Warren Says Candidates Have to Believe in God

While Rick Warren is often portrayed as something of a poster-boy for a new, more moderate evangelical movement, his statements and views are closely aligned with the Religious Right's traditional agenda. And that was on full display when he appeared on Larry King Live on Monday to discuss the faith forum he recently hosted with Barack Obama and John McCain and declared that anyone running for president must believe in God and that while he could vote for someone of a different religion, he couldn't "vote for a person who was an atheist":

KING: Rick Warren is our guest. Rick, let me ask you a couple of Rick Warren questions. OK?

WARREN: OK.

KING: Does a person have to believe in god to be president?

WARREN: I would say so. I couldn't vote for a person who was an atheist, because I would think -- I think the presidency is a job too big for one person. I would think there's a little arrogance that says, I don't need anybody else. I could vote for someone of different religions than mine, but I don't know that I could personally vote for somebody who denies that we need somebody greater than ourselves to help us.