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Major party presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain will be making their first joint campaign appearance this Saturday in Orange County. The Saddleback mega-church in the city of Lake Forrest will host the two as part of a Civil Forum on Leadership and Compassion. Pastor Rick Warren, who authored the best-selling book, “The Purpose Driven Life,” will moderate a non-debate format between the candidates. In a statement made ahead of the forum, Warren said “Americans care deeply about the faith, values, character, and leadership convictions as much as they do about the issues.” Meanwhile, the latest poll numbers released less than two weeks before the Democratic National Convention by The Pew Research Center for the People and the Press show McCain making gains. Whereas Obama once led McCain by 8% his lead has now dropped to just 3%. An analytical overview of the statistics attributes this in part to respondents’ favorable views of McCain’s leadership image and sense of judgment. With the 2008 election approaching, will the campaign be hedged on character and values as opposed to the issues?

GUEST: Ira Chernus, Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Colorado at Boulder and author of “Monsters to Destroy: The Neo-conservative War on Terror and Sin” . Read Ira Chernus’ piece here: http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/174961

There will be a demonstration outside the Saddleback Church candidates forum on Saturday August 16th at 4 pm on the corner of El Toro and Portola Pkwy. For more information call 213-251-1025.