Subject: [big campaign] Tracking Update: McCain Town Hall Meeting Denver, Colorado 07/07/08
From: "Cammie Croft" <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Date: Mon, 7 Jul 2008 16:04:48 -0400
List-Id: <bigcampaign.googlegroups.com>

Hello All,

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

*BIG HIGHLIGHTS
*

   - CO Independent: Pea Pod and other Protesters threatened with Arrest,
   http://coloradoindependent.com/view/pea-protesters-at
   - McCain pledges to balance budget by 2013
   - McCain praises the company Crocs - just like Bush did in 2006,
   http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/07/what_a_crock.php
   - McCain has difficult exchange with veteran over GI Bill and Veteran's
   health care benefits
   - Restated his position on FISA, telecommunication companies should not
   be held liable for serving their government
   - McCain tells disabled American that he will not support the Community
   Choice Act
   - McCain tells college student that he has "very attractive friends"  --
   refers to the young blonde woman sitting next to him
   - McCain gets into a difficult exchange with a questioner on the articles
   of impeachment and why he voted for impeaching Bill Clinton, but opposes
   impeaching Bush now

* **Denver, Colorado: McCain Town Hall Meeting 07/07/08*
(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:*
- Demonstrators asked to leave event or be arrested
- Approximately 300 in attendance; most of audience white, casually dressed
- There were 10 cameras -- mostly local news outlets, one pool camera
- Three teleprompters set up to assist McCain
- Security was really light, tracker had no problem getting in
- Small business owner, Beth Ecern opened the event and introduced Cindy
McCain
- Cindy McCain gave introductory remarks and introduced her husband
- Post-event demonstrators holding McBush and Obama signs

*FULL Remarks
*LINK:* *
http://thepage.time.com/full-remarks-of-mccains-denver-speech-on-jobs/

ARLINGTON, VA — U.S. Senator John McCain will deliver the following remarks
as prepared for delivery at a town hall meeting in Denver, CO, today at
12:00 p.m. MDT (2:00 P.M. EDT):

Thank you, Beth, for the kind introduction and inspiring words. Bethany
Manufacturing is one of the many small business success stories in America.
Beth is rightfully proud to have created good, secure jobs. Through her and
her employees' ingenuity and hard work, Bethany keeps growing. But Beth
tells me it gets harder every year, not because of the market and
competition, but because of government regulations, taxes and the cost of
health care. Beth, I promise you, if I'm elected President, we're going to
remove these obstacles to your continued success, and make government a
catalyst for growth and good jobs.

Before I take your questions, I want to begin by talking about the issue in
this campaign Americans worry the most about – the American economy.

All of us know what is happening to the economy. It is slowing. More than
400,000 people have lost their jobs since December, and the rate of new job
creation has fallen sharply. Some economists have noted that companies seem
to be on a "hiring strike." Americans are worried about the security of
their current job, and they're worried that they, their kids and their
neighbors may not find good jobs and new opportunities in the future. To
make matters worse, gas is over $4 a gallon and the price of oil has almost
doubled in the last year. The cost of everything from energy to food is
rising.

I have a plan to grow this economy, create more and better jobs, and get
America moving again. I have a plan to reform government, achieve energy
security, and ensure that healthcare and a quality education are affordable
and available for all. I believe the role of government is to unleash the
creativity, ingenuity and hard work of the American people, and make it
easier to create jobs.

At its core, the economy isn't the sum of an array of bewildering
statistics. It's about where Americans work, how they live, how they pay
their bills today and save for tomorrow. It's about small businesses opening
their doors, hiring employees and growing. It's about giving workers the
education and training to find a good job and prosper in it. It's about the
aspirations of the American people to build a better life for their
families; dreams that begin with a job.

So how are we going to create good jobs? Let's start with small businesses,
which create the majority of all jobs. A recent report says small businesses
have created 233,000 jobs so far this year while other sectors are losing
jobs. Small businesses are the job engine of America, and I will make it
easier for them to grow and create more jobs. My opponent wants to make it
harder by imposing a "pay or play" health mandate on small business. This
adds $12,000 to the cost of employing anyone with a family. That means new
jobs will not be created. It means existing employees will have their wages
cut to pay for this mandate. My plan attacks the real problems of
healthcare – cost, availability and portability.

