Subject: [big campaign] Tracking Update: McCain Town Hall Meeting Hudson, WI 07/11/08
From: "Cammie Croft" <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2008 13:51:25 -0400
List-Id: <bigcampaign.googlegroups.com>

Hello All,

Just off the phone with our tracker Sara who is on the ground in Hudson, WI
today.  Below are the notes from our call.

*BIG HIGHLIGHTS:
*

   - McCain falsely claimed he supports equal pay for equal work and has the
   record to prove it
   - McCain said Obama will make it "harder on women"
   - McCain said that Americans know nuclear power is safe and nuclear power
   is the right kind of change
   - McCain given question where woman says -- 'this is your chance to
   separate yourself from Bush'
   - When asked about the prisoners at Guatanomo, McCain responded: ' I
   don't think we have to read them their Miranda rights, okay.'
   - McCain told crowd that Social Security is "going bankrupt"
   - Audience member calls Democrats, Obama "socialists" and "Marxists" and
   gets standing ovation
   - McCain mentions Yucca Mountain as a place to store nuclear waste

*Hudson, WI - McCain Town Hall Meeting 07/11/08*
(Disclaimer: The following are notes, not direct quotes. If you'd like a
quotable transcript or video of any part below, please email us.)

*Background Details:*
- Event for women, nearly entire audience women
- Audience extremely enthusiastic -- lots of applause, cheering
- Carly Fiorina in the audience
- Local woman gave remarks, introduces Cindy McCain
- Cindy McCain spoke, introduced McCain

*Speech Highlights:
*- Thank you's.
- 16 years ago, Cindy was on a medical mission in Bangladesh -- she met two
babies who were really sick and they were likely not going to live; Cindy
took one of the babies home and when I met her at the airport she said --
meet your new daughter
- I'm proud of the work Cindy has done -- she just returned from a trip with
Operation Smile
- ONE is a great organization, doing amazing work and Cindy will be joining
them on a trip soon
- My mother is 96 years old and she's very spry; went to France and they
wouldn't let her rent a car because of her age, so she bought one
- A number of years ago I wrote a book with my friend about my experience as
a P.O.W.
- One of those experiences I wrote about was how I use to yell obscenities
at our keepers -- well those obscenities appeared in an article later that
my mom read and she called me up and told me that she was going to wash out
my mouth with soap
- We now have a woman who is the head of the House -- I wish she'd switch
parties
- Hillary Clinton ran for President -- and almost secured the nomination
- One of my main supporters -- Carly Fiorina, she's right here, she started
as a secretary and became CEO of Hewlett Packard
- Proud to have the support of Ebay CEO, Meg Whitman
- *I want to make sure there is equal pay for equal work -- and my record
shows that*
- Americans are worried about the security of their jobs -- the cost of
everything is rising
- Juggling family and career can be hard enough -- but now you have to deal
with the dwindling economy
- I believe the role of government is to unleash the ingenuity of the
American people
- Nothing is more pressing right now is our dependence on foreign oil
- We need to solve this problem -- our jobs and security depend upon it
- That's why I introduced the Lexington Project last year -- and it will
create hundreds of thousands of jobs
- We need do invest in nuclear energy
- The people of Wisconsin get 65% of their energy from coal -- we need to
develop clean coal technology
- Obama doesn't want to do anything -- for someone who is suppose to be "Yes
we can" he is a lot of "No, we can't."
- Senator Obama will raise your taxes, I will not
- When you raise taxes in a bad economy, you eliminate jobs.  I am not going
to let that happen.
- The differences between Obama and me is stark -- he wants to make
everything harder for you
- On education we must do more to empower women for 21st century jobs
- I will veto every single bill with wasteful spending - you will know their
names and I will make them famous
- I have never received an earmark or pork-barrel spending during my career;
Obama has received several million dollars with
- I will never ask for a pork-barrel project my friends
- Nothing is inevitable in America -- we've always been captains of our fate
- I will fight for your future -- not for politicians and bureaucrats
- I make you one promise, I will always keep.  In war and in peace.  I've
been an imperfect servant, but I've been a servant first, now and last.
Nothing has never mattered more to me than the honor of serving America.  I
will always put America first.  I will keep that promise.

