LIVE TRANSCRIPT SERVICE: Saddleback Civil Forum on the Presidency -------------------------------------------------------------------------
24 Q. ALL RIGHT. WELCOME BACK TO SADDLEBACK CIVIL
25 FORUM ON THE PRESIDENCY, AND WE'RE HERE WITH SENATOR
1 JOHN MCCAIN.
2 JOHN, THESE LAST QUESTIONS ARE ABOUT AMERICA'S
3 RESPONSIBILITY TO THE WORLD. WE ARE WITHOUT A DOUBT
4 THE MOST BLESSED NATION IN THE WORLD. WE ARE BLESSED
5 TO BE A BLESSING AND THE BIBLE SAYS MUCH IS GIVEN, MUCH
6 SHALL BE REQUIRED. SO I WANT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT IS
7 STEWARDSHIP TO EVERYBODY ELSE. AND LET'S FIRST TALK
8 ABOUT FREEDOM AND WAR AS AN AMERICAN. WHAT IS WORTH
9 DYING FOR AND WHAT IS WORTH COMMITTING AMERICAN LIVES
10 FOR?
11 A. FREEDOM. OUR NATIONAL SECURITY. OUR SECURITY
12 AS A NATION. WARS HAVE STARTED IN OBSCURE PLACES THAT
13 HAVE ENVELOPED US. WE ALSO MUST TEMPER THAT WITH THE
14 ABILITY TO EFFECTIVELY AND BENEFICIALLY CAUSE THE
15 OUTCOME THAT WE WANT. IN OTHER WORDS, THERE'S TYRANNY
16 AND TRAGEDY THROUGHOUT THE WORLD AND WE CAN'T RIGHT
17 EVERY WRONG BUT WE CAN DO WHAT AMERICA HAS DONE
18 THROUGHOUT OUR HISTORY AND THAT IS BE A BEACON OF HOPE
19 AND LIBERTY AND FREEDOM FOR EVERYONE IN THE WORLD AS
20 RONALD REAGAN USED TO QUOTA SHINING CITY ON A HILL. SO
21 THERE ARE COULD BE CONFLICTS THAT WE CAN'T SETTLE. THE
22 MOST PRECIOUS ASSET WE HAVE IS AMERICAN BLOOD AND
23 THROUGHOUT OUR HISTORY AMERICANS HAVE GONE TO ALL FOUR
24 CORNERS OF THE WORLD AND SHED THAT BLOOD IN DEFENSE OF
25 SOMEONE ELSE'S FREEDOM. NO OTHER NATION ON EARTH HAS
1 EVER DONE THAT BUT WE'VE ALSO SUCCEEDED IN OTHER WAYS.
2 WE WON THE COLD WAR AS I MENTIONED EARLIER WITHOUT
3 FIRING A SHOT BECAUSE OF OUR ETIOLOGY AND THAT
4 COMMUNISM IS WRONG AND EVIL AND WE CAN DEFEAT IT JUST
5 LIKE WE CAN DEFEAT RADICAL ISLAMIC EXTREMISM. CAN WE
6 TALK ABOUT THE LATEST IN GEORGIA?
7 Q. LET ME ASK YOU THIS. WHAT WOULD BE THE
8 CRITERIA FOR WHICH YOU WOULD COMMIT TROOPS?
9 A. AMERICAN NATIONAL SECURITY INTERESTS ARE
10 THREATENED.
11 Q. I UNDERSTAND THAT. WHAT ABOUT GENOCIDE IN
12 DARFUR OR THE MASS KILLINGS TOOK PLACE IN GEORGIA?
13 A. OUR OBLIGATION IS TO STOP GENOCIDE WHEREVER WE
14 CAN. WE ALL KNOW ABOUT RWANDA. NO ONE KNOWS THAT
15 BETTER THAN YOU AND THE SADDLEBACK CHURCH WHO HAVE BEEN
16 SO ACTIVE. BY THE WAY CINDY WAS JUST THERE WITH MIKE
17 HUCKABEE AND DR. BILL FRIST AND HAVE SEEN WHEN THE
18 WOMEN OF RWANDA ARE DOING. THE WOMAN ARE TAKING CHARGE
19 OF THE FUTURE OF RWANDA BECAUSE THEY ARE SAYING NEVER
20 AGAIN AND THEY ARE DOING AN INCREDIBLE JOB.
21 DARFUR, OUR MOST RESPECTED FORMER SECRETARY
22 OF STATE COLLIN POWELL CALLED GENOCIDE SOME YEARS AGO.
23 THE QUESTION IS HOW CAN WE EFFECTIVELY STOP IT AND
24 OBVIOUSLY WE'VE GOT TO DO MORE AND WE'VE GOT TO TRY TO
25 MARSHAL THE FORCES ALL OVER THE WORLD TO JOIN US.

1 I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WE OUGHT TO EXPLORE
2 MORE CAREFULLY IS US SUPPLYING THE LOGISTICS AND
3 EQUIPMENT AND THE AID AND THE AFRICAN COUNTRIES STEP
4 FORWARD WITH THE PERSONNEL TO ENFORCE A GENUINE CEASE
5 FIRE. IT'S A VERY COMPLICATED SITUATION AS YOU KNOW.
6 BUT WE'VE GOT TO BE COMMITTED TO NEVER SAYING NEVER
7 AGAIN.
8 Q. WHAT ABOUT YOU WERE SEE RUSSIA REASSERTING
9 ITSELF IN GEORGIA AND MAYBE NOW POLAND. WHAT'S
10 HAPPENING?
11 A. I'M VERY SADDENED HERE TO BE WITH YOU AND TALK
12 ABOUT A RUSSIA REEMERGENCE IN THE CENTURIES OLD
13 AMBITION OF THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE TO DOMINATE THAT PART OF
14 THE WORLD. KILLINGS, MURDER, VILLAGES ARE BEING
15 BURNED. PEOPLE ARE BEING WANTONLY EJECTED FROM THEIR
16 HOMES. LATEST FIGURE IS FROM HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATION
17 IS 118,000 PEOPLE FROM THAT SMALL COUNTRY. IT WAS ONE
18 OF THE EARLIEST CHRISTIAN NATIONS. THE KING OF THEN
19 GEORGIA IN THE THIRD CENTURY CONVERTED TO CHRISTIANITY.
20 YOU GO TO GEORGIA AND YOU SEE THESE OLD CHURCHES THAT
21 GO BACK TO THE FOURTH AND FIFTH CENTURY. IN FACT THE
22 PRESIDENT SAAKZSHVILI IS A MAN WHO IS EDUCATED IN THE
23 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ON A SCHOLARSHIP. HE WENT
