LAKE FOREST, Calif. — Presidential contenders Barack Obama and John McCain spoke of just how they differed on abortion Saturday.
Their comments came at a two-hour forum on faith hosted by the minister Rick Warren at his megachurch in Orange County, Calif. Obama joined Warren for the first hour, and McCain for the second. The two men shook hands and hugged each other during the switch.
Warren asked both men the same questions. McCain said he did not see or hear Obama's session, which might have given him an advantage.
Abortion: Obama would limit abortions in the late stages of pregnancy if there are exceptions for the mother's health, and offer better adoption services. McCain opposes abortion, believes human rights begin the instant a human egg is fertilized; wants adoption to be made easier.
America's failure: Obama saw it as the insufficient help given to the disadvantaged. McCain said it was the failure to "devote ourselves to causes greater than our self-interests."
Marriage: Both said marriage is a union between a man and a woman. Obama added that he supports civil unions for gay partners, giving them rights such as hospital visits with one another.
Taxes: Obama teased Warren about his bestselling book, The Purpose Driven Life, and noted his plan to add a Social Security payroll tax to incomes above $250,000 a year. Pushed on an exact number, McCain turned to his humor: "If you're just talking about income, how about 5-million?"
Seeking counsel: Asked to name three wise people they would listen to, Obama named his wife, Michelle; his maternal grandmother, who lives in Hawaii; and several Democratic and Republican lawmakers. McCain named Gen. David Petreaus, head of U.S. troops in Iraq; veteran civil rights leader and U.S. Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga.; and former eBay CEO Meg Whitman, one of his advisers.
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