*Question and Answer:
*1 Q) Will you agree to drill in ANWR to get oil?
MCCAIN: I believe we should drill off our coasts.  I believe ANWR is a
pristine area.  I believe we should drill off our coasts and Obama is
against that.  We are sending 700 billion dollars of our money overseas to
countries that don't like us that much.  And sometimes that ends up in the
hands of terrorists.  We've got to decrease our dependence on foreign oil.
We've got to have clean coal, wind, solar and nuclear.  Senator Obama
opposes nuclear power.  France is using nuclear for 80% of their energy
needs!

2 Q) You intend to build 45 new nuclear power plants.  How will you move
this country toward accepting the need for new nukes?
MCCAIN: Americans are smart.  They know what we have to do and they know
that nuclear power is safe.  Americans understand and Americans are sick and
tired of us doing nothing in Congress.  Their approval rating is at 9%.
Americans have figured it out -- they're demanding we move forward.  Nuclear
energy is key to reducing our greenhouse gas emissions.  This election is a
mandate for change -- it's either the right kind of change of the wrong kind
of change and nuclear energy is the right kind of change.

3 Q) Our soveirgnty.  American is truly the last great hope for the world.
How do we deal with a group like the U.N who takes away our power?
MCCAIN: I understand your frustration.  I'm sure you heard about Iran
testing missiles.  And Russia at the U.N. is preventing us from doing what
we need to do.  We have to unite with nations like France, etc.  We will
remain the world's super power.   We are seeing the rise of India and China
-- we have to work with them.  I'd also like to talk about Afghanistan.  We
have to urge our friends and allies to get more involved there because the
Taliban is getting stronger.  It's important for us to lead, but not do it
alone.

4 Q) My father was a solider in WW11 -- he was injured there.  Given your
strong stand on the environment, what is your opinion on the revelation that
VP Cheney forced scientists to doctor the facts on global warming?
 MCCAIN: Thank you for your father's service.  Our veterans health care has
to be better.  We have to take care of the greatest generation.  As I hope
you know, I've had strong disagreements with this administration on climate
change.  I've traveled the world -- often at your expense and I've seen the
effects of climate change.  But suppose I'm wrong, but we still move to
develop all these alternative energy sources and we hand off to our children
a cleaner planet.  But suppose, I'm right and we do nothing - then we hand
off a worse world to our children.  But I also believe there's lots of
economic opportunity in the development of green technology.  I am not
familiar with the allegation you said.  But as the chair of the commerce
committee, I didn't see anything that was inappropriate, but I did think
they were not forthcoming enough.  I believe that young Americans are
committed to cleaning up our nation.  And we Republicans are the party of
Theodore Roosevelt.

5 Q) What do you think of the release of 1 in 5 prisoners held at Guantanamo
says about the ability of the Bush Administration to fight terrorism?  This
is a chance for you to separate yourself from George Bush.
MCCAIN: I don't believe in torture.  I disagree with the Supreme Court's
decision.  It's not in my view that these non-citizens should have the full
rights of American citizens.  Let me point out to you, some have already
joined and again attacked the United States.  So lets be careful on how we
address this.  I don't think we have to read them their Miranda rights,
okay.

6 Q) Thank you.  A year and a half ago I became a widow.  I asked if I would
lose my benefits if I got remarried.  They said no.  Then I got remarried,
and then I asked again and they said yes.  Is there some way that widows
that have worked so hard can keep their benefits?  I'm a teacher.
 MCCAIN: All I can say is that I will do everything to fix that problem.  I
will look into it.
FOLLOW-UP: We talk about family values.  I teach my kids -- and then I just
go live with someone and not get married.
MCCAIN: I understand.  Thank you.  It's a compelling story and I will look
into it.

MCCAIN: The entire social security system is going to go bankrupt.  It's not
going to be there for young Americans.  We gotta reform it, fix it.
Democrats and Republicans have to work together.

