The Candidates On Terrorism At Home

CBS Evening News: Obama And McCain Answer Katie Couric's Presidential Qutestions

(CBS)  In November, Americans decide whether Barack Obama or John McCain become the 44th President of the United States. In a new series, "Presidential Questions" CBS News anchor Katie Couric asks questions that move the candidates well beyond the usual sound-bites. Some questions will be about policy. Others will be more personal. All will give you a better sense of who these men are - and what has shaped them. What follows is Couric's question - and the candidates' full answers.

---

Katie Couric: Why do you think there has not been another terrorist attack on U.S. soil since 9/11? And as president, how would you prevent that from happening again?

John McCain: Katie, I think we ought to give credit to the administration, to the president, and to the dedicated people who have worked from the level of our intelligence agencies around the world, to the local policemen, firemen, first responders, who have done such a magnificent job. I also, giving a little straight talk, think there's always an element of luck involved. I thank God every day, and so do all of us Americans. I think that we ought to have a closer relationship, probably, between Republican and Democrat on this. When we let our intelligence capability to monitor communications amongst would-be terrorists … or terrorists and we were gridlocked for so long is an indication that, perhaps, we've lost the unity that characterized America after 9/11. So I would work more closely with the leaders of Congress. I know them well. But I also think that we should unleash more of America's technology.

Couric: When you say technology, more technology, what exactly do you mean?

McCain: Whether it be … there's satellites. There's the kinds of technologies that are being developed in our national labs, as other places. And, by the way, part of that technology, I left that out, and that's human intelligence. Our technological capabilities are pretty good. They're gonna get better and we've got to work on getting them better. But we still haven't got the kind of human intelligence that can tell us the intentions of the enemy.

Barack Obama: Well … I think that the initial invasion into Afghanistan disrupted al Qaeda. And that was the right thing to do. I mean, we had to knock out those safe havens. And that, I think, weakened them.

We did some work in strengthening our homeland security apparatus here. Obviously, the average person knows that when they go to the airport, because they are goin' through taking off their shoes … all that.

---

Check out the other installments of Presidential Questions.

---

The problem is when we got distracted by Iraq. We gave al Qaeda time to reconstitute itself. And we now know, based on all the intelligence available to us that they, in fact, have set up safe havens back in Afghanistan, the hills between Afghanistan and Pakistan. They are now carrying out very aggressive actions against U.S. troops in Afghanistan and they are training to attack the United States once again. So now, my hope obviously is that we continue to prevent them from being able to move at all out of those safe havens. But our intelligence indicates … that the danger, the likelihood, of a potential attack is significantly higher now. And that has been an enormous mistake that I intend to correct when I'm president of the United States.

[inventagod2]

We have yet to truly investigate the 9/11 attack.
The Bu$h administration stonewalled any investigation for 444 days, while quickly destroying as much evidenve as possible. Sudpoenas and individual testimony are necessary, and hard questions must be asked. This never happened. We are left with no truth, and many suspects, some in high places...

[standlee5]

What an arrogant answer from Barrack Obama. We''ve had the luxury of being secure thanks to an entire network of homeland protectors. He can''t even manage to acknowlede those that have done a fantastic job. He''s never managed anyone or anything, that''s why he''s so clueless and obviously risky.

[ljb6599]

standlee5....Barrak Obama was not arrogant at all.Lets face it you simply do not like Obama not matter what he would say.Why should Obama give any credit to Bush.He has done nothing but divide this country even further than it was 8 years ago.The country is a mess and it occurred on his watch.McCain will continue the same devisive politics because his campaign is being by cronies from the Bush administration.McCain is no longer a maverick or an independent.He is a necon just like all the rest of them!!

[sheila2u-2009]

This response from Obama is totally LAME...EMPTY...NOTHING...Omg what will he do if it happens !!!! FRIGHTENING I SAY !!

[kainui01]

I hope Katie is not going to turn into a "female" Charlie Gibson. It was quite noticable during tonight''s interview that when she questioned Sen. McCain, she had such a serious and determined look on her face. However, when she spoke with Sen. Obama, she giggled while telling him "oh come on, you can do better than that!"

[musethalia]

And BO''s answer is? No answer, just a report of what we already know? Taking my shoes off at the airport like I''m going to have to do flying into DC tomorrow. I already KNOW that - His response in stating the obvious things I already know does not make me feel safe - it makes me nervous.

