Obama, McCain to Appear in Non-Debate Saturday

Barack Obama and John McCain will participate in a two-hour event, the Saddleback Civil Forum, hosted by Dr. Rick Warren and his 20,000-strong congregation at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif. The event begins Saturday at 7 p.m. Central, but don’t expect it to generate anything newsworthy — and for good reason.

The event will mark the first time during the 2008 presidential campaign both presumptive presidential nominees appear at the same location in front of the same audience on the same evening. To the disappointment of many, the candidates will not appear on stage together.

A July 17 news release issued by the church explains how the event will unfold:

Warren confirmed that, at the candidates’ request, this two-hour event from 5-7 p.m. (PDT) will be held in a non-debate forum and open to all media. Both candidates also requested that questions be posed exclusively by Warren, instead of a panel or members of the audience. Each will converse separately with Warren for approximately one-hour, beginning with Sen. Obama as determined by a coin toss. This historic forum will be the only joint campaign event prior to each party’s national convention.

It’s well known that McCain has repeatedly called upon his opponent to participate in town hall forums. It’s also well known that Obama has refused McCain’s overtures. Therefore, one must conclude that Pastor Warren opted to exercise a great deal of generosity in writing the news release. Had he not been so accommodating, the paragraph above might have been worded this way:

Warren confirmed that, at Senator Obama’s request request, this two-hour event from 5-7 p.m. (PDT) will be held in a non-debate forum and open to all media. Senator Obama also requested that questions be posed exclusively by Warren, instead of a panel or members of the audience. Each will converse separately with Warren for approximately one-hour, beginning with Sen. Obama as determined by a coin toss. This historic forum will be the only joint campaign event prior to each party’s national convention, since Senator Obama is clearly afraid to face Senator McCain in any face-to-face setting.

I don’t fault Pastor Warren for his careful approach. After all, had he included the modified paragraph above in the news release, it’s highly likely that Obama would have backed out of the event altogether and members of the news media would have criticized the purpose-driven pastor’s audacity.

As things stand now, the Saddleback Civil Forum will be broadcast on CNN, but don’t expect the event to generate anything truly newsworthy.

-- Bob McCarty Writes