Some economists don't think much of my gas tax holiday. But the American
people like it, and so do small business owners. Just ask Andrew Emmett who
runs Air-Tite insulation in Michigan. He has had to stop hiring new workers
because of the cost of fuel for his trucks.

We need to keep the IRS from taking more of your income and making life
harder for small business. If you believe you should pay more taxes, I am
the wrong candidate for you. Senator Obama is your man. The choice in this
election is stark and simple. Senator Obama will raise your taxes. I won't.
I will cut them where I can. Jobs are the most important thing our economy
creates. When you raise taxes in a bad economy you eliminate jobs. I'm not
going to let that happen.

Senator Obama's tax increases will hurt the economy even more, and destroy
jobs across this country. If you are one of the 23 million small business
owners in America who files as an individual rate payer, Senator Obama is
going to raise your tax rates. If you have an investment for your child's
education or own a mutual fund or a stock in a retirement plan, he is going
to raise your taxes. He will raise estate taxes to 45 percent. I propose to
cut them to 15 percent. His plan will hurt the American worker and family.
It will hurt the economy and cost us jobs. For those of you with children, I
will double the child deduction from $3,500 to $7,000 for every dependent,
in every family in America. At a time of increasing gas and food prices,
American families need tax relief and I, not my opponent, will deliver it.

In addition to small business, the other bright spot in the economy are our
exports, which are estimated to be growing at over seven percent. I will
expand markets for our goods and services. Twenty-five percent of all the
jobs in this country are linked to world trade. In five states alone –
Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin and Colorado – over five million
jobs depend on open markets.

My opponent believes America would be better off by refusing opportunities
to sell in growing foreign markets. But protectionism not only puts a hidden
tax on almost everything you buy, but it undermines American competitiveness
and costs jobs. Ninety-five percent of the world's consumers live outside
the U.S. Our future prosperity depends on opening more of these markets, not
closing them.

Five years ago, the outdoor footwear company, Crocs, was started by a couple
of entrepreneurs with a great idea, ingenuity and drive. This former small
business now employs 600 people in Colorado alone, and sells over 50 percent
of its products in 90 countries around the world. Building barriers to Crocs
or any American company's access to foreign markets will have a devastating
effect on our economy and jobs, and the prosperity of American families.

I understand free trade is not a positive for everyone. If a worker loses a
job we must retrain them and prepare them for 21st Century jobs. That's why
I have proposed a comprehensive reform of our unemployment insurance and
worker retraining programs. We will use our community colleges to help train
workers for specific opportunities in their communities. And for workers of
a certain age who have lost a job that won't come back, we'll help make up
the difference in wages between their old job and a temporary, lower paid
one until they've completed retraining and found secure new employment at a
decent wage.

We must also get government's fiscal house in order. American workers and
families pay their bills and balance their budgets, and I will demand the
same of the government. A government that spends wisely and balances its
budget is a catalyst for economic growth and the creation of good and secure
jobs.

This Congress and this Administration have failed to meet their
responsibilities to manage the government. Government has grown by 60
percent in the last eight years. That is simply inexcusable. When I'm
president, I will order a stem to stern review of government, modernize how
it does business and save billions of dollars. I will veto every single bill
with wasteful spending. We aren't going to continue mortgaging this
country's future for things Americans don't want or need. My opponent has a
very different record on this issue. He has sought millions upon millions of
dollars in earmarks since his election to the Senate. In 2007 alone, Senator
Obama requested nearly $100 million for earmark projects. I have never asked
for a single earmark in my entire career. He supported the $300 billion pork
laden agricultural subsidy bill. I opposed it. He voted for an energy bill
stuffed with give-aways to oil compan ies at a time of record profits. I
voted against it.

