McCain, Obama get tough, personal in final debate
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By BETH FOUHY / The Associated Press
HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. — John McCain assailed Barack Obama’s character and campaign positions on taxes, abortion and more Wednesday night, hoping to transform their final presidential debate into a launching pad for a political comeback. “You didn’t tell the American people the truth,’’ he charged.
Unruffled, and ahead in the polls, Obama parried each charge, and leveled a few of his own.
“One hundred percent, John, of your ads, 100 percent of them have been negative,’’ Obama shot back in an uncommonly personal debate less than three weeks from Election Day.
Quotes from the candidates in their final debate
On late-term abortions:
OBAMA: “With respect to partial-birth abortion, I am completely supportive of a ban on late-term abortions, partial-birth or otherwise, as long as there’s an exception for the mother’s health and life, and this did not contain that exception. And I attempted, as many have in the past, of including that so that it is constitutional. And that was rejected, and that’s why I voted present, because I’m willing to support a ban on late-term abortions as long as we have that exception.’’
McCAIN: “Just again, the example of the eloquence of Sen. Obama. He’s ... health for the mother. You know, that’s been stretched by the pro-abortion movement in America to mean almost anything. That’s the extreme pro-abortion position, quote, health. But, look, Cindy and I are adoptive parents. We know what a treasure and joy it is to have an adopted child in our lives. We’ll do everything we can to improve adoption in this country. But that does not mean that we will cease to protect the rights of the unborn.’’
On whether their rival’s vice presidential picks are qualified to be president:
McCAIN: “I think that Joe Biden is qualified in many respects. But I do point out that he’s been wrong on many foreign policy and national security issues, which is supposed to be his strength. He voted against the first Gulf War. He voted against it and, obviously, we had to take Saddam Hussein out of Kuwait or it would’ve threatened the Middle Eastern world supply. In Iraq, he had this cockamamie idea about dividing Iraq into three countries. We’re seeing Iraq united as Iraqis, tough, hard, but we’re seeing them. We’re now about to have an agreement for status of forces in Iraq coming up. There are several issues in which, frankly, Joe Biden and I open and honestly disagreed on national security policy, and he’s been wrong on a number of the major ones.’’
OBAMA: “That’s going to be up to the American people. I think that, obviously, she’s a capable politician who has, I think, excited the -- a base in the Republican Party. And I think it’s very commendable the work she’s done on behalf of special needs. I agree with that, John. I do want to just point out that autism, for example, or other special needs will require some additional funding, if we’re going to get serious in terms of research. That is something that every family that advocates on behalf of disabled children talk about. And if we have an across-the-board spending freeze, we’re not going to be able to do it.’’
By The Associated Press
“It’s not true,’’ McCain retorted.
“It absolutely is true,’’ said Obama, seeking the last word.
McCain is currently running all negative ads, according to a study by the University of Wisconsin-Madison. But he has run a number of positive ads during the campaign.
The 90-minute encounter, at a round table at Hofstra University, was their third debate, and marked the beginning of a 20-day sprint to Election Day. Obama leads in the national polls and in surveys in many battleground states, an advantage built in the weeks since the nation stumbled into the greatest economic crisis since the Great Depression.
With few exceptions, the campaign is being waged in states that voted Republican in 2004 — Virginia, Colorado, Iowa — and in many of them, Obama holds a lead in the polls.
McCain played the aggressor from the opening moments of the debate, accusing Obama of waging class warfare by seeking tax increases that would “spread the wealth around.’’
The Arizona senator also demanded to know the full extent of Obama’s relationship with William Ayers, a 1960s-era terrorist and the Democrat’s ties with ACORN, a liberal group accused of violating federal law as it seeks to register voters. And he insisted Obama disavow last week’s remarks by Rep. John Lewis, a Democrat, who accused the Republican ticket of playing racial politics along the same lines as segregationists of the past.
Struggling to escape the political drag of an unpopular Republican incumbent, McCain also said, “Sen. Obama, I am not President Bush. ... You wanted to run against President Bush, you should have run four years ago.’’
Obama returned each volley, and brushed aside McCain’s claim to full political independence.
“If I’ve occasionally mistaken your policies for George Bush’s policies, it’s because on the core economic issues that matter to the American people — on tax policy, on energy policy, on spending priorities — you have been a vigorous supporter of President Bush,’’ he said.
McCain’s allegation that Obama had not leveled with the public involved the Illinois senator’s decision to forgo public financing for his campaign in favor of raising his own funds. As a result, he has far outraised McCain, although the difference has been somewhat neutralized by an advantage the Republican National Committee holds over the Democratic Party.
“He signed a piece of paper’’ earlier in the campaign pledging to accept federal financing, McCain said. He added that Obama’s campaign has spent more money than any since Watergate, a reference to President Nixon’s re-election, a campaign that later became synonymous with scandal.
