What would you ask McCain and Obama if you were selected to attend tonight’s Town Hall debate in Tennessee?

I have a question about those key words and attracting page views. Since Gather is forcing people to sign up now in order to view content now, how much good do tags and key words actually do anymore? I mean you won't attract anyone outside of our closed community, will you?

Hi Moggy - I'm confused by your comment.
Gather doesn't force people to sign up to view content. Gather is, and has always been, an open community. However, if you'd like to comment or share a post - you do need to register and become a member.

I would ask if they have plans to bring back the draft.

I would DEMAND to know why he LIES to us about his intentions regarding ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION. Then, when he's finished lying to me, I'd DEMAND that he answer my question again, and TRUTHFULLY.

Hi Mark-John -
When you say "he", which candidate are you referring to?

Hi, Pam-

Good question...but I, of course, meant BOTH of them. ;)

I would ask Obama how, when he plans on doing away with Bush's tax cuts, he can say he's not raising taxes. I would also ask Obama how he thinks he can fund all of the promises he has made. And why he thinks it's okay to tax the so-called rich at so much higher rates, when they will not benefit from the programs that their tax dollars will fund.

Boxers or briefs?

I would ask McCain why he is proposing giving such huge tax cuts to the rich while only giving the middle class an insignificant tax cut.

Als0, how does he expect to pay for his programs after cutting taxes to the wealthy.

I wouldn't bother. Politicians rarely answer direct questions. And most of what they DO say isn't truthful anyway.

I would ask Obama how, in light of all his less-than-savory associations, would he view himself if he were a voter?

I would ask McCain how he plans to approach the war on terror?

I would ask McCain why he would expect people with a moral compass to vote for a man who cheated on his first wife.

I would like Senator McCain to explain why he feels compelled to resort to character assasination, why he thinks he can "turn the page" on a financial crisis that threatens to cripple the economy for the foreseeable future and why he seems to have betrayed the principles of honesty, integrity and honor he once espoused.

I can easily understand his sense of desperation, but that is no excuse for the undignified kind of campaigning he and his "pitbull with lipstick" attack dog are resorting to. He fully deserves to go down to the kind of ignominious defeat he appears destined to suffer. I hope Bob Dole has saved him a nice rocking chair on the porch at the Failed Republican Presidential Candidates clubhouse.

Explain to me what 'the economy' you're so desperately trying to save is in 4 sentences or less.

I would ask both how serious they are about a national works program employing people to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure and when it would begin.

I would ask Obama to explain the basic math of his $800 Billion--$1 Trillion spending plan of the next 4 years and where the money is going to come from (raising taxes on the "rich," ending the war in Iraq prematurely, and shifting troops to Afghanistan won't even cover half of these increases).

I would also like for him to explain how raising taxes on private business owners and investors is going to help our economy. I did some research, and hopefully this link will carry over--you may have to type it out manually--this is a list of privately-owned American companies and how many people they employ:

http://www.forbes.com/lists/2006/21/biz_06privates_The-Largest-Private-Companies_Rank.html

I would also like McCain to explain his economic plan in more detail because it addresses the core of the problem--business owners want to grow and expand (providing more jobs in the process), and if the credit market is locked up they're going to have to do it on a cash basis. If their taxes go up as well, where is that going to come from? I think keeping taxes low and filtering through our extra spending on a government level is the way to solve this issue long-term. It's time to get on the Dave Ramsey Plan on a national level and clean up this mess.

Senator McCain, you have been quoted on video saying that negative attacks "show you have no vision." Can you tell us when you were in fact declared legally blind, and how despite this incapacitating disability you still have myopic stalwarts believing you'd be anything other than a Bush clone?

I'd ask them to comment on their perspectives on the relationship between government and the arts, and what their plans are for arts funding. speaking as someone who works in that economic sector...

I would ask McCain why he feels it is important that 2 Mavericks become the president and vice president... if a maverick is indeed "a lone dissenter, as an intellectual, an artist, or a politician, who takes an independent stand apart from his or her associates," then how do those qualities make a good president... who's job it is to basically listen to and manage a hugely diverse team.

but sadly the only questions asked are the same ones we have heard and the answers will be sound bites, with an accusation thrown in and then a rebuttal and a disagreement and a moderator and a talking over, and a big negative headache.
Debates are informative, but I wish they weren't so bickering.

This will not be a debate, there will be no 'back and forth'. This format is pretty useless.

