Was the Saddleback Church event a total waste?

[Bill McBlueState]

Frank Rich had some interesting numbers today:

For all the political press’s hype, only some 5.5 million viewers tuned in to the Rev. Rick Warren’s show in Orange County, Calif. Roughly three-quarters of them were over 50 — in other words, the McCain base. By contrast, a diverse audience of 32 million Americans tuned in to Beijing that night to watch Michael Phelps win his eighth gold medal.

I'm a little peeved that there's been *so* much noise about the need to court evangelical voters, resulting in our candidate doing some things that run counter to our tradition of separating church and state. But when evangelicals got a two-hour debate on national TV aimed just at them, it had a relatively tiny TV audience.

Are we jumping through all sorts of crazy religious hoops just to provide evening entertainment for McCain's base?

[DarthDem]

1. No.

In fact, it was perfectly played by Obama. He didn't go there simply because he cares about what Rick Warren thinks - - he also went there because he knew that if he refused to go, then the MSM would make a story out of it, and it wasn't worth the risk. Plus, as genuine a person as he is, I'm sure he didn't mind the conversation, and he performed in a stellar fashion.

[enough]

8. Agreed.

[writes3000]

2. Fox News had a poll post-Saddleback showing Obama's numbers up among evangelicals

And McCain's numbers down.

Was it a waste? Who can say for sure?

[C_U_L8R]

3. Seemed more of a vanity event for some televangelist.

It amazes me that there are 'some' who actually
put their faith in hucksters like this.
Isn't the greed obvious?

[opihimoimoi]

4. Showed smarts and COURAGE to venture into the lions Den

He did well....the numbers reflect it

[patrice]

5. 1,375,000 highly interested persons scattered across US is not nothing.

[Quixote1818]

6. I don't think it hurt Obama much, probably helped him a tiny bit but I think it

helped McCain a lot with those voters. Many who might have thought about staying home, may now be ready to vote for him after his con-job.

Obama never should have given McCain the opportunity to court them like that.

[samdogmom]

7. We've been jumping through these bogus hoops for many elections!

IF they can convince you it's close...they can steal it. It's just a matter of game/set/match!

We have to be on guard!

This election IS not close and we can't let people tell us otherwise....(more later if necessary.)

[LWolf]

9. I don't know.

It was a waste of time, $$, and breath as far as I'm concerned, but it may have been meaningful for others.

[mooseprime]

10. i think it's a distraction and fundamentally un-American.

no churches of any kind have any business being elevated in this way as part of our national political dialog. it gives preferential treatment to one religion or religious group over others, and implies some sort of imprimatur or sanction "from above." gah.