John McCain "understands" and cares about "Joe the Plumber." He should hire Joe to work on the 10 or so houses the McCains own.
Barack Obama has a real plan for the economy. Where is John McCain's plan? I think he is writing it right now...live on TV.
John says he knows how to save billions of dollars. So why is he asking ME to bailout the people that ran up their credit cards and over extended themselves on the house loans?
McCain just loves to misrepresent the facts. Three million dollar projector? Right... think he got that wrong.
McCain will balance the budget in four years. He voted for the Bush budgets. Now he says he can clean it up.
Fox News even disputes McCain's add claiming that Barack Obama would raise taxes on families making 42,000 a year. McCain's eyes popped. Whoops. Gotcha.
McCain has the scares to prove he opposed the Republican party. They must have been tough that 10% of the time he didn't vote with Bush.
Schaeffer is hitting hard with the question about dirty campaign ads. McCain is dodging the question saying that Obama dodged the town hall format. Now he brings up Congressman John Lewis. He is misrepresenting the comments of Lewis yet again. He is trying to put Obama on the carpet, but he didn't say any of the "kill him", "terrorist", "off with his head", "treason" comments that are being shouted out at McCain and Palin rallies.
Obama says a poll finds 2/3's of those polled saw John McCain's campaign as being negative. He also calls out McCain on his negative ads and says that not having town hall debates is no reason to go nasty. The public wants to hear about answers to the economy, health care, and energy, and how the American people can send their kids to college.
McCain is whining about Obama ads, but Obama ads hit the facts about McCain's policies while McCain ads smear Obama.
Obama is now bringing up Congressman Lewis whose comments were unsolicited by the Obama campaign. His point was that we have to be careful about how we deal with our supporters. McCain and Palin did nothing when the threatening remarks of their supporters. Obama and Lewis both put out statements that he had gone to far. McCain is grandstanding.
McCain ads say Obama "pals around with terrorists." McCain says he is proud of those that come to his rallies. He is they are great citizens and patriotic. He won't stand for them being denigrated. He wants Obama to repudiate Lewis's comments.
Obama is taking the high road to bring the discussion back to the issues of what actually effects the American public, not smearing the candidates.
Now McCain is pulling out Ayers and Acorn. What is Obama's relationship with Bill Ayers, professor of education in Chicago. Obama was eight years old when Ayers was in the Weathermen terrorist group. Ayers was on a board that Obama also happened be on the board of. Ayers is not in anyway connected with the Obama campaign. Acorn was paying people to register voters. Some of those employed were putting in fraudulent forms. Obama campaign had nothing to do with that. McCain is grandstanding again to create a fear-factor about Obama.
What people will you two bring into the government? Your running mates - Obama why would the country be better off if your running mate became president?
Biden has some of the best foreign policy credentials of anyone. He has never forgotten where he came from in Scranton, PA. He fights for the little guy, in economic policies, passing the land mark crime bill. He fights on behalf of families. He and I both agree is that we have to re-prioritize and give tax breaks to small business and families, get us off foreign oil and help families educate their children.
McCain - Palin is a reformer and a roll model for American women. She gave money back to taxpayers, she was a reformer for oil, she is a reformer through and through. She is a breath of fresh air that will sweep out the old cronyism. She understands special needs families. I am proud of her. She has united our party.
Obama - is she qualified to be president. That will be up to the American people. She is a capable politician.
McCain - Biden is qualified but he has been wrong in many foreign policy votes...then McCain goes on to name several items he feels Biden was wrong in.
Obama was only complimentary of Palin. McCain was negative about Biden.
Reduce our dependence on oil:
McCain - nuclear plants, wind, tide, solar, natural gas, clean coal technology...7, 8, 10 years we can eliminate our dependence.
Obama - in 10 years we can reduce our dependence so we don't have to import from middle east or Venezuela. We are mortgaging our children's future. We should look at off shore drilling. We only have 3 - 4 % reserves but use 25%. This is why we must diversify our energy usage.
NAFTA - I believe in fair trade but for far too long, USA has held that any trade agreement is a good agreement. We have got to have a president who is going to be advocating for American business.
McCain is splitting hairs on Obama's words. He says he admires Senator Obama's eloquence. He points out that Obama said we could "look" at offshore drilling. McCain says we should drill now, not look at drilling.