Let me give you a little bit of straight talk on energy. Our dangerous
dependence on foreign oil has been thirty years in the making, and was
caused by the failure of politicians in Washington to think long term about
the future of the country. If we don't act now to break our strategic
dependence on foreign oil, we are putting our national security, our economy
and our environment at grave risk. By 2030, America's demand for energy will
rise by nearly twenty percent. Our jobs and our very way of life depend on
the next President beginning to solve this challenge.

Two weeks ago, I announced the Lexington Project to secure our energy
future, named for the place where Americans first fought for their
independence. We will begin by producing more of our own oil and gas.
Increasing our own supply will send a message to the market and result in
lower prices for oil and gas.

We will develop more clean energy. Nuclear power is the most dependable
source of zero-emission energy we have. We will build at least 45 new
nuclear plants that will create over 700,000 good jobs to construct and
operate them.

The development of clean coal technology will create jobs in some of
America's most economically disadvantaged areas. Our coal reserves are
larger than Saudi Arabia's supply of oil. Clean coal demonstration projects
alone will employ over 30,000 Americans. In the state of Colorado over 80
percent of the electricity comes from coal, and in Ohio it's over 90
percent.

My proposal to help automakers design and sell new generations of cars that
don't depend on gasoline will re-invigorate that struggling industry. My
plan to develop wind and solar power and renewable technologies will drive
innovation and create high-tech jobs.

My opponent's answer to the Lexington Project is no; no to more drilling; no
to more nuclear power; no to research prizes that help solve the problem of
affordable electric cars. For a guy whose "official seal" carried the motto,
"Yes, we can," Senator Obama's agenda sure has a whole lot of "No, we
can't." The Lexington Project will create millions of jobs, help protect our
environment, improve our security, and solve the nation's energy problems.

Americans are having a tough time. But we've been through worse, and beaten
longer odds. Even in these difficult days, we must believe in ourselves.
Nothing is inevitable in America. We've always been the captains of our
fate. All you've ever asked of government is that it stand on your side, not
in your way. I intend to do just that: to stand on your side; to help
business and not government create jobs; to fight for your future and not
the personal ambitions of politicians and bureaucrats.

We have much work to do if we are to end the self-interested partisanship
that prevents us from fixing problems that need to be fixed and changing
government to keep this country prosperous and at peace. I make you one
promise I will always keep, no matter what.

In war and peace, I have been an imperfect servant of my country. But I have
been her servant first, last and always. Whenever I faced an important
choice between my country's interests or my own interests, party politics or
any special interest, I chose my country. Nothing has ever mattered more to
me than the honor of serving America, and nothing ever will. If you elect me
President, I will always put our country first. I will put its greatness;
its prosperity and peace; and the hopes and concerns of the people who make
it great before any personal or partisan interest. I will keep that promise
every hour of every day I am in office. And I will ask you to help me
convince Congress, Republicans and Democrats, to keep that promise as well.
There is nothing beyond our ability to achieve. We are Americans, and we
don't hide from history. We make history. All we need is to believe in
ourselves as we always have, and to cherish the beautiful country we are so
blessed to call home.*
*

*Link to Economic Plan:*
http://thepage.time.com/official-mccain-camp-economic-policy/*
*

*Link to McCain Release on Economists Backing His Economic Plan:*
http://thepage.time.com/mccain-release-on-economists-backing-his-proposals/
 *
Question and Answer*
1 Q) Vietnam Vet asks -- GI bill you spoke out against, and why did you vote
against increasing health care funding for soldiers returning from these two
wars in Iraq and Afghanistan?
MCCAIN: We need to increase educational benefits -- but the problem that I
had was that we didn't have enough incentives for career military members. I
don't know what you're referring to -- I've received every award from
veteran's organizations - they give me a perfect voting record.
FOLLOW-UP: You do not have a perfect voting record from the VFW.  Names
votes.
MCCAIN: Thank you and I'll be happy to examine your version of my votes.
But again I've received every endorsement from veteran's groups.