24 BACK TO GEORGIA AND WITH OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAD
25 ALSO RECEIVED AN EDUCATION THEY ACHIEVED A REVOLUTION
1 THEY HAD DEMOCRACY PROSPERITY AND A GREAT ALSO NATION
2 AND NOW THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING IN THERE IN AN ACT OF
3 AGGRESSION AND WE HAVE TO NOT ONLY BRING ABOUT CEASE
4 FIRE BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE HONORED ONE OF THE MOST
5 FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS OF ANY NATION AND THAT IS
6 TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY. WE MUST RESPECT THE ENTIRE
7 TERRITORY OF RUSSIA -- EXCUSE ME -- THE RUSSIANS MUST
8 RESPECT THE ENTIRE TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY OF GEORGIA AND
9 THERE'S ONLY 4 MILLION PEOPLE IN GEORGIA MY FRIENDS.
10 I'VE BEEN THERE. IT'S A BEAUTIFUL LITTLE COUNTRY THEY
11 ARE WONDERFUL PEOPLE. THEY ARE SUFFERING TERRIBLY NOW
12 AND THERE'S TWO OTHER ASPECTS OF THIS VERY QUICKLY.
13 ONE OF THEM DON'T THINK IT WAS AN ACCIDENT THAT THE
14 PRESIDENT OF LITHUANIA, THE PRESIDENTS, LITHUANIA
15 LATVIA, ESTONIA, POLAND AND UKRAINE FLEW TO TBILISI TO
16 SHOW THEIR SOLIDARITY WITH THE PRESIDENT OF GEORGIA
17 BECAUSE THEY ALL HAVE SOMETHING IN COMMON WITH GEORGIA.
18 THEY LIVED UNDER RUSSIA DOMINATION FOR A LONG PERIOD OF
19 TIME.
20 SECOND OF ALL, OF COURSE, IT IS ABOUT ENERGY.
21 THERE'S AN OIL PIPELINE THAT GOES ACROSS GEORGIA THAT
22 UP TO NOW HAD NOT BEEN CONTROLLED BY THE RUSSIANS AND
23 MY FRIEND ENERGY THE RUSSIANS ARE USING IS A TREMENDOUS
24 LEVER AGAINST THE EUROPEANS. SO KEEP THEM IN YOUR
25 PRAYERS. LET'S GET THE HUMANITARIAN AID AS QUICKLY AS
1 POSSIBLE TO THEM AND SEND THE MESSAGE TO THE RUSSIANS
2 THAT THIS BEHAVIOR IS NOT ACCEPTABLE IN THE 21ST
3 CENTURY.
4 Q. RELATED TO THAT, OUR AMERICA'S RESPONSIBILITY
5 IN THE WORLD RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION. WHAT WOULD YOU DO
6 IN YOUR ADMINISTRATION TO END TO PUT PRESSURE ON THE
7 CHINESE AND IRAQ AND ALL THE OTHER PLACES SO-CALLED
8 ALLIES OF OURS THAT WILL ALLOW -- WILL NOT ALLOW
9 RELIGIOUS FREEDOM WHETHER IT IS CHRISTIAN OR ANY OTHER
10 FAITH?
11 A. THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES HAS THE
12 GREATEST ASSET IS THE BULLY PULPIT. THE PRESIDENT OF
