Any Democrat who imagines that Barack Obama's got the presidential election locked up needs to watch the so-called "Saddleback" forum featuring him and John McCain online at CNN.com. Broadcast live on Aug. 16, it was hosted by Pastor Rick Warren, the California televangelist and author of "The Purpose Driven Life," a spiritual self-help manual for people who think God drives an SUV, and a Christian's highest calling is monitoring others' sexual behavior.

For Obama, Job No. 1 was to associate himself with a reasonable suburban deity instead of a ghetto ranter like the Rev. Jeremiah Wright. That he accomplished through a combination of unabashed piety ("[Jesus Christ] died for my sins") and artful dodging. The question of when a "child" acquires human rights, for example, Obama called "above my pay grade." (McCain barked out a quick "at the moment of conception.")

It's an answer Illinois' own Adlai Stevenson might have given. And that's the problem. McCain's approach to evil? "Defeat it." He'd follow Osama bin Laden "to the gates of hell," the GOP candidate vowed. Did he sound like Bruce Willis in a two-dimensional action/adventure flick? Exactly. Also, however, like Ronald Reagan, who McCain must have invoked 10 times. President [George W. Bush]'s name hardly came up -- father or son.