2 Q) Could you change the tax code for small business so we don't outsource
jobs? And two, can you pick Mitt Romney as your VP?
MCCAIN: On your second question, I'm going through a process.  And Mitt
Romney is a well-respected Republican.
On your first question, the corporate tax rate here is 35% -- in Ireland
it's 11%.  We have the second highest rate in the world, second to Japan.  I
want to reduce the taxes on business.

3 Q) Veteran: Thank you it's an honor.
MCCAIN: Do you agree with this other gentleman?
Follow-up: No.  I'm a registered Democrat -- and I am going to vote for you.
MCCAIN: Hugs gentleman.  Thank you very much and thank you for your service
to this country.
My friends, I hate war.  And nobody knows that better a veteran.  And I want
to tell ya -- I believe we are in a transcendent struggle with Islamic
extremists.  I want to bring our troops home - But I'm going to do it with
honor and dignity.

4 Q) [carrying camera] We're spending a trillion dollars a year on wars,
while here our rights our being trampled on at home.  How will you
personally address the redress of grievances that you were given to you on
June 30.  People petitioned you to restore the rule of law.  Will you
restore the rule of law?
MCCAIN: I will be happy to look that over.  On FISA, we needed to be able to
monitor the communications of terrorists.  I believe that any
telecommunications company when called upon by their government should not
have to be punished or sued for that.  There has to be a continued balance
between rights and national security.  We should have the ability to monitor
the communications between organizations that want to do American harm.
I'm glad you are recording this.  The Telecommunication companies should not
be held liable for serving their government.

5 Q) [young person] How do you plan to fix social security for future
generations?
MCCAIN: I have to give you some straight talk - you will not have social
security benefits under the current system unless it is fixed.  How do we
fix it?  We have to reach across the aisle and sit down and come up with a
plan.  It's broken again.  I wanna promise you -- I'm gonna say to the
Democrats and American people that there's this chart and not enough money
is coming in.  This issue has to be addressed.  We are grid-locked by
partisan politics.  And I promise you I'll change it.

6 Q)  Group member from ADAPT.  40 of us were arrested at your offices in DC
back in April.  Will you sign on to the Community Choice Act?
MCCAIN: I will not because I don't think it's the right kind of
legislation.  I will continue to communicate to you and continue to respect
disabled Americans.

7 Q) I honor your service.  Keep people off the roads -- make the 4 day work
week common practice.  Have people earn their living from home.
MCCAIN: I look forward to hearing more and I agree with you.  More and more
people are working from home.  A large number of people are working off of
Ebay from home and are off the roads.  Let's encourage more Americans to
work in industries that require less transportation.

8 Q) You didn't vote for the latest Medicare bill.  What do you say to those
who can't get their bills paid now as a result?
MCCAIN: The medicare system is broken -- it's an underfunded liability.  And
I'm going to tell you we have to fix the broken system -- sit down and reach
across the aisle.  I want every family in America to have a choice -- be
given a $5K tax credit to go anywhere to get insurance.  We also have to
provide insurance for the quote uninsurables and I will deal with that too.
I'll work with the states to build risk-pools to make insurance available
for those uninsurables.  We also have to deal with childhood obesity.  I'd
love to see every respected athlete in the country going to schools and
motivating kids to get in shape.

9 Q) On this oil thing, these other countries are going to get benefits by
us sacrificing and roller-skating to work.  I believe that the estate tax is
the death tax -- Bush had that right.  I don't understand why that's
supported.
MCCAIN: Basically everything under $10 million is tax free -- anything above
that is 15%.  That takes care of 99% of the population.

Greenhouse gas emissions are poisoning our planet.  I believe that nuclear
power is part of the solution -- my friends the French do it, 80% of their
electricity is from nuclear power.  We need to produce it, reprocess it.
The point is, it's an economic issue finally.  We are sending hundreds of
billions of dollars overseas to countries that don't like us very much.
Some of that money ends up in the hands of terrorist organizations.  The
Lexington Project is a national mission.  Americans need to come together.
It's not just nuclear power -- and roller skates -- it's wind and solar,
etc.