I would ask both to outline their own plans without once sniping at each other.

I'd like to ask them both how likely they think it is that they'll be able to fix our country's terrible economic situation in four years.

I'd also like to ask McCain if when he said 'the fundamentals of the American economy are strong' just a few weeks before all this financial crisis, he now realizes he was dead wrong.

I'd like to ask them both if they have been examined by a psychiatrist. Only a madman would want to walk into the Presidency at a time like this.

I would like to learn anything new, as they keep repeating what they have already said before now.

Eight years ago I would have voted for John McCain, now it's impossible. He has changed his mind too many time about issues he supposedly held dear eight years ago. I have no questions for him. It is his last chance, at an old age and seemingly fragile state of health to accomplish the one thing he might have done well two terms ago. He looks tired and worn out and not capable anymoe. This leads to a comment on Palin. She is nothing more than a publicity freak at this point. Already she is stifling the investigation on herself about the firing in Alaska over her ex brother in law. If things like this are happening before the election, imagine how any investigations will be handled after she might be elected.
I would ask Obama what kind of contract he would impose between himself and all of America and the consequences if he failed to live up to that contract. In other words, if he does not live up to his promises after the first four years, would he voluntarily step down and not re-run?

In response to the questions asked, I'd like the candidates to reply with their exact strategies for resolving the problems raised. I do not want to watch a mudslinging contest.

The mudslinging has to stop!
Then I can listen without being disgusted.


Good Night Comments And Graphics

I would ask Obama how so many Muslims, Communists, Marxists, and Socialists influenced his life experience going back to when he was a child living in Indonesia, Hawaii, and then to the universities with friends who were Muslims, and a minister who preaches white hatred? I wonder if he could explain all of those friendships and how they formed his opinion of The United States of America.

I would ask them what their definition of "integrity" is and if they believe they can lead the country and keep their integrity intact.

I'd like to ask John McCain if he can admit that the US made a mistake going to war in Iraq based on faulty intelligence?

I'd also like to hear what both candidates have to say about the Valerie Plame case.

I'd like to hear how both candidates would try and create better relationships with our allies.

I would ask McCain how giving big tax cuts to corporations and the upper class will create jobs?I thought jobs are created by supply and demand.So wouldn't giving the tax breaks to the low and middle class create spending or demand?

Pam, I don't know where you are getting your facts from.

In the polls just prior to the debate, in key demographics by state, Obama actually trumps McCain by taking 349 of the electoral votes compared to McCain's 174.

Just after the debate, in the popularity polls, a significant percentage of Republicans were seen shifting their vote from McCain to Obama, so this election might actually become one of the nation's hugest landslide victory.

Hi Brent - I got my polling facts from CNN, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today.

I would ask McCain how giving big tax cuts to corporations and the upper class will create jobs?I thought jobs are created by supply and demand.So wouldn't giving the tax breaks to the low and middle class create spending or demand?
Robert G., Oct 8, 2008, 8:34am EDT

If you raise taxes Robert, on large corporations, who do you think will pay for those taxes in higher prices? We will, the consumer. It doesn't matter if you give the money to the poor or to the middle class, we will all be paying higher prices at the checkouts. And, why would companies want to raise their prices in this competitive global market and kill their sales? They wouldn't. So, they will leave OUR nation with the third highest corporate tax rate in the world, to go to countries who have the least tax rates, thus leaving American people jobless. It's insane to follow Obama's logic. He's destroying our economy and people like you just don't or won't see it.

truth instead of empty promises would be nice

I would ask them if they are going to abolish the unConstitutional private FEDERAL RESERVE BANK, and the Patriot ACT, and return our currency to the gold standard!

I would ask them if they are going to bring ALL of our troops home, close the hundreds of unnecessary bases we have around the world, and focus on rebuilding our economy.

I would ask them if they are going to start charging large tariffs on imported goods to help pay down our debt and return manufacturing jobs back home.

I would ask them is they want to eliminate unnecessary Federal Agencies to save us money.

I would ask them if they are going to eliminate taxes on our labor which are unConstitutional and never been approved by the Supreme court.

I would aks them if they are going to close ALL tax loopholes for corporations to fill the vacuum created by the elimination of taxes on individuals.

I would ask Obama how he could be against offshore drilling and drilling in ANWR (things I'm not enthused about but anyhow) but be for coal liquifaction (far worse in all regards for the environment and more expensive).