Erin: Welcome to a special edition T2A chat as Americans monitor the first Presidential debate between Senators John McCain and Barack Obama. We’re in a suburban Washington living room watching the televised event which is in Oxford, Mississippi at the University of Mississippi. Joining us are a local Washington area resident who describes herself as a moderate Democrat – and a couple of moderate Republicans in Kansas City, Missouri. We’re gauging their reaction to and thoughts about the debate, as they discuss them with you.
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Erin: Your reactions to the opening statements on the economic crisis
Linda: My initial response is that both of the candidates see that we are in dire need of a solution, of a plan. Until I hear something more concrete, it's hard to tell a vast difference between the two.
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Kristine: I pretty much agree...they're stating the obvious. Tell me something I don't know. Let's see what they really have in mind other than we need oversight and don't want golden parachutes and we want to look after the little guy on Main Street. I haven't really seen anything that really strikes me as earth shatteringly different between the two of them.
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Ahmad (email): How do you see McCain's solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict and what is Obama's key to pursuing Middle East peace?
Linda: I personally feel more comfortable with Senator McCain's ability to work with foreign policy, more so than I feel comfortable with Obama -- because with McCain's background in military and politics and his ability to cross lines between Republicans and Democrats, I feel if there is a situation in the Middle East and he is in a position where he can help negotiate, I feel more comfortable with his background and his experiences in being able to do that.
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Roger: Where can I see these debates in Austria?
Erin: Thanks Roger, please go to www.usavotes2008.com and click on the link that says Live Debate Coverage...and then send us your question.
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Nancy Schrag: Please discuss what the chances are - voters will decide on which Pres/VP team they choose based on who is running as VP?
Kristine: I think initially with the selection of Palin as McCain's running mate, there was a lot of attention -- given the turn of events in the last 10 days or so, the vp selection has really taken a backseat to the issue of the economy.
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Linda: I think that was more initial stir right after the choice because it was so unexpected and you have to admit that being female, that also caused a stir but now with the economy and the situation at hand, that is what's in everyone's mind now...but I do think it was an interesting and different choice than expected and has a lot of people around here talking. I was surprised Obama chose someone so expected -- I thought he might do something a little newer or fresher instead of old school Democrat.
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Roger: How can America continue to give tax cuts to everybody and still finance their government?
Kristine: I don't know the answer to that and I want to know more as well..we don't like to pay taxes but the truth of the matter is if we're going to live in a free society with all the perks and protections that come with it, then we're going to have to pay for it and I think there can be some re-allocation of who pays how much but death and taxes are not avoidable.
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Linda: One of my concerns is what Obama considers to be middle class. I think his definition of middle class and most of us who consider ourselves middle class is different, and unless I have exact figures on where he makes his cuts and changes in taxes, it's hard to know whether or not I would agree with his changes in tax plans.
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Ed Franks: what happened to foreign policy?
Linda: I think right now most Americans have the economic situation in the forefront of their minds that does not mean we've forgotten about foreign policy -- Afghanistan, Iraq-- I still hope we'll hear the candidates touch on foreign policy tonight.
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Kristine: The same thing -- but part of our foreign policy has to do with economics so because there's been such a focus on the economic downturn, that's taken priority.
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Erin: First, tell us a little bit about your overall political views – do they lean one way or another…how would you describe your approach to this election…
Linda: I'm very open minded in this election for quite a while because I'm what's considered a middle of the road Republican and I think these two candidates are more middle of the road of each of their parties so it makes in my opinion for a more interesting debate process and for a lot more undecided voters.
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Kristine: I tend to be a more conservative Democrat, maybe middle to conservative -- my leanings have been towards Obama, though I was disappointed in his pick of Biden -- but I've just been energized and drawn in by Obama's enthusiasm that he's generated in the last year. I think if it had been between Al Gore and McCain, I would have voted for McCain -- but I'm for Obama.
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Jennifer: I don't think the VP or anything else in this can 'take a back seat' when discussing the issue of a new president. It is not 'age-ist' to note McCain's health or years any more than you must note that anything can happen to a president and you will then have the VP as the next president. Economy? I have to lean more toward someone who understands my back pocket issues and doesn't try to defend a failed policy of 8 years.
