So what is it that we know now that we didn't know before the presidential contenders appeared at a California "megachurch" to discuss the issues of the day in the context of their personal faith? Not much. Oh, it's not that pastor Rick Warren of the Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., didn't play his role well. His questions were perfectly legitimate -- and why shouldn't the American people know all they can know about the professional, and personal, values of those who wold be president? The preacher would likely be counted among "Christian conservatives" to be sure, but he did his part in keeping questions even-handed.

One conservative pundit -- many of the punditocracy were there, doubtless happy to have a fresh topic at hand, and a couple of them have appeared already on the opposite page -- even suggested Warren be subbed for one of the news anchors slated to moderate the McCain-Obama debates upcoming in this general election.

As a forum, this sort of non-confrontational, conversational gathering wasn't especially a pulse-racer. Obama was surely out to underline some deep Christian beliefs (a substantial number of people apparently still think he's Muslim), and McCain, probably feeling this was "his" crowd, affirmed conservative views on abortion, for one example. Obama quoted some Scripture. McCain got personal about his own life experiences.

The Democrat from Illinois apparently believes that, though there may still be wind in the sails of the most conservative elements of the evangelical movement, the fleet is perhaps not as unified as once it was behind the U.S.S. Republican.

And the fellow does have a little bit of Elvis in him (a definition of charisma by the late Molly Ivins) when it comes to speechifying. His delivery sort of takes on the cadence of a Baptist preacher on the last night of a revival who's decided that This Is It for the souls yet to be saved under the tent. Unless he does his best, a fiery end awaits them, and he's not talking about the heat of late August outside.

McCain ... not so much. The Navy man has to believe that that fleet we were talking about will unite when day is done and the first week of November rolls around. Conservative Christians, in his mind, aren't going to abandon John McCain and crew for the Love Boat.

And what the Arizona Republican may lack in oratorical electricity, he makes up for with directness and simplicity. His answers to Warren were shorter than Obama's, and McCain's sentences weren't philosophically ambitious, but they were clear and calm. He addressed the issue at hand, and moved on. (A story in The N&O noted that some of Obama's advisers are trying to get him to stifle his tendency to talk too much.) People seem to like McCain's directness, and they're certainly familiar with his courage and admirable leadership in a Vietnam prisoner of war camp.

McCain's getting the nod for "winning" the nondebate, and that's probably true. Mainly, though, it reinforced impressions already held by loyalists of the two candidates, and perhaps enlightened folks on opposite sides, in positive ways, about the opponent. That's not as much fun as a free-for-all, but it's more constructive.

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Wake Forest University, and all of North Carolina, lost a pillar this week with the death of Tom Hearn, the university's president from 1983 to 2005. Tall, deep-voiced, earnest, intense, quick-witted ... he was all those things, and he's credited with doing great stuff, from strengthening the faculty to raising huge sums of money to watching over construction of some spectacular buildings on the campus in Winston-Salem.

But Hearn also was a public servant, working as a member and then leader of the Knight Commission on college athletics and with the Center for Creative Leadership, in addition to participating in many activities in Winston-Salem.

Hearn took over from Ralph Scales, who gained immense popularity with alumni and in particular with students. Hearn was a good choice for a time when the university moved away from historic ties to the Baptist State Convention, ties that had become contentious. (His successor, Nathan Hatch, has been a diplomatic and strong leader as well.)

And, the university vaulted in national rankings, going from a respected regional school to one with national stature. Hearn presided over growth but believed Wake Forest needed to maintain the core tradition of fine undergraduate education.

He believed as well that the university needed always to keep in mind its roots in the small community in northern Wake County where it was born in 1834. On one visit back to the "old campus," as alums called it, he spoke at the Wake Forest Baptist Church, and began, "Home ... you dear people are." He was a strong leader and a nice fellow.

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