13 THE UNITED STATES AND I GO BACK AGAIN TO RONALD REAGAN
14 HE WENT TO THE BERLIN WALL AND SAID TAKE DOWN THIS
15 WALL. CALLED THEM AN EVIL EMPIRE. MANY SAID DON'T,
16 DON'T ANTAGONIZE THE RUSSIANS OR DON'T CAUSE A
17 CONFRONTATION WITH THE SOVIET UNION. HE STOOD FOR WHAT
18 HE BELIEVED AND HE SAID WHAT HE BELIEVED AND HE SAID
19 THAT TO THOSE PEOPLE WHO WERE THEN CAPTIVE NATIONS THE
20 DAY WILL COME WHEN YOU WILL KNOW FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY
21 AND THE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS OF MAN. OUR JUDEO CHRISTIAN
22 PRINCIPLES DICTATE THAT WE DO WHAT WE CAN TO HELP
23 PEOPLE WHO ARE PRESSED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD AND I WOULD
24 LIKE TO TELL YOU THAT I STILL THINK THAT EVEN IN THE
25 WORSE PLACES IN THE WORLD TODAY IN THE DARKEST CORNERS
1 LITTLE COUNTRIES LIKE BELARUS, THEY STILL HARBOR THIS
2 HOPE AND DREAM SOME DAY TO BE LIKE US AND HAVE FREEDOM
3 AND DEMOCRACY AND WE HAVE OUR FLAWS AND WE HAVE OUR
4 FAILINGS AND WE TALK ABOUT THEM ALL THE TIME AND WE
5 SHOULD, BUT WE REMAIN MY FRIENDS THE MOST UNUSUAL
6 EXPERIMENT IN HISTORY AND I'M PRIVILEGED TO SPEND EVERY
7 DAY OF MY LIFE IN IT. I KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE
8 WITHOUT IT.
9 Q. JOHN, MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT THERE ARE
10 148 ORPHANS IN THE WORLD GROWING UP WITHOUT PARENTS.
11 WHAT SHOULD WE DO ABOUT THIS AND WOULD YOU BE WILLING
12 TO CONSIDER OR EVEN COMMIT TO SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THE
13 PRESIDENT'S EMERGENCY PLAN FOR AIDS, WHICH HE SAID AIDS
14 IS AN EMERGENCY AT PEPFAR. COULD WE DO A PEPFAR FOR
15 THE EMERGENCY PLAN FOR 148 MILLION ORPHANS? MOST OF
16 THESE, THEY DON'T NEED TO GROW UP IN ORPHANAGES, THEY
17 NEED TO BE IN FAMILIES AND MANY OF THOSE FAMILIES COULD
18 TAKE THEM IN IF THEY HAD SOME KIND OF ASSISTANCE.
19 A. WELL I THINK WE HAVE TO MAKE ADOPTION A LOT
20 EASIER IN THIS COUNTRY. THAT'S WHY SO MANY PEOPLE GO
21 TO OTHER COUNTRIES TO GET -- TO BE ABLE TO ADOPT
22 CHILDREN. MY GREAT HERO AND ROLE MODEL TEDDY ROOSEVELT
23 WAS THE FIRST MODERN AMERICAN PRESIDENT TO TALK ABOUT
24 ADOPTION AND HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS AND PROMISE YOU THIS
25 IS MY LAST STORY.
1 17 YEARS AGO CINDY WAS IN DHAKA, BANGLADESH.
