Presidential Candidates Debate

Oct 15, 2008

C-SPAN Commission on Presidential Debates

Senator McCain and Senator Obama participated in the third of three presidential debates, which focused on the economy and domestic policy. The candidates were seated at a table with moderator Bob Schieffer. Each candidate is given two minutes to respond to questions and there is a five minute period for rebuttal discussion. The debate at .. Read More
Senator McCain and Senator Obama participated in the third of three presidential debates, which focused on the economy and domestic policy. The candidates were seated at a table with moderator Bob Schieffer. Each candidate is given two minutes to respond to questions and there is a five minute period for rebuttal discussion. The debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y., was presented in a full-screen format provided by the network pool showing candidates as they spoke with occassional shots as they reacted to their opponents' remarks.

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TIME SPEAKER TEXT
00:02:51 Unidentified Speaker

Another very bad day on Wall Street, as both of you know. Both

of you proposed new plans this...

00:03:31 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

Well, let me -- let me say, Bob, thank you.

And thanks to Hofstra.

And by the way, our...

00:05:33 Schieffer, BobHost

All right.

Senator Obama.

00:05:35 Obama, BarackU.S. Senator

Well, first of all, I want to thank Hofstra

University and the people of New York for hosting...

00:07:40 Schieffer, BobHost

All right.

00:07:40 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

You know --

00:07:41 Schieffer, BobHost

Would you like to ask him a question?

00:07:42 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

No. I would like to mention that a couple of days

ago Senator Obama was out in Ohio, and he...

00:09:06 Schieffer, BobHost

Is that what you want to do?

(Audio break.)

00:09:10 Obama, BarackU.S. Senator

He's been watching some ads of Senator McCain's.

Let me tell you what I'm actually going to...

00:10:55 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

You know what Senator Obama ended up his

conversation with Joe the plumber? "We need to spread...

00:11:48 Obama, BarackU.S. Senator

Okay, can I --

00:11:49 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

I'm not going to -- I'm not going do that in my

administration.

00:11:51 Obama, BarackU.S. Senator

If I can answer the question, number one, I want to

cut taxes for 95 percent of Americans. Now,...

00:12:07 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

We're talking about Joe the plumber. (Laughs.)

00:12:08 Obama, BarackU.S. Senator

-- in order to give -- in order to give additional

tax cuts to Joe the plumber before he was...

00:12:51 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

If nobody likes taxes, let's not raise anybody's

taxes, okay?

00:12:53 Obama, BarackU.S. Senator

Well, I don't mind paying a little more.

00:12:54 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

The fact is that businesses in America today are

paying the second-highest tax rate of anywhere...

00:13:28 Schieffer, BobHost

All right. Let -- let's go to another topic.

It's related, so if you have other things you want...

00:14:26 Obama, BarackU.S. Senator

Well, first of all, I think, it's important for the

American public to understand that the $750...

00:14:57 Schieffer, BobHost

(Off mike) -- cut some of these programs, sir.

00:14:59 Obama, BarackU.S. Senator

Absolutely. So let me get to that.

What I want to emphasize though is that I have been a strong

proponent...

00:16:37 Schieffer, BobHost

Time's up.

Senator?

00:16:38 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

Well, thank you, Bob. I just want to get back to

this homeownership. During the Depression era,...

00:17:06 Schieffer, BobHost

But what --

00:17:06 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

But --

00:17:07 Schieffer, BobHost

The question was, what are you going to cut?

00:17:08 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

Okay. All right. Energy -- on -- well, first --

second of all, energy-independent -- we have...

00:18:06 Schieffer, BobHost

Which ones?

00:18:07 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

Well, one of them would be the marketing assistance

program.

Another one would be a --...

00:18:55 Schieffer, BobHost

Time's --

00:19:02 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

We'll cut out all the pork.

00:19:04 Schieffer, BobHost

Time's up.

00:19:05 Obama, BarackU.S. Senator

Well, look, I -- I think that we do have a

disagreement about a(n) across-the-board spending...

00:20:32 Schieffer, BobHost

Do either of you think you can balance the budget

in four years?

You have said previously...

00:20:40 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

Sure, I do. And let me --

00:20:41 Schieffer, BobHost

You'd still do that.

00:20:42 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

Yeah.

