Obama says help to disadvantaged key

[kevinmc]

LAKE FOREST, California - Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said Saturday that America's greatest moral failure is its insufficient help to the disadvantaged.

Obama noted that the Bible quotes Jesus as saying "whatever you do for the least of my brothers, you do for me." He said the maxim should apply to victims of poverty, sexism and racism.

He made the comments as the first guest in a two-hour forum on faith hosted by the minister Rick Warren at his megachurch in Orange County, California. Republican John McCain was scheduled to speak with Warren for the second hour, after shaking hands with Obama during the switch.

In several cases, Obama gave a Christian interpretation to his generally liberal political views. He showed some familiarity with the Scripture, and said Jesus died for his sins.

Obama reaffirmed his stance that marriage is "the union between a man and a woman," although he supports civil unions for gay partners. He said he would not support a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage because the issue is one for state governments to handle. He said gay partners should be given rights, such as visiting one another in hospitals.

On abortion, Obama said he generally supports abortion rights, but would limit the procedure in the late stages of pregnancy if there are exceptions for the mother's health. He said he knew that people who consider themselves pro-life will find his stance "inadequate."

He said the government should do more to prevent unwanted pregnancies and to help women who give birth, such as provide needed resources to the poor, as well as better adoption services.

Asked his most significant policy shift in the last 10 years, Obama cited welfare reform. As an Illinois state senator, Obama worked to mitigate what he thought could be "disastrous" effects of President Bill Clinton's welfare reform effort, but over time came to embrace Clinton's approach.

"We have to have work as a centerpiece of any social policy," Obama said.

The forum carried opportunities and risks for both candidates. It gave Obama a chance to discuss his Christian faith and counter inaccurate beliefs that he is a Muslim. But it also may have highlighted his positions on issues such as supporting abortion rights, which Warren and many other evangelicals oppose........