IN OUR OPINION
September 25, 2008
YES to the Debate!
The debate should go on and be dedicated to the topic at hand: How to save the American and global economy from catastrophe.
We at Imagine A Great Election strongly support Senator Barack Obama and many others who believe the first presidential debate scheduled for tomorrow, Friday, September 26 at the University of Mississippi ought to be held.
Senator McCain should not be allowed to hide inside the Beltway with the very lobbyists who created the financial meltdown we all face. No presidential candidate should be allowed to hide from debates at any time, much less at this time in our history.
Senator Obama says this is exactly the time that the two people who will be in charge of resolving this mess speak to the American people about their ideas on how to lead the country forward. Obama also made the link between foreign relations, national security, Iraq and Afghanistan and this global financial meltdown. McCain’s bunker mentality at a time when he is being asked hard questions on the campaign trail and his poll results are down speaks of the grossest sort of politics. The voter should demand more accessibility to their leaders rather than less. McCain wants to control or manage perceptions by untrue ads rather than be exposed to a debate which will be focused on issues rather than distractions. Obama does not want to raise taxes on the middle class. He has never said that or written that. One well-placed question in the debate about the untruth of that ad would expose McCain for what he is.
What is he afraid of? Last week he was prepared to make specific recommendations: Fire Cox, chairman of the Securities Exchange Commission. Now that McCain has an opportunity to explain this position to the American people, he wants a moratorium.
Now that he has the opportunity to explain where and when Obama has expressed an interest in raising taxes on the middle class, he hides.
Now that he can defend his advisors to the American public and not have to rely on the “Obama-leaning” (as he refers to any news outlet that dares question his policies) New York Times, he hides.
Now that he can speak directly to the American public who eagerly await the debate so he—and they—no longer have to rely on the media which he criticizes so vociferously, he hides.
Enough. Stop treating the American voter and taxpayer as children who cannot possibly understand the intricacies of why they are being asked to fund a massive bailout for the greedy and irresponsible.
The other critical point Obama made is that the president and therefore candidates for president not only must be straight with the American public, but must be able to focus on more than one thing at a time.
The debate should go on and be dedicated to the topic at hand: How to save the American and global economy from catastrophe.
We urge Senator McCain to step forward and talk straight to the American people at this pivotal time in our history.
—Sherry Seiber
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