Senator Obama, I am not President Bush. If you wanted to run

against President Bush,...

00:21:24 Schieffer, BobHost

Four years --

00:21:25 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

And I will reduce the -- I can -- we can do it with

this kind of job creation of energy independence.

Now,...

00:22:20 Schieffer, BobHost

Barack.

00:22:20 Obama, BarackU.S. Senator

Well, the -- there was a lot of stuff that was put

out there, so let me try to address it.

First...

00:22:39 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

An overwhelming vote.

00:22:40 Obama, BarackU.S. Senator

I support charter schools and pay-for-performance

for teachers. Doesn't make me popular with...

00:24:03 Schieffer, BobHost

All right.

00:24:05 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

Let me -- let me just say, Bob --

00:24:06 Schieffer, BobHost

Okay. About 30 seconds.

00:24:07 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

Okay. But it's -- it's very clear that I have

disagreed with the Bush administration. I have...

00:24:47 Schieffer, BobHost

All right.

00:24:48 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

Senator Obama, your -- your -- your argument for

standing up to the leaders of your party isn't...

00:24:53 Schieffer, BobHost

All right.

We're going to move to another question. And the topic is

leadership in this...

00:25:41 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

Well, this has been a tough campaign. It's been a

very tough campaign.

And...

00:27:59 Schieffer, BobHost

Time's up.

00:28:00 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

-- since Watergate.

00:28:01 Obama, BarackU.S. Senator

All right.

Well, look, you know, I think that we expect presidential

campaigns...

00:28:29 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

That's not true.

00:28:30 Obama, BarackU.S. Senator

A hundred -- it -- it absolutely is true. And --

and -- now, I think the American people are...

00:30:12 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

Well, if you'll turn on the television, as I -- I

watched the Arizona Cardinals defeat the Dallas...

00:30:18 Obama, BarackU.S. Senator

Congratulations.

00:30:19 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

Every other ad -- (laughter) -- every other ad was

an attack ad on my health care plan.

And...

00:31:21 Obama, BarackU.S. Senator

Well, I mean, look, if we want to talk about

Congressman Lewis, who is an American hero, he...

00:32:08 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

(Laughs.) You've got to read what he said --

00:32:09 Obama, BarackU.S. Senator

Now, John -- John -- let --

00:32:10 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

You've got to read what he said.

00:32:11 Obama, BarackU.S. Senator

Let me -- let me -- let me complete --

00:32:12 Schieffer, BobHost

Go ahead.

00:32:13 Obama, BarackU.S. Senator

-- my response. I do think that he inappropriately

drew a comparison between what was happening...

00:33:01 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

I cannot --

00:33:02 Obama, BarackU.S. Senator

We can have serious differences about our health

care policy, for example, John, because --

00:33:06 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

Yeah.

00:33:07 Obama, BarackU.S. Senator

-- we do have a difference on health care policy --

00:33:08 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

We do, and I hope we talk about it.

00:33:09 Obama, BarackU.S. Senator

-- and we'll spend some time talking about it this

evening.

00:33:11 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

All right, sure.

00:33:13 Obama, BarackU.S. Senator

But when people suggest that I pal around with

terrorists, then we're not talking about issues...

00:33:18 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

Well --

00:33:19 Obama, BarackU.S. Senator

-- what we're talking about are --

00:33:20 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

Well, let -- let me just say, I -- I --

00:33:21 Schieffer, BobHost

Does he pal around with terrorists?

00:33:22 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

Let me just say categorically I'm proud of the

people that come to our rallies. Whenever you...

00:34:19 Obama, BarackU.S. Senator

(Off mike.)

00:34:20 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

So the point is -- the point is that I have

repudiated every time someone has been out of line,...

00:34:41 Obama, BarackU.S. Senator

Well, look, Bob, as I said --

00:34:42 Schieffer, BobHost

I mean, do you take issue with that?

00:34:45 Obama, BarackU.S. Senator

You know, here's what I would say. I mean, we can

have a debate back and forth about the merits...

00:35:38 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

Well --

00:35:38 Obama, BarackU.S. Senator

-- has been a culture in Washington that -- that's

been taking place for too long. And I think...

00:35:44 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

Well, Bob, you asked me a direct question about --

00:35:45 Schieffer, BobHost

Short question.

00:35:46 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

Yeah, real quick.

