Warren acts like Roe v. Wade violates God’s law, giving politicians the right to ignore the Supreme Court and apply Christian theology to women’s private medical decisions.  McCain may know when life begins but theologians and biologists are still debating he issue.  Promising to be a “pro-life president,” McCain already violated his oath-of-office that puts the Constitution above personal religious convictions.  His zeal to get votes eclipses his rational judgment about issues of personal choice and medical privacy.  When it comes to matters of life-and-death, when to use the U.S. military, McCain might also bypass the Constitution and common sense.  In his lust for victory in November, he’s already shown bad judgment.

About the Author

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.

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