You can watch the final debate by clicking below. Answer the questions that follow and submit your responses to Turnitin.com.
Debate Part 1
Debate Part 2
Joe the Plumber Reacts
Questions to answer:
1) Identify three specific issues discussed in the debate. You must also provide a time reference for each issue.
2) For each issue you identify, cite 1 specific difference between McCain and Obama.
3) Who is Joe Wurzelbacher? Why has he become the focal point of the final debate?
4) Locate and provide web addresses for two sites you could go to for comparing the candidates.
5) Who won and why. Give me at least three reasons for your opinion.
1 comment:
1. One specific issue discussed in the final presidential debate of 2008 was the issue on economy at around ten minutes into the debate. Bob Schieffer asked both of the candidates why his economic plan is better than the other’s. Another issue that was discussed about nine minutes into the debate was about the soaring deficit. Schieffer asked the candidates if they are ignoring reality and “won’t some of the programs you are proposing have to be trimmed, postponed, even eliminated”. A third issue that was discussed about ten minutes into the debate was regarding healthcare. Schieffer asked “Given the current economic situation, would either of you now control favoring healthcare costs over expanding healthcare coverage?”.
2. On the issue of economy, McCain has been a supporter of free markets and deregulation. Obama has said that financial regulations need to be modernized. He put out a plan earlier this year calling for more supervision of the financial system. Obama wants to provide $50 billion to "jump-start" the economy, which would provide aid to state and local governments, as well as fund jobs in road and bridge maintenance. McCain plans to cut corporate taxes. McCain would make the Bush tax cuts permanent, reduce the corporate income-tax rate, increase the exemption for dependents by two-thirds and cut back on the estate, or inheritance, tax. Obama would roll back the tax cuts for people making more than $250,000. On the issue of soaring deficit, Obama said that he would make sure that the $750 billion proposal would be structured properly. He said that he would cut the $15 billion a year in subsidies to insurance companies and invest in a serious energy policy. McCain said that he would increase home values in order to fight the soaring deficit. McCain said that he would cut energy dependence and across the board spending freeze. On the issue of healthcare, Obama proposes lower costs so the average family saves about $2, 500 a year. For people who do not have healthcare, Obama wants to give them the same options that federal employees have. Obama said that he would also monitor major chronic illnesses such as diabetes and cancer. McCain said that he would put health care records online and he wants to give every American family a $5,000 refundable tax break.
3. Joe Wurzelbacher is an Ohio man who is looking to buy a plumbing business. He has come to symbolize the notion of spreading the wealth in the final presidential debate. He met with Obama at a public event and he said that Obama’s tax plan would keep him from buying the business that currently employs him. McCain took this statement and used it against Obama in the debate by saying that Obama’s tax plan would stop entrepreneurs from investing in new small businesses and keep existing ones from growing
4. http://obama-mccain.info/index-obama-mccain.php
http://www.nationalplatforms.com/
5. I believe that Obama won the final presidential debate because not only was he able to stay calm throughout the entire thing, but he also went into specifics. For example, when McCain said “Senator Obama, I am not President Bush. If you wanted to run against President Bush, you should have run four years ago”, Obama was calmly able to correct McCain by telling McCain that his policies are so similar to Bush’s that it gets confusing sometimes. Obama also said “Here is why…” a lot and went into specifics. McCain did not do this. McCain seemed so feisty and was attacking Obama whenever he got a chance to. This seemed really desperate. I thought that Obama was also able to appeal to everyone because he was so calm and collected. He seemed like a president like figure, unlike McCain who just seemed very angry. When McCain was drilling Obama on Obama’s association with Bill Ayers, who is the founder of a group of anti-Vietnam war militants, Obama coolly replied “And I think that the fact that this has become such an important part of your campaign, Senator McCain, says more about your campaign than it says about me”. Obama cleverly attacked McCain without seeming to do so.
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