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Last Updated: Oct 16th, 2008 - 13:33:17 |
Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain hosted a town hall meeting with more than 1,000 women Oct. 2 at the Denver Sheraton, where he spoke on a variety of issues including taxes, education, the war in Iraq and the economy.
"America is hurting," McCain said. "People are sitting around the kitchen table and trying to figure out how to stay in their homes."
But he promised he and his running mate, Gov. Sarah Palin, who would debate later that evening, were the agents to fix America's problems.
"Change is coming," McCain said of his presidential ticket.
Greed on Wall Street has to end, he said. He pointed out women are the fastest growing demographic of small business owners.
He promised to do everything he can to keep taxes low.
Taking his opponent, Barack Obama, to the mat, McCain said, "He's got this line that says he's going to give tax breaks for 95 percent of Americans," he said. "But he's voted 100 percent for taxes."
Multiple independent fact checkers have disputed these facts.
Talking about the economic bailout he supported, "It's a trinket, not a cure. It's going to take a new group to drain the swamp."
He suggested Obama and his vice presidential pick, Sen. Joe Biden, were only talk, prompting applause from the crowd.
"Barack Obama talks about change," he said. "But the McCain-Palin team will make change."
The Youth Vote
McCain said there is a lot of work to do on the youth vote. He pointed to his website and other social networks, as well as late night variety shows and participation with MTV as ways he has reached out to the younger generation.
"We have to hand them a better future than we inherited," he said, "regardless of whether youth participate in the election or not."
Immigration
The senator did not address his policy about illegal immigrants when an audience member spoke out, pegging the thousands of Mexican workers in America as having a role in the downfall of the economy and more specifically her being fired four times in eight years.
He did, however, take the opportunity to address other economic issues.
"Job creation is first," he said. "We have to start creating jobs in America."
He also spoke about his health care reform that would include $5,000 for every citizen to "shop" for his or her own provider. He said the federal government needs to create a pool of money for people with medical conditions who can't keep the work force strong.
He also said his opponents reform would create more bureaucracy.
Another issue related to the economy, but not addressing the question about illegal immigrants, was the dependency on foreign oil. "We have to stop spending $700 billion of your money on oil. I want you to be able to afford to go to work," he said.
Veterans
McCain wants to improve benefits for Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans to include treatment for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, citing the "nature of these conflicts."
He said more treatment must be done on the battlefield. "We need to support and expand the VA," he said. "There is not sufficient care for women vets."
He proposed giving veterans a card that would allow them to see any doctor or caregiver and the government would foot the bill.
Regarding Obama, McCain said that he does not have a clear understanding on the role of the military.
McCain as a Maverick
Pointing to his bipartisan history, McCain highlighted his role in the investigation of Jack Abramoff, a Republican lobbyist who was the point man to a variety of issues including buying votes in exchange for campaign contributions.
He also said he has disagreed with the current administration on a variety of issues including global warming.
"The climate change is real and taking place," he said.
He said when the Iraq War was at its worst, he went there and saw it being mishandled and pushed for the surge - a tactic largely successful in stabilizing the country - to become a reality.
"Senator Obama has never taken on the leadership of his party on a single issue," he said.
Higher Education
McCain said fixing higher education has to be a part of reforming America and preparing the country for the future. He said we not only need to retrain our workers, but also create a new breed of educated Americans. Student loans need to be easier and affordable. He suggested a furlough on repaying loans until the student has secured his or her place in the workforce and is able to pay off those loans.
"I want you to pay back (your college loans) when you're capable," he said, noting that the cost of higher education has risen faster than that of inflation. He said the federal government and states need to work together to fix the issue.
Social Security
McCain said, bluntly, if the program isn't fixed, Social Security will not be available in a generation or two. He said the multi-trillion dollar national debt is unfair to working Americans.
His rival
"I think the American people ought to look at the record and not the rhetoric.
Last Call
"Colorado will be key," McCain said. "I want to promise you again, we may disagree - but I assure you, I will always do what I think is right for this country."
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