What Saddleback Tells Us About Our Next President

By U.S. Senator Sam Brownback

Last Saturday night’s Saddleback Civil Forum allowed viewers an opportunity to gain a clear understanding of the personal values and core beliefs held by the two men vying to be the next commander-in-chief. With Reverend Rick Warren asking both John McCain and Barack Obama pointed questions on a wide-range of topics important to the faith community and general public, the stark differences between the candidates became evident. John McCain’s decisive and unwavering answers demonstrated that he understands the challenges facing America and he is ready to lead our country forward with a pro-family agenda.

Perhaps no distinction became as evident as each candidate’s stance on protecting the most innocent form of human life. Asked directly by Rev. Warren when a baby gains human rights, John McCain answered unequivocally: at the moment of conception. This decisive statement reaffirms John’s twenty-five year pro-life voting record in the United States Senate, and confirmed his commitment to a pro-life presidency.

The arrival of Chief Justice John Roberts and Associate Justice Samuel Alito has given pro-lifers across the country great hope that the Supreme Court is getting closer to overturning the wrongly-decided Roe v. Wade case. With such a closely-divided Court and several justices likely to be replaced, the next president will likely have the opportunity to affect the makeup of the Court for a generation. John believes the Court ruled wrongly on Roe, and he again promised on Saturday to appoint only strict constructionist justices who will not legislate from the bench. John’s record in the Senate reflects his dedication to judges with a strict interpretation of the Constitution. He worked with a bipartisan group of Senators during the successful confirmations of Justices Roberts and Alito, as well as strongly supporting the nominations of Justices Rehnquist, Thomas and Scalia.

Unfortunately, activist judges can damage our society’s fundamentals in many ways. We have seen this with the California Supreme Court’s recent decision to require same sex marriages. It is crucial, therefore, to have a president who recognizes that marriage is a sacred matrimony between one man and one woman. On Saturday, John McCain left little doubt that this is a position he shares.

Overturning Roe v. Wade is a crucial step, but other measures must be taken to advance a pro-family agenda. We must foster and encourage an American culture that is pro-life and whole-life for everyone. As president, John will promote adoption as a positive alternative for women struggling with a crisis pregnancy. As John so movingly said on Saturday, adoption is a personal issue for his family, as 15 years ago, they adopted a little girl from Mother Teresa's orphanage in Bangladesh. She has been a blessing to both John and his wife, Cindy, ever since.

John McCain’s honest, forthright and authentic performance demonstrated his commitment to strongly advocate for family values from the Oval Office. On Saturday, he answered difficult questions with a refreshing honesty and succinctness that is rare in our political atmosphere. From life to judges to marriage, John McCain represents the hearts of voters across the country who care about these fundamental issues.

Republican Senator Sam Brownback is the senior senator from Kansas. He was a White House Fellow in the first Bush Administration and served as Secretary of Agriculture of Kansas before being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1994, then the U.S. Senate in 1996. Brownback was a pro-life candidate for president and endorsed John McCain after dropping out of the race.