US News
PREVIEW: McCain, Obama enter final debate with honed economic plans
By Pat Reber Oct 15, 2008, 6:08 GMT
Workers prepare the stage for the third and final presidential debate between Sen. Barak Obama and Sen. John McCain at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, USA, 14 October 2008. The debate takes place on 15 October. EPA/JUSTIN LANE
Washington - The United States' teetering economic future was expected to be front and centre in the final debate Wednesday evening between Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama and rival Republican candidate John McCain, who have spent the week sharpening their financial spears.
The round-table encounter at Hofstra University on Long Island outside New York City is seen by some as a last-chance bid by the centre-right McCain, 72, to rescue a flagging campaign.
Obama, 47, who is seeking to become the country's first African- American president, pulled ahead by 14 percentage points among likely voters in a new poll released Tuesday by CBS News/New York Times, after a poll earlier this week gave him a 10-point lead.
But much can change in the final three weeks before the election on November 4, and the two men released refined versions of their economic strategy this week as the US government took yet another unprecedented step to stabilize markets by buying up bank shares worth 250 billion dollars.
There could also be fireworks over the McCain campaign's attempt to paint Obama as a terrorist sympathizer because he served on a charitable board in recent years with Bill Ayers, the one-time leader of the 1960s leftist militant group the Weather Underground.
Obama, who was a child of 8 or 9 at the time Ayers was active in the group, has dismissed the attacks as a sign of desperation by his rival and suggested that McCain would not have the courage to raise the issue to his face.
But McCain was spoiling to take up the challenge Wednesday night, telling the St Louis, Missouri, radio station KMOX Tuesday that his rival could be 'ensured that it will come up this time.'
With voters' concerns focusing more intensely on the economy and the dwindling prospects for their own jobs and retirement security amid the worst global economic crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s, Obama has gained ground in polling, pulling from a near-draw with the Vietnam War hero in mid-September to his current lead.
Obama has pledged throughout his campaign to make middle-class tax cuts, invest in green technology to create jobs, implement tax advantages for job creation inside the United States, carry out a public works programme to restore crumbling infrastructure and help homeowners threatened by foreclosure.
On Tuesday, McCain grabbed headlines with his pledge of a 52.5-billion-dollar programme to cut taxes, reform rules to help investors saving for retirement and reduce the capital gains taxes.
But McCain did not bring up again his much-criticized proposal to buy up all bad US home mortgages, and his overall plan was seen by some as too little, too late.
US presidential elections are really 50 individual state contests for their winner-take-all electoral votes. In the indirect US election system for president, the states choose electors, who then choose the president on December 15.
In eight of 11 states swept by US President George W Bush in 2004, Obama has now edged ahead, including in the large states of Ohio, Virginia and Florida, according to polling averages calculated by the website organization realclearpolitics.com.
However, many of the polling results are within the margin of statistical error.
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Older Talkback
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I still think Palin has pulled McCain down the last weeks after her initial celebrity status. Even if someone is for McCain, they can't wrap their mind around a possible President Palin. She would bode so much better to limit her political ambitions to Alaska, or........the PTA! She doesn't seem to know what she doesn't know.
McCain has admitted in the past that economics isn't his strong suit. Has he been able to memorize a plan that has no doubt been drafted by his managers?
will no doubt be posted fast and furiously after this last debate tonight.
Wonder what percentage have already voted because these debates really don't make much difference to people who have really kept themselves informed on the policies of each candidate all along.
..never watch these debates. I already know who these people are, and what they really stand for.
stupid is here.
Well stated, Sir. Succinct
-SP's Stalker
....none of that makes me wrong.
Now run up those stairs and make a lot of noise so your mommy and those three african-american step-daddies she tells you about, can get dressed before you surprise them. David Alan Greer might not call them black, but you and I know better.
...Obama's tax hikes. Now picture this:
Small and medium sized business getting taxed once (owners personally) and then twice, (corporate) then a third time (capital gains).
