August 19th 2008 08:03 am
I’m free from election coverage!
I just got the next two and a half months off. Off from the 24-hour news-cycle, the chattering classes, the cynicism and even narcissism of this amazing race called the Election. Between now and election day, I don’t have to read one flier, watch to one debate, sit through talk radio, nor endure positive ads, negative ads or ”swift boat” ads.
Why? Because I watched Saddleback Church’s Civil Forum on the Presidency. You may have seen it. (If not, just google it, or find it on youtube.) On Saturday Aug 16th, Rick Warren interviewed Barack Obama for about an hour, and then interviewed John McCain for another hour. Back to back, not together. The genius is that Warren used the same questions.
Finally, now I can compare apples to apples - I can listen to both candidates respond unhurriedly to the same question. Finally, I can listen to uninterrupted answers. Finally, we can do away with these “sound-bite fests” that masquerade as debates! (In fact, I think we will see this “civil forum” model used in elections from now on - you’re getting in on the ground floor of an election cycle novelty).
As you think through your God-given responsibility to vote wisely, may I urge you to do two things: invest the time to watch this, giving prayerful consideration to what the two senators say; then take the next 2 months off from the media circus that will only gain momentum, silliness and invective as it goes.
Just some thoughts.
1 Comment »
EJ on 11 Oct 2008 at 6:36 pm #
WOW! This was great! I too have taken a break from the media but could not find a method to get some good feedback from the candidates. Thank you so much for sharing. I do hope that more people will watch this and take a break from the media.