Mr. Ayers, I don't care about an old, washed-up terrorist. But

as Senator...

00:36:21 Schieffer, BobHost

All right.

00:36:22 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

-- of course.

00:36:23 Schieffer, BobHost

All right. I'm going to let you respond, but

we'll extend this just for a moment.

00:36:25 Obama, BarackU.S. Senator

I think it's going to be -- it's going to be

important to just -- I'll respond to these two...

00:39:04 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

Well, again, while you were on the board of the

Woods Foundation, you and Mr. Ayers together,...

00:39:17 Obama, BarackU.S. Senator

That's absolutely not true.

00:39:19 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

And -- and the facts are facts, and records are

records.

00:39:22 Obama, BarackU.S. Senator

That's not the facts.

00:39:22 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

And it's not the fact -- it's not the fact that

Senator Obama choose to associate with a guy...

00:40:03 Schieffer, BobHost

All right. All right. Let's go to the next

topic. And you -- we may want to get back into some...

00:40:33 Obama, BarackU.S. Senator

Well, Joe Biden, I think, is one of the finest

public servants that has served in this country.

It's...

00:42:34 Schieffer, BobHost

Senator.

00:42:35 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

Well, Americans have gotten to know Sarah Palin.

They know that she's a role model to women...

00:44:13 Schieffer, BobHost

Do you think she's qualified to be president?

00:44:14 Obama, BarackU.S. Senator

You know, I think it's -- that's going to be up to

the American people. I think that obviously...

00:45:05 Schieffer, BobHost

Do you think Senator Biden is qualified?

00:45:07 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

Oh, I think that Joe Biden is qualified in many

respects, but I do point out that he's been...

00:46:24 Schieffer, BobHost

Let's go to -- let's go to a new topic here.

We're running a little behind.

Let's talk...

00:46:34 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

Climate change.

00:46:36 Schieffer, BobHost

Climate change, yes -- has said what both of you

have said, and that is we must reduce our dependence...

00:47:09 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

I believe we can, for all intents and purposes,

eliminate our dependence on Middle Eastern oil...

00:48:33 Schieffer, BobHost

All right.

Can we reduce our dependence on foreign oil, and by how much in

the first term,...

00:48:42 Obama, BarackU.S. Senator

I -- I think that in 10 years we can reduce our

dependence so that we no longer have to import...

00:51:24 Schieffer, BobHost

Senator.

00:51:25 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

Well, you know, I -- I -- I admire so much Senator

Obama's eloquence, and you really have to...

00:53:09 Obama, BarackU.S. Senator

Let me respond. Actually I understand it pretty

well.

The history in Colombia right now...

00:55:20 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

Well, let me just say that -- that this is -- he --

Senator Obama doesn't want a free trade...

00:56:16 Schieffer, BobHost

All right. Let's go to a new topic, health care.

Given the current economic situation, would...

00:56:33 Obama, BarackU.S. Senator

We've got to do both, and that's exactly what my

plan does.

Look,...

00:58:36 Schieffer, BobHost

All right.

Senator McCain.

00:58:38 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

Well, it is a terribly painful situation for

Americans. They're seeing their premiums, their...

01:00:33 Schieffer, BobHost

Is that your objective?

01:00:34 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

So the point is -- so --

01:00:35 Obama, BarackU.S. Senator

It is -- it is not. And I just described it --

01:00:37 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

No, you stated it -- excuse me --

01:00:38 Obama, BarackU.S. Senator

I just described what my plan is. And I'm happy to

talk to you, Joe, too, if you're out there....

01:00:47 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

Zero?

01:00:47 Obama, BarackU.S. Senator

You won't pay a fine because -- zero -- because I --

as I said in our last debate -- and I'll...

01:03:29 Schieffer, BobHost

What about that?

01:03:30 McCain, John S. IIIU.S. Senator

Joe, you're rich. Congratulations, because what

Joe wanted to do was buy the business that's...

01:05:33 MR. SCHIEFFER

All right.

01:05:33 SEN. MCCAIN

-- the size of government has grown by 40 percent

in the last eight years. We can't afford that...

01:05:47 MR. SCHIEFFER

All right, a short response.

01:05:49 SEN. OBAMA

Very brief.

You all just heard my plan. If you've got an employer-based

health care plan,...