At each turn, these investors, who create most of the new jobs in America, will retreat into the 600,000 page tax code, while dem and repub lawmakers draft new one's for each of their constituants.
Now, tax revenue starts slumping (GW Bush holding the all-time high record with CUTS)...and the dem libnazi conclusion will be 'oh, it just was not enough!' and proceed with another round, because, when libnazi plans do not work, the conclusion is always that it was never enough, but right, nonetheless.
Now, revenue is going down, and the deficit starts creepiong out, helped by the dems wars they inhereted, and the promise that ever homeowner is owed a home, three fold (once, with fed funds to the bank, twice with the bailout and thrice with the gov't co-signing, or buying the bad loan) .
Congressional cutbacks?
Dream on. The left will feed at the trough like the right, and we'll get more unfunded $300 bill farm bills, like we just did.
So, capital dries up, sent to tax shelter land, where it cannot grow the economy.
NAFTA - some kind of diddling, after all, he has to, but Obama will be told that he depends on thismore than the trade partners do, after all, no one remembers who signed it into law the foirst place.
That is, if he ever had it in the first place. Same tired old responses from the self-inflicted brain damage, gutter dwelling, Bush hemorrhoid. So much for his personally espoused superior brain. The local commedian doesn't realise that it is time for him to get off the stage and let the show go on. His act is long over. He does love to be in the spotlight, but like all narcissists, he doesn't realise that over-exposure is not conducive to a long career. The jokester has become the joke. Get a new act sweetcheeks.
the top ten reasons I just can't go for b. HUSSEIN obama
I believe that the boy is not white
I believe that the boy is a secret muslim
I believe that the boy is an al qaeda terrorist sent by osama bin laden
I believe that the boy is friends of domestic and international terrorists
I believe that the boy is friends of communists
I believe that the boy is a traitor
I believe that the boy wants to surrender to the terrorists
I believe that the boy wants to destroy American
I believe that the boy has no experience except as a terrorist
I believe that the boy is unfit to be a citizen, let alone the president
politicians for ever have done their own thing and for their benefit, and they can only bring about as much change as those around them will let them. I can remember relatives from many years ago, yelling about politicians and how they are bilking the public and on and on it goes.
Yah, and you also believe in the tooth fairy, Easter bunny, Santa Claus, gremlins under your bed, and Bush!
You have sat too long here for any good you have been doing lately... Depart, I say, and let us have done with you. In the name of God go.
Oliver Cromwell said that back in 1653 to the Rump Parliament.
It applies to you, today.
Two observations of this guy: Ted Sampley, who fought with the special forces in Vietnam and now campaigns for veterans' rights - 'I have been following his career for 20 years. I know him personally. There is something wrong with this guy, and I can tell you what it is - deceit!'
Ross Perot - 'McCain is always reaching for attention and glory!' It's been a given that he has been a womanizer as soon as he returned from being prisoner and saw his disabled wife. He settled on rich Cindy and then divorced his wife - a real true family man with impeccable values.
The prattle has already started, but after this scheduled fiasco of madness, you had better have done your press-ups, because there will be a hell of a lot of whacking to be done.
ESS PEE has already issued a few words of non-interest, but after these two dick-heads have made a fool of themselves in public, ESS PEE will have his moment of dominant glory.
Although Obama is no more than some juvenile black jerk-off from God knows where (I doubt if he knows), that stinking cretin of a bitch Palin has just about nailed the lid on poor old Grandpa McCain`s wooden box.
So - get your BIG club ready for tomorrow mate, it`s gonna make yer arm ache.
Obama is now a banker for 4 long years of a YABBA-DABBA-DOO Presidency.
We had all better get ready for a l-o-n-g stretch of - 'LOADIN DE BANANA BOTE OLE NAHT LONG'
You say: 'ESS PEE will have his moment of dominant glory.'
Response: Nope. He won't. He's washed up. A never-was, let alone a has-been. he is like a tempest in a teapot. Full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.
'@sp'sass
Yah, and you also believe in the tooth fairy, Easter bunny, Santa Claus, gremlins under your bed, and Bush!'
