Presidential Debate 2 breakdown

What's the fastest solution to bail out retirees?

Obama- step 1- rescue package, and making sure that it works properly, cracking down on CEO's, middle class needs a rescue package.

McCain-stop sending money to countries that don't want help. Buy up old home loans,to stabilize the economy with making the home values go up.

Who would you appoint as your treasury secretary?

McCain- meg whittman

Obama- Warren Buffet, have to understand that it is not just about helping those at the top because it is not trickling down. have to be able to work on loss of jobs and income.

How is the bailout going to help the American people?

McCain-suspended campaigned to go back to DC. Says Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were encouraged by Obama and others. Getting contributions from those companies

Obama- the credit is frozen up, business can't get loans which mean they might have to lay people off. Said that there was needing some regulation and things never happened because of the deregulation in the beginning.

Will the economy get worse before it gets better?

Obama- need some leadership in Washington to set out more regulations

McCain- depends on what we do, need to stabilize housing market, get rid of special interest in Washington

How can you trust either candidate with our money when both parties got us into the problem?

Obama-the debt has increased since Bush has been in office, McCain voted for 4 out of 5 of those budgets. Net spending cut, he plans to cut more than he spends

McCain- he say that he has fought against the spending increases, look for the reforms that have and increase in jobs. energy independence includes nuclear energy and offshore drilling, says that Obama has 8million in spending.

Health care, energy, entitlement reform?

McCain- work on all three at once, says that we are not going to be able to provide the same benefits that the retirees receive today. Work on power plants to have jobs. have to do all

Obama- 1 energy, we have to deal with today 15billion over 10 year to become free of middle eastern oil 2 health care- bad for families and business, have to deal with education so that kids are competitive globally. he wants to eliminate programs don't work and make others work better for cheaper.

What sacrifices will you require American people to make to restore the American dream?

McCain- eliminate the programs that aren't working like the defense spending, spending freeze except for defense.

Obama- refers to 9/11 because the people came together. Have to have alternative energy, people at home would have to be involved


Obama- have to show that we have good habit instead of passing on debts to future generations. earmarks count for 18billion of budget, and McCain is only wanting to give cuts to big corporations. the budget freeze is an unfair spending

McCain- Obama wants to raise taxes and is the only president since hoover to do that. over 50% of small businesses would be taxed, 5000 tax credit for healthcare, he doesn't want to mess with current tax rates

A date to reform social security and Medicare?

Obama- entitlement has to be taken care of, wants to provide tax cut for 95% of the people, for those that make under 250,000 yr. wants to provide 50% tax credit to provide health insurance. states mcCain wants to give tax cuts to big business. If fix the tax situation then it will help reform social security.

McCain- says that social security isn't that hard to fix. Medicare will be harder to fix, have a commission. says Obama hasn't fought for tax increases.

What to do that makes sure congress moves fast for green jobs and climate change and environmental issues?

McCain- say he disagreed with Bush administration on climate change, nuclear power is safe and clean to use. need to develop more technologies for energy efficient cars.

Obama- make an investment in solar, wind, geothermal, he also favors nuclear power. says McCain voted 23 times for alternative energy. can't drill our way out of the current energy problem since we use 25% of the worlds oil. McCain has been there for 26 years and nothing has changed.

McCain- oil drilling is vital so that we can bridge the gap for imported oil

Should health care be treated at a commodity?

Obama- see that it has become a burden and we have to do something about it, like cutting cost by putting health records online. (mccain make a hand gesture and had signal) if don't have medical insurance and you would be able to buy into it and a low rate. the 5000 tax credit under Mccain will be taxed.

McCain- says that Obama will fine anyone that doesn't get health insurance of fine the small businesses that can't give employees health insurance because he mandates having health insurance the 5000

Is health care a privilege, right, or responsibility?

McCain- its a responsibility

Obama- it should be a right, if you got a health care that you like he wants to help lower premiums, small businesses won't be mandated but will be provided with 50% tax help to get it. government should crack down on the insurances that are getting over on people.

How will current economic stress affect with the ability to be a peacemaker?

McCain- states that the United States is the best country in the world for peace. There has to be a person to be able to make sure that we can help when needed, fight against terrorist

Obama- said that current judgments have been costly to the US. spending 10billion a month in Iraq when Iraq has a surplus. there is not country in the world that can maintain defense if we have a bad economy.

What is your doctrine for the use of military force in humanitarian crisis?

Obama- may not always have national security issues at state but there is a moral one. have to work with allies because we can't be everywhere all the time.

McCain- wants to bring the troops home with a victory. we have to beneficially affect the situation. don't want to send american blood into harms way. don't make any situations worse

Should US pursue al-Qaeda in Pakistan?

Obama- end the war in Iraq so that we can go in to Afghanistan,if Pakistan is not willing to find bin laden we should go in and get bin laden this is because they are threatening to kill more Americans. we have to speak and act responsibly.

McCain- when you announce an attack you turn the public opinion against you. work with Pakistan speak softly and carry a big stick.

Developments in Afghanistan

Obama- make Iraqi government take responsibility and withdraw troops for Afghanistan. have a government that is responsive to Afghan people.

McCain- have to work with Pakistani, have to have same strategy that was in Iraq, help the people to lead normal lives.

How can we apply pressure to Russia for humanitarian issues without having another cold war?

McCain- Putin has surrounded himself with the KGB, have to apply pressure in hopes that it will change their behavior, have to do this with the help of our allies

Obama- have to provide support to Russia"s surrounding countries, have to anticipate some of the problems before they happen because this helps make us more safe, agrees with McCain on some of the steps that need to be taken. energy is going to be key in dealing with Russia,

Russia is an evil empire?

Obama- they aren't the old soviet union but they have some dangerous tendencies

McCain- maybe

If Iran attacks Israel, would you commit us troops to support Israel?

McCain- wouldn't wait for the UN security council if Iran attack Israel, can't allow a 2nd holocaust to take place

Obama- can't allow Iran to get nuclear weapons, will do everything that is required, will keep military options open, work more effectively with other countries, should have direct talks with friends and enemies- if you don't change behavior there will be consequences.

What don't you know and how will you learn it?

Obama- he would learn better by what his wife points out. but without getting opportunity in this country he wouldn't be here. have to have a future for the children and bring back American dream

McCain- what will happen here and abroad. he believes in the future and the greatness of this country, he wants the people to give him another opportunity to make sure things happen.

In this debate I wasn't to sure about either candidate because their issues on foreign policy seemed almost the same. I would think that the key differences between them is that for one; Obama doesn't think that the same strategies used for Iraq will work in Afghanistan and McCain does, the other being that Obama is suggesting more talks with these nations whereas McCain is just like speak softly and carry a big stick. I don't think speaking softly or not speaking with the enemy will solve our problems. We have one objective for Afghanistan and that's to get bin Laden. We see that our current president forgot that objective and we lost our troops for somethings pointless. Sadam is dead so why are we still there? I think that this nation gets too bogged up in creating war for no reason other than just because. Now given the fact of the percentage that McCain will be president we should look forward to fighting wars again on US soil if either McCain or Palin piss off the Russians. Nothing against Russia but I don't want to tell my grandkids that I was living during the 2nd cold war. This is starting to make me wonder where in the world Germany will fit into this picture in its goal for World domination.

Given the fact that Obama strength was not on foreign policy he looked like a polish natural against McCain. McCain seemed to have lost his edge given that he was supposed to win this debate by a landslide. Hopefully fro him those old war wounds don't act up.