01:06:25 MR. SCHIEFFER

All right. Let's stop there and go to another

question. And this one goes to Senator McCain....

01:06:46 SEN. MCCAIN

I would never and have never, in all the years I've

been there, impose a litmus test on any...

01:06:53 MR. SCHIEFFER

But you do -- you do want Roe v. Wade to be

overturned.

01:06:55 SEN. MCCAIN

I think it was a bad decision. I thought it was a

-- I thought it was a bad decisions. I think...

01:08:23 MR. SCHIEFFER

But even if it was someone --

01:08:23 SEN. MCCAIN

-- not legislating from the bench.

01:08:25 MR. SCHIEFFER

Even someone who had a history of being for

abortion rights, you would consider them.

01:08:30 SEN. MCCAIN

I would consider anyone in their qualifications. I

do not believe that someone who has supported...

01:08:48 MR. SCHIEFFER

All right.

01:08:49 SEN. OBAMA

Well, I think it's true that we shouldn't apply a

strict litmus test and the most important...

01:11:25 MR. SCHIEFFER

All right.

01:11:25 SEN. OBAMA

-- and that's the kind of judge that I want.

01:11:27 MR. SCHIEFFER

Time's up.

01:11:27 SEN. MCCAIN

Obviously, that law waived the statute of

limitations, which you could have gone back 20 or...

01:12:56 MR. SCHIEFFER

Response?

01:12:57 SEN. OBAMA

Yeah, let -- let me respond to this.

If -- if it sounds incredible that I would vote to withhold

lifesaving...

01:15:16 MR. SCHIEFFER

Let's give Senator McCain just a short response

and then --

01:15:18 SEN. MCCAIN

Just again -- just again the example of the

eloquence of Senator Obama. He's -- health of the...

01:16:07 MR. SCHIEFFER

Let's stop there, because I want to get in a

question on education. And I'm afraid this is going...

01:16:46 SEN. OBAMA

This probably has more to do with our economic

future than anything. And that means it also...

01:18:52 MR. SCHIEFFER

Senator McCain.

01:18:53 SEN. MCCAIN

Well, it -- it's the civil rights issue of the 21st

century. There's no doubt that we have achieved...

01:20:51 MR. SCHIEFFER

Do you think the federal government should play a

larger role in the schools?

01:20:55 SEN. OBAMA

Well --

01:20:56 MR. SCHIEFFER

And I mean more federal money.

01:20:57 SEN. OBAMA

Well, we have a tradition of local control of the

schools, and that's a tradition that has served...

01:23:17 MR. SCHIEFFER

What about that, Senator?

01:23:18 SEN. MCCAIN

Well, sure. I'm sure you're aware, Senator Obama,

of the program in the Washington, D.C., school...

01:23:32 SEN. OBAMA

Right.

01:23:32 SEN. MCCAIN

-- because they wanted to have the same choice that

you and I and Cindy and your wife have had...

01:23:40 SEN. OBAMA

Right.

01:23:41 SEN. MCCAIN

-- and that is because they wanted to choose the

school that they thought was best for their...

01:25:42 SEN. OBAMA

I'll just make a quick comment about vouchers in

D.C.

Senator McCain is absolutely right...

01:26:02 SEN. MCCAIN

Who supports vouchers --

01:26:03 SEN. OBAMA

-- who -- who actually supports charters.

01:26:06 SEN. MCCAIN

She supports vouchers also.

01:26:08 SEN. OBAMA

But the -- but -- but here's the thing, is that even

if Senator McCain were to say that vouchers...

01:26:47 MR. SCHIEFFER

All right.

01:26:48 SEN. MCCAIN

Because there's not enough vouchers, therefore, we

shouldn't do it, even though it's working....

01:26:54 MR. SCHIEFFER

All right.

Gentlemen, we have come to the close. Before I ask both of you

for your closing...

01:27:18 SEN. MCCAIN

Well, thank you again, Bob, and thanks to Hofstra,

and it's great to be with you again. I think...

01:29:12 MR. SCHIEFFER

Senator.

01:29:14 SEN. OBAMA

Well, I want to thank Senator McCain, and -- and Bob

for moderating.

I think we all know...

01:31:08 MR. SCHIEFFER

Senator Obama, Senator McCain, thank you very

much. (Scattered applause.) This concludes the...

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