Obama made no immediate response to McCain’s assertion about having signed a pledge to accept federal campaign funds.
Asked about running mates, both presidential candidates said Democrat Joseph Biden was qualified to become president, although McCain added this qualifier: “in many respects.’’
McCain passed up a chance to say his own running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, was qualified to sit in the Oval Office, though he praised her performance as governor and noted her work on behalf of special needs children. The Palins have a son born earlier this year with Down Syndrome.
Obama sidestepped when asked about Palin’s qualifications to serve as president, and he, too, praised her advocacy for special needs children.
But he quickly sought to turn the issue to his advantage by noting McCain favors a spending freeze on government programs.
“I do want to just point out that autism, for example, or other special needs will require some additional funding if we’re going to get serious in terms of research. ... And if we have an across-the-board spending freeze, we’re not going to be able to do it,’’ he said.
In addition to differences on taxes and spending, McCain said Obama advocated trade policies that recalled those of Herbert Hoover, who presided over the start of the Great Depression.
Obama has called for tougher provisions in trade negotiations, arguing that is necessary to avoid undercutting the wages paid American workers.
McCain also said Obama has aligned himself with “the extreme aspect of the pro-abortion movement in America’’ and had voted present while in the Illinois Legislature on a measure to ban one type of procedure late in a woman’s pregnancy.
Obama said the bill would have undermined Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court ruling that granted abortion rights, and had been opposed by the Illinois Medical Society.
“I am completely supportive of a ban on late-term abortions, partial-birth or otherwise, as long as there’s an exception for the mother’s health and life, and this did not contain that exception,’’ he added.
McCain sarcastically paid tribute to “the eloquence of Senator Obama. He’s (for) health for the mother. You know, that’s been stretched by the pro-abortion movement in America to mean almost anything.’’
McCain’s allegation about class warfare stemmed from one of Obama’s campaign appearances last weekend.
In Ohio on Sunday, Obama was approached by a man who said, “Your new tax plan’s going to tax me more.’’
A video clip caught by Fox News shows Obama replying, “It’s not that I want to punish your success. I just want to make sure that everybody who is behind you, that they’ve got a chance at success, too. And I think that when we spread the wealth around, it’s good for everybody.’’
McCain referred repeatedly to that voter, Joe Wurzelbacher, a plumber from Toledo, Ohio.
Wurzelbacher watched Wednesday night’s debate and said he still thinks Obama’s plan would keep him from buying the small business that employs him.
McCain’s reference to Ayers reprised campaign commercials he has run to try and raise doubts about Obama’s fitness to serve.
Ayers, who was a member of the violent Weather Underground in the 1960s, hosted a meet-the-candidate event for Obama in an Illinois race many years later.
“The fact that this has become such an important part of your campaign, Sen. McCain, says more about your campaign than it says about me,’’ Obama replied.
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But, if worse comes to worse and Obama does get elected, I can't wait till all of you that make more than me start handing me part of your earnings!!! Be prepared to spread the wealth! "
Palin doesn't not belong in the lower 48 let alone Washington. She's so grossly out of her league I feel sorry for her! McCain did not do her any favors!
Much of McCain's plans which I have taken the time to read, are confusing, costly, and taking us down the wrong path. "
Nancy - you forgot to mention McCain's healthcare plan will, for the 1st time in US history, tax employer provided healthcare (meaning McCain is actually raising taxes on everyone who has employer-supplied healthcare).
Mike - all I can say is you must not be a very successful accountant. 95% of Americans pay no taxes?!?! You're kidding, right? First, only 40% of working Americans pay no INCOME taxes. But 100% (ONE HUNDRED PERCENT) of working Americans pay taxes: Social Security taxes and Medicare taxes! Something anyone claiming to be an accountant should have known instantly! With the 1st one dollar you earn, you pay FICA taxes! And Obama's financial advisor has been Warren Buffet! The two Fannie/Freddie ex-CEO's (ex as of 3-4 years ago, FYI, not recently), one is not and has never been involved with Obama; the other served -- for FOUR DAYS -- on Obama's VP search committee, NOT as a financial advisor! And did you know John McCain got more money from Fannie/Freddie in donations than Obama? $160,000 plus for McCain (from only a few hundred executives) vs $106,000 for Obama (from several thousand ordinary employees, contributing personally, not from Fannie or Freddie)! "
I was highly impressed with Barack Obama tonight and he has made up my mind. I was sitting on the fence until Palin was picked as VP. Nice try McCain, picking a woman and all... try picking an INTELLIGENT woman next time! "
Only difference between the two is McCain will give the biggest cuts (dollar AND percent) to the wealthiest, decreasing as you go down the economic scale, so the poorest 20% of working Americans will only get about a $1-2 dollar per month cut. But he says EVERYONE will get a cut! Obama will give his largest percent cuts to the poorest, decreasing in percent size as you go up the economic scale, until you hit $250,000 per year. Above that level, they'll get a small tax increase (4-6%). "
http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2008/07/top-senate-recipients-of-fanni.html
Clearly McCain did not receive more than Obama, that is a lie. Also to John and Zoomie, first off, Obama did say 95% in a debate. Do you know what a schedule C is? It is when someone is self employed. Do you know how many poeple have a loss on that every year and don't pay any FICA or Medicare? Maybe you should check your facts before you come personally attacking me. Over 5% of American's do not pay taxes of ANY KIND. "
On another note, John McCain claims the average american family pays $5800 / year for health insurance, I must have the wrong company because my health insurance in more than double that. Very near to the $12,000 that Barrack Obama says is the national average paid for health insurance. "
I don't know how any farmer can vote for him after hearing that. "
Also, check out the gas pipeline that Governor Palin says is going in. It is not anywhere near being actually built. They are still studying where it can go.