I love it when leftists are too stupid to recognize other leftist drivel.
WHITE MAN`S BURDEN
Oct 15th, 2008 - 19:09:22
yet another racist post from the lunatic fringe. The white supremist rightwingnuts are at it again. Another post to report and have removed for racism and inciting hatred.
I didn't realize it until you mentioned it that McCain's campaign slogans are 'leftist drivel'. That may seem mighty unbecoming for a maverick reformer, but then again perhaps all them reformers are communist oriented anyway.
Rumor has it that caveman McCain spends his leisure time wallowing on a plush sofa in his palacios palace with a large glass of Cognac, reminiscing on his luxurious days in the Hanoi Hilton, where servant girls pampered to his every needs whilst trying not to think of his fellow fly-boys in their bamboo cages being eaten alive by ants and roaches.
All this imaginative paradise whilst repeatedly playing an old Bing Crosby 78 record of 'I`M DREAMING OF A WHITE CHRISTMAS'
Cindy stated that John didn't need any treatment or help after his imprisonment as he had training to deal with it.....if it was so bad, surely he would have needed something. He came back to a loving wife, but he soon found Cindy - maybe that was his treatment!
I also love it when a dense dog doesn't understand sarcasm!
Sounds like the poor bugger would have been better off staying at the Hanoi Hilton with his troop of servant girls than being faced with a fate worse than death.
mcain won, obama looked and talked like an old black rascist,yes mcain sucked up to the poor and had a few election bribes to give joe8pak,so it looks on all in all more money in the backpocet for the average worker and family i think mcain will win after this debate hes giving more money in our pockets people will vote with whats in it for mebig tax cuts 5000 for health more for social security yep call it election bribes but mcain was like fathe christmas in this debate,ill vote mcain.
It was very clear to me that McCain won tonight. NO DOUBT.
People don’t seem to care that Obama is lying through his teeth and will literally say anything to get elected. Its Bill Clinton all over again.
i agree joe this is pure election bribery to get yor vote.mcain might win with all the money hes throwing at us.people will vote with there backpocket
You are probably the same person, but just in case you both are idiots!
I think McCain did the best he could have done tonight and he landed almost all the punches in the available arsenal, I don't see how he could have done any better.
The one time that I think Obama told a bald face lie was when he attempted to deny his vote on the infanticide bill. He said it was not true. These things are a matter of public record, and are not subject to spin.
He explained his reasoning for voting as he did regarding the abortion bill, that it didn't have a provision for consideration of the health of the mother. People totally against abortion for any reason would rather see a mother lose her life in order to carry a fetus to term. They don't care if she has other children who would lose their mother, but that is all an old debate. His vote was justified. McCain totally screwed himself with his comments.
'He explained his reasoning for voting as he did regarding the abortion bill, that it didn't have a provision for consideration of the health of the mother.'
OBAMA LIED, again. The bill was identical to the federal bill which had provisions for the health of the mother. Additionally, the Born Alive infants act covered children who were 'born alive'. How would treating a live infant threaten the health of the mother? They would be sepperate people at that point.
No, Obama voted to deliberately allow live babies to die.
'People totally against abortion for any reason would rather see a mother lose her life in order to carry a fetus to term.'
THE BORN ALIVE PROTECTION ACT is what they were talking about. Obama voted to allow doctors deny treatment to babies who survived an attempted abortion once they are out of the mothers body. He dazzled your simple mind with BS and you bought it.
A US teacher(!) was heard to screech 'I mean, his middle name is HUSSEIN! I'm not going to vote for someone whose middle name is HUSSEIN!'
Unbelieveable ! Is it any wonder the World outside racist, prejudiced America thinks you are all a bunch of idiots and ill educated morons, who have no understanding of the real World ?
Hussein means 'good', by the way.
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dabsOct 15th, 2008 - 12:16:57
it's time once again for Mccain to look more stupider than he really is
like his hero a-hole bush. oh and his number one suckass sp4 almost forgot about that idot...
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