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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsRick Warren cancels presidential forum; Lack of interest from both campaigns
Rick Warren cancels presidential forum; mixed explanations as to why
By Dan Gilgoff and Eric Marrapodi, CNN Belief Blog Co-Editors
(CNN) - High-profile pastor Rick Warren has called off plans for a presidential forum that he said was scheduled to include both major party candidates, but there are conflicting accounts about why the event was canceled.
Warren told the Orange County Register that he was nixing his "civil forum" because of the toxic political climate.
"It would be hypocritical to pretend civility for one evening only to have the name-calling return the next day," Warren told the newspaper in an article published Wednesday.
But sources close to President Barack Obama's and Mitt Romney's political campaigns challenged that explanation, saying the event was canceled because of a lack of interest from the respective campaigns.
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/08/23/rick-warren-cancels-presidential-forum-mixed-explanations-as-to-why/?hpt=hp_t2
get the red out
(13,468 posts)I was wondering today if Warren's crappy debate was going to happen this year. Of course last time he obviously played it to favor McCain, but I would imagine the Republicans knew they couldn't chance any possible over-emphasis of Romney's magic underwear status by his participation.
He would treat the President like shit, obviously, so I would hope he would not have an interest.
Progressive dog
(6,918 posts)yellowcanine
(35,701 posts)WorseBeforeBetter
(11,441 posts)I seriously hope NOT to see his fat ass anywhere near the Capitol come January 20th.
bullwinkle428
(20,630 posts)Maven
(10,533 posts)Blue Idaho
(5,057 posts)Rick, your 15 minutes are up.
cbayer
(146,218 posts)TlalocW
(15,390 posts)With the passing of several big name religious nutjobs either into the great beyond or into retirement, I think Warren saw a possibility of becoming the next Billy Graham - a religious leader who would be friends and at the call of either democratic or republican presidents. His peers - fellow big name religious jackasses as well - probably wouldn't be caught dead having anything to do with democrats, but Warren realizes that things do change including the party of who is in the Oval Office, and if you want to be the "White House Pastor," like Billy pretty much was, you gotta grift with both parties.
Other than that, Obama probably realized that he didn't get much help from sucking up to Warren the first time around so why bother with him. And since it would be a discussion on faith and values, Romney wouldn't want to do it either as he doesn't want to remind Warren's evangelical fan base that he's even wackier than they are religiously.
TlalocW
He just wants his name in the national media again to bring $ to himself. So screw him.
Initech
(100,101 posts)TeamPooka
(24,254 posts)GoneOffShore
(17,340 posts)Bluenorthwest
(45,319 posts)Now hopefully the Josh DuBois faction will stop pushing one anti gay bigot after another to be 'America's Minister'.