Obama, "We need to understand a good fair trade agreement and stand up for American business." We need to get loans to automakers so that they can move in the direction of producing highly fuel efficient cars, wind turbines, solar panels creating new jobs to drive our economy for the future.
McCain - Obama doesn't want to accept free trade agreements with Venezuela but would sit down without pre-agreements with the leaders of Iran.
health care coverage - Obama. This is the issue that will break your heart over and over again. If you have health insurance, you can keep your plan. We will try to lower costs so that those costs are passed on to you. If you don't have insurance we will provide you the option to buy into the same pool as Congress has. We negotiate for no precondition limitations, will negotiate for low pharmaceuticals. Will cost some money up front, but will make families healthy and will provide long term budget savings to government budget.
McCain - We need health care records online, more community health centers, walk in clinics, physical fitness and nutrition programs in schools, employers give bonuses to employees who belong to gyms. But Obama will fine small businesses who do not adopt his health care plan. He will set up health care bureaucracies.
Obama - here is Joe's fine: $0. Small businesses will be exempt. Large businesses provide health care or someone has to do it. Average family pays an extra $900 per year because of uninsured people. McCain's plan says he will give you $5000. That might work for young healthy people, but not older people. The average policy is $12,000. His plan will tax your employer based health care benefit.
McCain says 95% will receive more under his plan. Except for those that have gold-plated plans. People will be able to choose their own plan. Senator Obama wants government to do the job. I want Joe, you to be able to do the job.
Obama, with McCain's plan there is a real risk that you will lose your employer based health care plan.
McCain - Roe v Wade should be overturned. Obama you believe it shouldn't. Would you ever appoint someone to the supreme court that disagreed with you.
McCain - I would not have a litmus test. I would find the best people who have a history of sticking to the constitution. I don't believe someone who supports Roe v Wade would fit that definition.
Obama - this will be one of the most consequential decisions of the next president. I believe that Roe v Wade was rightly decided. I would not have a litmus test. I believe that women with their families, spiritual advisers and doctors are in the best position to make this decision. I will look for judges who have an outstanding judicial record and who have an understanding of what people go through.
McCain - we have to change the culture of America for life. Obama voted against a law that would provide medical aide to an infant who survived abortion. He voted present on the Illinois floor when partial ban abortion came to vote.
Obama - if it sounds incredible that I would vote to withhold life saving treatment to an infant it is because it was...the bill would have undermined Roe v Wade. There was also a law in the books that provided for the care of infants that survive abortions along with the Hippocratic oath that physicians take. There was not an exception for saving the life of the mother.
There surely is some common ground where we should come together to help prevent unwanted pregnancies through education, providing more options for adoption and also help young ladies that want to keep their babies.
McCain - here he goes with his eloquence again. You heard Obama mention "health of the mother" that has been pushed to the limits by the pro-abortion movement.
Obama - Education. We have got to get our education system right. We need more money and reform for schools. Early child education. We need an army of new teachers with higher pay and professional development but give them higher accountability. Community service for college credit of $4000 every year. Parents have to turn off TV and video games and instill a thirst for knowledge.
McCain - civil rights issue..open schools...but what is the advantage of sending kids to failing schools. Charter schools provide better answers and competition that upgrades charter and public schools. Throwing money at it will not solve the problem. We must improve education. College loans more available. Full student loan program for in-state and adjust to inflation.
Obama - tradition of local control of schools. but federal government must step up and help local schools do what they need to do. No child left behind had the funding left behind and local governments had to pick up the tab. Focus on early child hood education. I support charter schools which foster competition and improve quality. But vouchers will not be the answer to improve schools. We can't talk about programs and not explain how they will be funded.
McCain - vouchers are what brought remarkable improvements to the Washington, DC school system. Vouchers are a good and proven system.
America needs a new direction. I have record of standing up to my party, the other party. I have been a careful steward of your tax dollars. We have to stop the spending that has mortgaged your children's futures. All of our promises are based on whether you can trust us. I have spent my entire life in service of our nation and putting my country first. I have been proud to serve and I hope that you will give me the opportunity to serve you again.
I want to thank Senator McCain and Bob for moderating. I think we all know America is going through tough times. The biggest mistake we could make is to accept the same failed policies we have had over the past eight years and expect a different result. WE are going to have to invest in the American people again. It will require all of us to come together and to renew a spirit of sacrifice and responsibility. I will work every single day tirelessly for you if you elect me.
So who won the debate? What do you think?
Commentary on the Debate from Michael Balter Blog
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