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August 16, 2008
The Saddleback Forum
It's going to be interesting to watch the old media spin Rick Warren's Saddleback Forum as a case of the young, post-modern, global politician comparing favorably to the aged, Vietnam-era, American-exceptionalist pol. But the most revealing message of the event won't, can't, be covered by the old media: The populist pastor of a big Southern Baptist church, that avoids the branding stigma by not using "Southern Baptist" on its signature, devised a "debate" format that decivisively eclipsed CNN's talking snowman and the old media "gotcha" question technique in order to manage a fair comparison between candidates that served voters rather than network. McCain won on points. The old media lost on creativity.