2 SHE WENT TO MOTHER TERESA'S ORPHANAGE. THE NUNS
3 BROUGHT HER TWO LITTLE BABIES THAT WERE NOT GOING TO
4 LIVE. CINDY CAME HOME. I MET HER AT THE AIRPLANE.
5 SHE SHOWED ME THIS 5 WEEK OLD BABY AND SAID MEET YOUR
6 NEW DAUGHTER. SHE IS 17 AND OUR LIFE IS BLESSED AND
7 THAT'S WHAT ADOPTION IS ALL ABOUT.
8 Q. ALL RIGHT. YOU'VE GOT ONE MINUTE TO ANSWER
9 THIS ONE. THAT IS WHY DO YOU WANT TO BE PRESIDENT?
10 A. I WANT TO INSPIRE A GENERATION OF AMERICANS TO
11 SERVE A CAUSE GREATER THAN THEIR SELF INTEREST. I
12 BELIEVE THAT AMERICA'S BEST DAYS ARE AHEAD OF US, BUT I
13 ALSO BELIEVE THAT WE FACE ENORMOUS CHALLENGES BOTH
14 NATIONAL SECURITY AND DOMESTIC AS WE HAVE FOUND OUT IN
15 THE LAST FEW DAYS IN THE CASE OF GEORGIA. AND I WANT
16 TO BE -- MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT THIS
17 IS A TIME FOR US TO COME TOGETHER, THROUGHOUT MY LIFE
18 FROM THE TIME I WAS 17 AND RAISED MY HAND AND WAS SWORN
19 IN AS A MIDSHIPMAN AT THE UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY
20 I'VE ALWAYS PUT MY COUNTRY FIRST. I PUT MY COUNTRY
21 FIRST WHEN I HAD THE HONOR OF SERVING IN THE MILITARY
22 AND I HAD THE HONOR OF PUTTING MY COUNTRY FIRST AS A
23 MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND IN THE
24 UNITED STATES SENATE.
25 AMERICA WANTS HOPE. AMERICA WANTS OPTIMISM.
1 AMERICA WANTS US TO SIT DOWN TOGETHER.
2 I HAVE A RECORD OF REACHING ACROSS THE AISLE
3 AND WORKING WITH THE OTHER PARTY AND I WANT TO DO THAT
4 AND I BELIEVE AS I SAID THAT AMERICANS FEEL IT'S TIME
5 FOR US TO PUT OUR COUNTRY FIRST AND WE MAY DISAGREE ON
6 A SPECIFIC ISSUE AND I WON'T REVIEW THEM NOW, BUT I
7 WANT EVERY AMERICAN TO KNOW THAT WHEN I GO TO GEE'S
8 BEND, ALABAMA AND MEET THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN THERE
9 WHO ARE SO WONDERFUL AND LOVELY AND AN EXPERIENCE I'LL
10 NEVER FORGET AND I GO TO PLACES WHERE I KNOW THEY
11 PROBABLY WON'T VOTE FOR ME, I KNOW THAT MY JOB IS TO
12 TELL THEM THAT I'LL BE THE PRESIDENT OF EVERY AMERICAN
13 AND I'LL ALWAYS PUT MY COUNTRY FIRST.
14 Q. THANK YOU.
15 A. THANK YOU.
16 Q. ALL RIGHT. 20 SECONDS LEFT. WHAT WOULD YOU
17 SAY TO PEOPLE WHO OPPOSE ME ASKING YOU THESE QUESTIONS
18 IN A CHURCH?
19 A. I SAY TO THEM THAT I'D LIKE TO BE IN EVERY
20 VENUE IN AMERICA. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT -- THIS IS A
21 VERY IMPORTANT ELECTION. OUR NATION WAS FOUNDED ON
22 JUDEO CHRISTIAN VALUES AND PRINCIPLES. I'M HAPPY TO BE
23 HERE IN THE CHURCH. I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE IN A PLACE
24 THAT WITH YOUR PROGRAM SUCH AS PEACE, SUCH AS YOUR HELP
25 THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, SUCH AS YOUR OUTREACH TO SO MANY
1 THOUSANDS OF AMERICANS I'M HONORED TO BE HERE AND I
2 THANK YOU.
3 Q. WOULD YOU STAND AND THANK SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN.
4
5 (COMMERCIAL.)
6
7 PASTOR RICK WARREN: THANK YOU. THANK FOR
8 BEING A PART OF THE THIS SADDLEBACK CIVIL FORUM ON THE
9 PRESIDENCY.
10 I JUST WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT ONE OF THE
11 GREATEST FREEDOMS WE HAVE HERE IN AMERICA IS THE
12 FREEDOM OF SPEECH, EVEN THE FREEDOM TO PROTEST THIS
13 MEETING. THAT'S A GOOD THING, BUT WE HAVE TO LEARN HOW
14 TO HAVE CIVILITY IN OUR CIVILIZATION. HOW TO STOP
15 BEING RUDE, HOW TO STOP DEMONIZING EACH OTHER, HOW TO
16 HAVE A DISCUSSION AND A DEBATE BECAUSE WE ALL WANT
17 AMERICA TO BE A GREATER PLACE. GOD BLESS YOU.