10 Q) How are going to gain energy independence in any real timely fashion?
MCCAIN: I believe that when President Jack Kennedy challenged us to get to
the moon -- no one thought we could do it then -- but we did it. And I
believe Americans are capable of very great things.

11 Q) Welcome to Colorado!  You tax us when we're born, you tax us when we
die -- you tax us when we eat, you tax us when we sleep.  You tax us every
which way.  Get off our backs!
MCCAIN: If you're not busy, I'd like to take you everywhere I go.
FOLLOW-UP: We know certain things aren't possible.  Americans have gotten
fat and lazy and they want everything handed to them.  It goes both ways.
It's time to wake up!
MCCAIN: Thank you.  Can I say thank you and thank you for your passion.  I
have a small disagreement -- every time Americans have been asked to serve,
I believe they've answered that call.

12 Q) What are your plans to alleviate the burden of recent college
graduates?  They are graduating with the highest debts ever.
MCCAIN: In the short-term, we got to make sure student loans are available
this fall.  In the long term, we have to provide incentives -- including
incentives to join the military, to teach, etc.  We have to put in programs
for national service.  That's the first step.  We have to find ways to
rewards those who enter engineering and computer fields.
[NOTE: During this exchange, McCain said the young man has 'attractive
friends' - refers to the young blonde woman sitting next to the questioner]

13 Q) Tells Frank's story who is  a vet on Medicare and still can't pay his
bills.  Do you have a more concrete answer for those who can't pay their
bills?
MCCAIN: If he's a veteran, I would make sure he'd have the ability to get
veterans care.  Outside of that, I would have to look into the specifics of
his case.  But whatever it is, no American should go without the necessary
health care.  That's the promise of government.
There's a pilot program that's been rather successful -- cash and carry.  We
give seniors cash to then choose and take care of their needs themselves.

14 Q) I'm an intern with the COPIRG foundation, health care project.  More
young adults are going to college, having children.  What is your plan to
help 19-34 year olds?
MCCAIN: Their health care is going to be affordable, available and
portable.  My plan will give every family a $5K tax credit to go across
state lines and choose their own health care.  We have to bring health care
costs down -- it has to be one of our highest priorities.  And technology is
really helping.  I don't want the government making decisions, I want
families making decision.

15 Q) Thank you for not screening questions.  My family emigrated here.  I
am all for legal immigration -- what is your plan for illegal immigration.
MCCAIN: Legal immigration is the vitality and strength of American.  And we
tried twice to develop a comprehensive immigration reform.  We now have a
president of Mexico that is committed to helping us.  We have to secure the
borders first.  And we have to install a biometric identification system.
And then we have to figure out what to do with the 12 million illegal
immigrants.  And this is going to require republicans and democrats.

16 Q) [carrying camera] You voted in favor of impeachment of Bill Clinton.
And then last week you said you didn't support articles of impeachment for
Bush.  How do you explain that?
MCCAIN: I don't believe that any effort to impeach the president is
appropriate.

17 Q) What's the fundamental difference between you and Obama?
MCCAIN: I think it's the role of government and security.  He has a liberal
democrat voting record.  His solutions are big government, mine are
different.  On national security - we also differ.  I supported the surge --
and he said that it was doomed to failure.  I am a very proud conservative
and believe in less government and more security.  Government only
intervenes in people's lives when it's absolutely necessary.  I believe in
the individual first.

18 Q) With 75 cents of every health care dollar going to chronic disease,
how do you plan on paying for preventative care?
MCCAIN: I believe all parents should know what their child is eating at
school.  We have to make wellness and fitness a core part of our daily
lives.  Employers can help incentivize this as well.
*
Conclusion*
It's been as always and entertaining and enjoyable experience.  Thank you
all the men and women who brought cameras -- keep buying them.  It helps the
economy.

[Impeachment questioner yelling in the background]

All I can say to you is that I respectfully disagree.  I thank you for being
here.  Whether you vote for me or not -- thanks for being here and being
part of this process, the essence of the democratic process.

My friends, I will always, 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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