So Very, Very Frustrated... But it Ended Reasonably Well (Obama, Anyway)

I am watching the Q&A with Obama and Rick Warren... and am extremely frustrated first, that it is taking place at all (see RevolutionarySpirits for a wonderful discussion of why), but second by Obama's early answers... about Obama's faith (what place does a person's faith have in a presidential race? NONE. Constitutionally, absolutely NONE), about Obama's position on gay marriage... I am so very, very frustrated.

Why is Rick Warren asking a question about who Obama would NOT have nominated to the Supreme Court - and why on earth is Obama actually answering it??? He needs to be talking about the ... yes, the encroachment of the executive on the other branches. That's better. But singling out individual Justices - that's just going to antagonize them. Ouch.

Why is the audience freaking applauding all the time??

Faith-based intiatives? OK.. I like the answer pretty well here. Federal funding issues need to have equal opportunity hiring. Period. Faith based organizations should not be advantaged or disadvantaged in what is being funded by the federal government - nor should they advantage or disadvantage those who are hiring based on their faith for those programs which are being funded by the federal government.

Teaching - underpaid teachers, rewarding excellence, going against single-unit, high-stakes testing for advancement, etc.

Define rich - $150,000 or less - middle class or poor - depending on where you live and your family circumstances. $250,000 - top 3-4% of country. If we believe in good schools, good roads, good colleges, less debt - we have got to pay for these things. It is irresponsible to spend $10,000,000,000 a month on a war without a way to pay for it. (We need a better attitude about taxes - Ed.).

International issues

What's worth dying for? American freedom. American values. Pledged alliances in our national interests.

Criteria to commit troops to end genocide? Not a hard and fast line. Basic principle must be that if we have a way to work in concert with the international community to prevent it, we must. The international component is essential.

148,000,000 orphans. How to deal with them? Thinks it's a great idea. Hmmm. Not much there. (As an infertile woman, this is near to my heart.)

Religious persecution? Bear witness and speak out. (What about in our own country? -Ed.) China! Whoop! He went there! YAY! Universal principles for religious tolerance... including here in the United States. Whoop! He *did* go there.

Human trafficking? 27,000,000 people living in slavery. How to speak out and deal with this? Create better more effective tools for prosecuting. Within our country and abroad. Hmmm. Need more on this. Roll up the financing. Debasement of our humanity.

In an minute say why you want to be president. Empathy. American dream is slipping away. Wants to bring it back. Our politics are so broken that we cannot bring people of goodwill together to solve these problems and he believes he is the person to do that.

What do you say to people who oppose Rick Warren, specifically, asking these questions? Dodging question. Believes that any forum is a good forum, I guess.

Solving big problems will not be easy. If we go on pretending like everything is free, then we are betraying the tradition of our grandparents and our parents.

Good ending.

Now for McCain.