In statements on science, Obama and McCain try to keep everyone happy.
In the endless run-up to the 2008 election, religion and science have each played controversial roles, but for very different reasons. Religion was front and center throughout the primaries, while science went largely ignored.
The Compassion Forum, held at Messiah College in Grantham, Pennsylvania, on the eve of the Pennsylvania primary, marked the first time belief became the focus of a major event during a presidential campaign. Despite calls for a similar forum on science—“Science Debate 2008”—the candidates have so far shown little interest.
In fact, the only time they have spoken at length about issues concerning the scientific community is when the subject at hand is faith. Recent statements by the two presumptive nominees show that each is careful to claim both science and religion as part his beliefs. 
McCain on Evolution
“Darwin helped explain nature’s laws. He did not speculate, in his published theories at least, on the origin of life. He did not exclude God, for Whom the immensity of time is but a moment, from our presence. The only undeniable challenge the theory of evolution poses to Christian beliefs is its obvious contradiction of the idea that God created the world as it is in less than a week.
“But our faith is certainly not so weak that it can be shaken to learn that a biblical metaphor is not literal history. Nature doesn’t threaten our faith. On the contrary, when we contemplate its beauty and mysteries we cannot quiet in our heart an insistent impulse of belief that for all its variations and inevitable change, before its creation, in a time before time, God let it be so, and, thus, its many splendors and purposes abide in His purpose.
“I believe in evolution, but I also believe, when I hike the Grand Canyon and see it at sunset, that the hand of God is there.”
Obama on Creation
“I’ve said to my children that I believe God created the universe, and that the six days in the Bible may not be six days as we understand it. It may not be twenty-four-hour days. And that’s what I believe.
“My belief is that the story that the Bible tells about God creating this magnificent Earth on which we live is essentially true. It is fundamentally true. Whether it happened exactly as we might understand it reading the text of the Bible, that I don’t presume to know. But ... I do believe in evolution. I don’t think that is incompatible with Christian faith. Just as I don’t think science generally is incompatible with Christian faith.
“This is something that we get bogged down in. There are those who suggest that if you have a scientific bent of mind, then somehow you should reject religion. And I fundamentally disagree with that. In fact, the more I learn about the world, the more I know about science, the more I’m amazed about the mystery of this planet and this universe. And it strengthens my faith as opposed to weakens it.”