7 Q) Most Democrats are moving to the center to get elected and will say and
do anything to get elected and this is certainly your opponent.  Will you
hammer away at this?  They have moved so far to the left!  Will you hammer
away at their socialist, Marxist ways?
 MCCAIN: Yes!  I give the American people great credit for their
intelligence and knowledge.  I am sorry that Barack Obama has not taken up
the request to have these town hall meetings together.  We should stand in
front of you and listen to the American people.  The American people deserve
more than the soundbyte, the gotcha moment.  They deserve to see us with the
voter.  These things are great and wonderful.  It's the most fun thing and
informative thing I've ever done.  I promise you this makes me a better
candidate and also a better president.

8 Q) My husband is a WWII veteran and I promised him I would shake your
hand.  Wisconsin is the leader of health care -- we do not have a crisis.
What we have is a health care, care crisis.  Medicare is failing.  It puts a
burden on all of us.  Do you have a plan to help us out there a bit?
 MCCAIN: You remind me of my mother.  Thank you and thank your husband.  You
put your finger on the problem -- it's not the quality of care that's the
problem, it's the skyrocketing cost.  We've got to put incentives into place
that keep health care costs down.  I want to give every family in American a
$5000 tax credit.  I want to start giving people with chronic diseases
outpatient care.  We need walk-in clinics and community centers.  We need to
look at the issue of the uninsurables.  We need to have government approved
plans for these people.  We need to establish risk-pools.  Wellness and
fitness, wellness and fitness.  This is very important.  The rise of obesity
among young people is staggering.  We should know what the school lunch is
and what the phys-ed is in schools.  Get fit and get in shape.  We can have
health insurance provide incentives for people to get healthy and fit as
well.

9 Q) Many JROTC programs are not getting Phys Ed credits, funding, etc.
We're getting the boot in high schools.  What are you opinions of JROTC
programs?
MCCAIN: I think that program is an outstanding one.  I do not know that
about California -- and I will bring this up with the Governor.  I think its
a great program.

10 Q) Thank you for your work with Feingold on campaign finance reform.  I
was going to ask you about the Iraq war and its costs but instead, I'll have
to ask you about what everyone is thinking: Is Brett Farve coming out of
retirement?
 MCCAIN: That's a great example of wellness and fitness.  And I'd just like
to add what a great state this is.  Let me recognize the mayor here.  Let me
tell you about my story running for the Senate - and I was elected.  Tells
story.

11 Q) How would you address the growing problem of all the illegal entries
into our country.
MCCAIN: It's a big problem and it's a federal responsibility.  My friends
our borders are broken.  I tried twice to get comprehensive immigration
reform.  We have to secure our borders first.  Then, we need tamper-proof
biometric document that temporary workers can use.  We also have to address
this in a human way as well.  It's a federal responsibility and we must act
and quickly.

12 Q) I'm from Minnesota.  Please take Pawlenty as your VP.
MCCAIN: Gov. Pawlenty is a wonderful person.  He's the next generation of
leadership.

13 Q) Nuclear power.  What do we do with the waste of 45 nuclear power
plants?
MCCAIN: We have to store and reprocess.  France reprocesses.  I'd like to
set up a reprocessing facility in Russia -- they've offered, but I don't
know if they are serious. There's some issues we have to figure out with
Yucca Mtn, but we should pursue that.

14 Q) I'm an undecided voter.  I'm tired of all these crises!  I think we
all have to work together.  I'm tired of the war when there's so many things
we have to fix here.  What can you tell me as I am an undecided voter?
 MCCAIN: Thank you for coming here.  What it really comes down to is what
Americans want us to do.  And my records shows me doing that.  Now someone
mentioned Feingold -- I've worked with him.  I've worked with Lieberman and
Kennedy.  Americans want us to sit down together and figure out these
problems.  I have a proven record of reaching across the aisle.  Sometimes I
have not succeeded -- like immigration -- but at least we sat down
together.  Americans are so frustrated.  Most Americans think we are on the
wrong track.  The last time Social Security was in danger -- Democrat Tip
O'Neil and Republican Ronald American sat down together and fixed it.  My
record shows me having done this as well.

*Conclusion*
A long time ago I had the opportunity to leave the prison camp before others
who had been their longer.  I declined.  I put my country first.  I've done
what I thought was right and I've put my country first, even when it made
others made.  I will always put my country first.

-- 
Cammie L. Croft
Tracking/Media Monitoring Director
Progressive Accountability Office
[email-masked]
202-609-7679 (office)
206-999-3064 (cell)

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