Contact: Felicia Horton, Deborah Hamilton, NewsGuests.com, 800-486-0176

PHILADELPHIA, August 17 /Christian Newswire/ -- Top evangelical leaders gave their reactions to the Saddleback Civil Forum on the Presidency Saturday evening, on a nationwide press teleconference that followed the forum and which was hosted by NewsGuests.com. Evangelical commentators included: Tom Minnery, Senior Vice President of Focus on the Family; Bishop Harry Jackson, Senior pastor, Hope Christian Church and Chairman of the High Impact Leadership Coalition; Janet Folger, National radio host and President and Founder of Faith2Action; and Colin Hanna, President of Let Freedom Ring. Martha Zoller, National radio host and Fox news panelist was the moderator.

During the NewsGuests teleconference a member of the media asked the evangelical commentators what the Presidential candidates will do in reference to the abortion issue. Replying to the question, Janet Folger stated, "…The real answer …. that accurately reflects his record – at what point does this baby receive human rights? According to Barack Obama, never. Not at conception, not in the first, second, or third trimester. Not when the baby's three quarters of the way delivered. Not even at birth, as he voted three times as an Illinois State Senator against the Born Alive Infant Protection Act."

One member of the media commented, "l sense a lot of social conservatives pulling their hair out on Obama's marriage answer. Of course, he says he supports marriage between a man and a woman, but of course, he says he opposed the marriage amendment in California." Tom Minnery reacted by saying, "You cannot square the circle as he is trying to do. Either you support marriage or you do not. He says one thing. By his actions, he indicates another thing."

Martha Zoller asked the commentators, "Who do you see as the winner tonight?" Hanna said, "I thought McCain was the winner, but I thought that Obama did well with people who are not critical thinkers." Minnery stated, "I also thought Senator McCain did very well,… I was particularly impressed by his answer on people he admired. He went right to General Petraeus….And I contrast that to Senator Obama, who when asked who influences him the most, he mentioned his wife….his grandmother – those are safe nominations."

Jackson commented, "I think that Senator McCain closed the deal. I think he made a clear contract between himself and Barack Obama. Many evangelicals will vote for him."

The NewsGuests press teleconference provided an opportunity for an informed response to the Saddleback Civil Forum and thus provided an expanded perspective on how evangelicals see the relationship between faith and public policy. NewsGuests.com is a public relations firm providing prepared guests on a wide variety of provocative topics.

For a full written transcript and audio file of the teleconference visit www.NewsGuests.com.  To schedule an interview with any of the commentators on the teleconference, please contact Felicia Horton at NewsGuests.com, 1-800-486-0176.