Vote McCain-Palin same old same old except no ethanol subsidy
Vote Obama-Biden at least a chance for alternative energy "
The New York Times looked at contributions from Fannie and Freddie's boards of directors and lobbyists, who are technically not employees. That analysis found Fannie and Freddie-related contributors gave $169,000 to John McCain and his related committees, compared with $16,000 to Obama and his related committees.
Nevertheless, the center's information does reflect which candidates are getting the most money from Fannie and Freddie employees. There are other ways to parse the campaign finance numbers, but McCain is correct when he says Obama got the second-most money on a list compiled by a respected, nonpartisan campaign finance watchdog. He would have been more accurate if he would have noted that he was talking about Fannie and Freddie employees. "
On his Web site, McCain calls it "an American Homeownership Resurgence Plan." Under his plan, the government would buy up some troubled mortgages at their full value — meaning the lenders would not take a loss. The government would then renegotiate those mortgages, so that eligible homeowners would be paying rates based on their homes' current, reduced value. The McCain campaign acknowledges the plan would shift the burden to taxpayers. In the debate he said that even though no one is going to renegotiate the mortages of responsible people who pay on time so that we pay the lower home value, we should be happy because the irresponsible neighbors' homes won't be sitting empty. You have got to be freaking kidding me! I don't even think he has thought this plan through. It's just that awful. "
We should not discriminate on the basis of race (which is true), but we should discriminate on the basis of age.
We should warmly welcome people from different geographic regions, as long as those regions are south of the Rio Grande. People from areas within 5 degrees of the Arctic circle, however, are fair game for any number of insults.
And I if were John McCain, I'd be getting angry too after all of the lies Obama continued to spout. "
Lower medical costs? HOW? He says we'll work together and lower costs. HOW? Capitalism works. Greed works. He spoke with that plumber about redistributing the wealth and he backpedaled. Isn't that what he's doing with the PUBLICLY OWNED oil co's? Oops oil co guy. You made TOO MUCH MONEY. I tax you $1000 extra because that many billions of revenue even though you profited 10% only and paid taxes on it is just TOO MUCH. Next year I'll tax you $1000 for every american too. Bye! "
John McCain’s campaign has for weeks been using a strategy of pushing a guilt by association issue on Obama with Fannie & Freddie. To use a tired old colloquialism, this is the pot calling the kettle black.
McCain’s CAMPAIGN MANAGER, Rick Davis, presumably the one pushing the aforementioned strategy, was paid more than $30,000 a month for five years (nearly $2 million) as president of an advocacy group set up by the mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to defend them against stricter regulations.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/22/us/politics/22mccain.html "
s "
On the Freddie and Fannie contributions list, the Center for Responsive Politics did put Obama as No. 2 with $126,349, right after Sen. Chris Dodd, chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, who had $165,400.
But the list requires some explanation.
Corporations cannot give to candidates, so the Center for Responsive Politics’ list adds up contributions from Fannie and Freddie EMPLOYEES and their FAMILIES. Obama has received a lot of money during his presidential campaign and Fannie and Freddie employees don't make his list of top 20 companies.
The New York Times looked at contributions from Fannie and Freddie's boards of directors and lobbyists, who are technically not employees. That analysis found Fannie and Freddie-related contributors gave $169,000 to John McCain and his related committees, compared with $16,000 to Obama and his related committees.
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/727/ "
If Plumber Joe plans on buying Newell Plumbing and Heating from Al Newell, he has a lot to learn. Plumber Joe doesn't seem to know the difference between Gross receipts and Adjusted Gross Income. "
The truth is the personal attacks alarm me as much as the policy. He clearly has a great deal of distain for Obama. His lack of respect for the Senator has shown me that this is a man that is as big of a hate monger as George Bush. He, and his less than culturally competent running mate, will create divisiveness that we haven't seen in this country in decades. "