Senators Barack Obama and John McCain answered questions from prominent evangelical Pastor Rick Warren at Orange County's Saddleback Church about domestic and social issues Saturday, reinforcing his Christian faith.
Abortion, same-sex marriage, stem cell research and other intersections of religious versus political beliefs formed the backbone of the discussion framed by Rev. Warren.
The two candidates gave separate interviews answering the exact same questions, Senator Obama going first after winning a coin toss.
The following are some highlights of the Obama interview.
When asked what Supreme Court Justice he would not have nominated, Obama answered Clarence Thomas, the second black justice to serve on the highest court, and Anton Scalia.
"I don't think that he was a strong enough jurist and legal thinker at the time" to be elevated to that position, Obama said.
Asked what he would tell the American people if there would be no repercussions to saying it, Obama said he would tell them that changes in energy policy "will not be easy."
"If they are willing to make sacrifices on our behalf, we should be able to make sacrifices on the behalf of the next generation," Obama said in reference to energy reform.
Obama reaffirmed that he believes "marriage is between a man and a woman," though he added that he would not support a constitutional amendment preventing gay marriage or civil unions.
Responding to a question about America's greatest moral failure, Obama said it was the country's inability to help people disadvantaged, whether by poverty, a lack of health care or the same general advantages as others.
"There�s a pervasive sense I think that this country, as wealthy and powerful as we are, still don�t spend enough time thinking about the least of these," he said.
The following are some highlights from the John McCain interview.
Asked to list the three wisest people he knows, McCain immediately answered Gen. David Gen. David Petraeus, the commander of US military forces in Iraq as the first person.
McCain added former Ebay CEO Meg Whitman, possibly as a means of boosting his economic policies, and Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.).
"In these economically challenging times we need to call on people with wisdom and background like Meg Whitman," McCain said.
The "failure of his first marriage" was what McCain said was his greatest personal moral failing.
"America�s greatest moral failing was not devoting itself to causes greater than its self interest. After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Americans should not have been told go to shopping" � a jab at President Bush � "but rather to commit themselves to service," McCain said.
The Republican presidential hopeful also said he would support a federal marriage amendment to the constitution.
Most commentators on CNN agreed that McCain got better responses from the audience than Barack Obama.
Senators Barack Obama and John McCain answered questions from prominent evangelical Pastor Rick Warren at Orange County's Saddleback Church about domestic and social issues Saturday, reinforcing his Christian faith.