Obama and McCain cite their moral failures at Saddleback Church forum

Barack Obama cited his greatest moral failure in life was his use of drugs and alcohol as a teenager. McCain said his was the failure of his first marriage.

Both the candidates were speaking at a church forum moderated by prominent evangelical Rick Warren on Saturday. It was for the first time both the candidates shared the same stage during the campaign trail. Rick Warren quizzed each candidate on their greatest moral failures of America and their life. Obama recalled his teenage days.

I had a difficult youth — I experimented with drugs and drank. I trace this to a certain selfishness on my point. I couldn't’t focus on other people

. Replying to the question on America's greatest moral failure Obama quoted a line from the new testament.

We still don't abide by that basic precept of Matthew that whatever you do for the least of my brothers, you do for me.

McCain recalled his failed first marriage with Carol McCain as his biggest moral failure in his life. According to him America's greatest moral failure was

Americans have not devoted ourselves to causes greater than our self-interest. I think after 9/11, my friends, we should have told Americans to join the Peace Corps, expand the military, serve a cause greater than your self-interest

. Both the candidates differed on their views on abortion. McCain reiterated his stand on abortion saying that a baby's rights begin at conception, while Obama sidestepped on the question when a baby's rights begin.

I think that whether you're looking at it from a theological perspective or a scientific perspective, answering that question with specificity is above my pay grade

. Obama is trying to gain some ground among evangelical voters which had been overwhelmingly Republican in the recent past. A recent Pew poll had found that about 61% evangelicals favor McCain while 25% support Obama.