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Mollie King: I'm senior editor of VOANews.com and USAVotes2008.com. As people leave the debates, I'd just like to point out Erin's entertaining blog post about catch phrases of past debates at http://community.usavotes2008.com/kickapps/_There-You-Go-Again/BLOG/108497/45137.html. People who want to continue discussing US politics can create a log in and go there anytime to carry on the discussion!
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Erin: What matters most to YOU in this election?
Kristine: Getting rid of Bush (laughs) I think one thing that really bothers me is the plummet that the American reputation has taken overseas with Bush and all of his policies -- domestic and foreign. And also his callous disregard for the U.S. Constitution and the balance between the legislative and executive branches of government. And I'd really like to see that put back as a priority, rather than having a President who just does whatever he pleases.
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Linda: I find it hard to choose one issue that matters most because I think there are several issues that are of equal importance that need to be addressed immediately; our economy, the War in Iraq, and our energy policies. As a mother of three children, I think it's crucial that we look at our environment and what we're leaving for our kids but we can't lose sight of leaving them a strong economy or a world safe from terrorism.
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Linda: While Kristine's asking to be rid of Bush, I'll ask that we get rid of some of those Senate Democrats too.
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Erin: What about Congress, what do you hope to see the next Congress accomplish?
Linda: I think it's important that the Congress learns to work well with each other. We're going to have to move across party lines. Republicans and Democrats alike need to lose the politics and start thinking about the people and their children and their grandchildren and what world they want to leave behind.
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Kristine: I'd like to see Congress get this economic crisis under control, which probably will be a combination of this Congress and the next. I'd like to see the pork barrel spending cut way back and regulated so it's not so out of control. And I'd like to see some legislation about health care for the uninsured.
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Jennifer: I think what really matters most to me is someone taming the fear. I'm not sure what suburban Washington is like, but I am from very rural America with a community college influence and I can tell you, the fear of a depression-era state is very real. I'm with you on defining middle class. Most of us at poverty level still strive for middle class.
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Erin: What do you and your friends focus on when you discuss the Presidential race/candidates?
Kristine: I tend not to talk about it, living in Washington, it's such a saturated part of our lives that I try not to bring it up in conversation a lot. When I try to talk about it with my husband, we're on opposite sides of the aisle. When we talk about it, my husband is involved with national security so his perspective is different. His concerns lean more towards the Homeland Security side of things and my views tend to be more towards the social issues...I tend to be more socially conscious.
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Jon (Linda's husband): Not only with colleagues but also with clients, given I'm an attorney -- both colleagues and clients are focused at least on what's going to happen to them individually or their businesses with respect to any new tax plan or proposal from either side of the aisle -- secondly at the water cooler, we talk about foreign policy, how foreign nations will react either favorably or not, depending on who's elected -- so it could involve a huge shake up with our relationships with several countries.
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Jennifer: Do any of you agree that Afghanistan should have been the prime target from the onset of 9/11? How do you feel about our global personality then vs. now?
Linda: Hindsight is always 20-20 ---- this means it's difficult to look back and say for certain what one might have done in the exact same situation. I think we made the most educated we could at that time, with the information we were given at that time.
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Kristine: I think Iraq was Bush's way of finishing what his father did not finish and that our focus should be much more on Afghanistan with our military now -- probably should have been for the last 6 or 7 years. But we've dug such a deep hole in Iraq that we have to pour our resources into cleaning up our own mess, which is preventing us from focusing on the Taleban and allowing them to reorganize and regroup.
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Kristine: My final comment here is that this probably the most engaged I've been in an election in my adult life and I hope that whatever happens we can get some of these issues straightened out in the next year or so.
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Linda: I think if you look at what we've done in the last 2 presidential terms, we've been through the most catastrophic terrorist attack in this nation's history -- we have put together homeland defense -- we have fought in Afghanistan -- we've fought in Iraq -- we've dealt with some major weather-related, natural disasters -- it's hard to say what history will reflect on Bush's Presidency. There's too much that has happened to fit here in this day and age and judge that right now.
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Erin: How would you rate President Bush’s record on economics, social issues, foreign policy?
Linda: I think it's difficult to rate his record at this time due to the fact that over the past 8 years and two presidential terms, we have lived through the most catastrophic terrorist attack that this country has ever seen -- we've started homeland defense -- we've fought in Afghanistan and Iraq -- we've lived through several weather-related natural disasters -- and I think it's hard in this day and age to judge Bush's presidency right now -- I think history will have to tell us what he has accomplished.
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