Pro-Life Groups Plan Abortion Protest at Evangelical Presidential Forum
RSS Newsfeed 
Email article
Printer friendly
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
August 11, 2008
Lake Forest, CA (LifeNews.com) — Two pro-life groups are planning an abortion protest at the Saturday evangelical forum marking the first time the two eventual nominees will meet. The nationally televised Saddleback Church forum will have pro-abortion presidential candidate Barack Obama and John McCain, who opposes abortion.
When the candidates arrive at the forum, they will be met by pro-life advocates affiliated with Operation Rescue and Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust.
In a statement to LifeNews.com the groups say the opportunity to present the pro-life message is a chance to "stand for life and expose Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama."
"We want to bring a strong pro-life witness to the church community, the media and the nation at the Saddleback Civil Forum, where the eyes of the nation will focus," the groups say.
The forum will take place Saturday night and the two-hour event will be held in a non-debate format.
Saddleback pastor Rick Warren will pose the questions instead of a panel or coming from the audience and each candidate will speak with Warren for an hour. This historic forum will be the only joint campaign event prior to each party’s national convention.
Although evangelical voters are much more likely to support McCain over Obama because of the sharp contrast on abortion, Family Research Council president Tony Perkins previously told LifeNews.com he hopes Warren will touch on the contentious issue.
Warren plans to ask the candidates about issues like AIDS, poverty, human rights and the environment, but Perkins said he hopes there will be time for a discussion of other issues pertinent to evangelical voters like abortion.
"While the left would have us believe that this is the faith community’s new agenda, a candid discussion of traditional values issues such as life … is what American voters need and deserve," he said.
"Saddleback Church has the rare opportunity to crystallize the debate over abortion," he said.
Sign Up for Free Pro-Life News From LifeNews.com
Daily Pro-Life News Report Twice-Weekly Pro-Life
News Report Receive a free daily email report from LifeNews.com with the latest pro-life news stories on abortion, euthanasia and stem cell research. Sign up here. Receive a free twice-weekly email report with the latest pro-life news headlines on abortion, euthanasia and stem cell research. Sign up here.
