Saddleback Forum

The New York times reported Monday that contrary to Pastor Rick Warren’s assertion, John McCain was not in any “cone of silence” during Barack Obama’s question and answer session, and could have received a preview of the questions he was to be asked when his turn came up.

After McCain arrived, greeted Obama on stage, and took his seat for his half of the two-hour forum, Pastor Rick asked him “Now, my first question: Was the cone of silence comfortable that you were in just now?” Mr. McCain deadpanned, “I was trying to hear through the wall.”

But hearing that McCain was not secluded backstage as advertised raises questions for me. After watching Obama give thoughtful answers to difficult questions for the first hour, I then saw McCain hit the same questions out of the park, serving up sound bites of red meat for his right-wing base, while reminding me of the McCain I loved when he was a thorn in the side of the phony conservatives who have taken over the Republican party.

I was already steamed at how Fox and CNN presented this event, with a rash of logos about the screen, and the insidious news crawl across the bottom, no doubt doing a Vance Packard job on the folks trying to pay attention.

I remember that last year the League of Women Voters declined to participate in a debate event because they “refused to take part in the hoodwinking of the American electorate.”

Barack Obama is a smart man, who should be able to talk circles around McFudd in a real debate. I hope he gets the chance.