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Obama cites past drug use at forum on faith

(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-08-17 10:39

LAKE FOREST, Calif. -- US Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama cited his youthful experimentation with drugs and alcohol as his greatest moral failing on Saturday at a forum on faith and values that also featured Republican John McCain.

The Illinois senator touched on emotional and controversial topics in the religious community, ranging from his support of abortion rights to his backing of civil unions for gay and lesbian couples.

US Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) (L) is greeted by Pastor Rick Warren at the Civil Forum on the Presidency at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, August 16, 2008. [Agencies]

The televised discussion, moderated by one of the country's leading evangelicals, Rick Warren, was an opportunity for both candidates to reach out to religious voters who will be a key voting bloc in the November election.

"I had a difficult youth," Obama said when Warren asked about his greatest moral failing. "There were times when I experimented with drugs."

Obama has written previously about his drug use but rarely discusses it in public. He said he traced that behavior to a "certain selfishness on my part" that was part of his growing up process.

More broadly, Obama said one of the country's biggest moral failings involved its treatment of the poor.

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