[musethalia]

BO''s ''I ''think'', ''I mean'', ''I think''...very disturbing...she''s asking where they stand to prevent another attack, not opinion of the 9/11 invasion - you better do more than ''think'' and ''mean'' when faced with that type of very real, very dangerous question.

[im4honesty]

It becomes more apparent, every day, that McCain is senile. Sad.

I think placing Obama in the presidency will guarintee we are attacked again. He is basically like Bill Clinton. Bill Clinton gets a lot of undeserved credit for being in the right place at the right time of an iformation age bubble but in foregn policy and expecially anti terrorism he was a total failure. Basically 9/11 happend because Bill Clinton never really responded to the many terrorist attacks that happened while he was in office. So Obama while at some level might make us feel good will most certanily make us regret the choice after his failed policies and nieve point of view invited more attacks.

[musethalia]

I think placing Obama in the presidency will guarintee we are attacked again. He is basically like Bill Clinton. Bill Clinton gets a lot of undeserved credit for being in the right place at the right time of an iformation age bubble but in foregn policy and expecially anti terrorism he was a total failure. Basically 9/11 happend because Bill Clinton never really responded to the many terrorist attacks that happened while he was in office. So Obama while at some level might make us feel good will most certanily make us regret the choice after his failed policies and nieve point of view invited more attacks.

Posted by jwilwade

You are very right - he cut military funding, personnel and dismantled the pentagon - he ignored every threat, and soon, after he was out of office, we were attacked.

[darkfyreaol]

sheila2u: And McCain''s was any better? The guy jumped all around the map, stumbling over his own tongue while trying to respond.

[hermitdave]

I don''t guess Katie had guts enough to ask either of them who was responsible for the first 9/11 and call them both liars when they said Osama Bin Laden.

[hermitdave]

I don''t guess Katie had guts enough to ask either of them who was responsible for the first 9/11 and call them both liars when they said Osama Bin Laden.

[anotherview2-2009]

Somebody needs to put a new record in Obama''s mouth. His stump speeches are getting stale.

Big surprise that CBS and NYT team up to give a poll that gives their hero a lead. Also have noticed that CBS has lightened up on the "Troopergate" now that Hollis French and his Obama cronies have come under fire by Republican filing suit and the Alaska Attorney General stepping in.

On economics, anyone talking about all the perks received from FEMA and Fannie Mae?

And the MSM has buried the story on Rothschild endorsing McCain/Palin.

We are safer because Barrack Obama has not been President using tough diplomacy to keep our enemies at bay. With Russia entering the Caribbean basin with Venezuela as a partner who has bought billions of Russian arms, we have a whole new threat building here.

We don''t need a leader who is riding with training wheels in the White House. Obama should have stuck to his 2012 plan and stayed in the Senate or tried for a Governorship. Then he could equal Palin in experience.

[vranger]

"I don''''t guess Katie had guts enough to ask either of them who was responsible for the first 9/11 and call them both liars when they said Osama Bin Laden."

Yep, when the correct answer, Bill Clinton, came out, it would have been tough medicine alright.

[andylance1]

We have the unholy alliance of America''s enemies: Iran, Venezuela, Bolivia, Cuba - Muslims and leftist Catholics and agnostics and orthodox Russians attacking their neighbors. It is a dangerous world and Iran and Hamas continue to pledge the destruction of Israel.

Obama is quick to renounce both his Muslim faith and his allegiance to Rev. Wright. Meanwhile, Father Michael Pfleger endorses Obama and gets censured by the Catholic Church along with Pelosi and Biden.

In South Florida, we have two Jewish congress people endorsing Obama, while the Israeli government is scared to death of Obama. Party loyalty trumps survival. How do you get people to support their own destruction?

[jmurrieta11]

"In South Florida, we have two Jewish congress people endorsing Obama, while the Israeli government is scared to death of Obama. Party loyalty trumps survival. How do you get people to support their own destruction?


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by andylance1


Sarah Palin''s pastor, whom we never see on TV, unlike the Rev. Wright, believes that Jews must convert to Jesus or else be damned for Eternity.

That''s right--Palin''s spiritual advisor teaches that Jews are damned as Jesus-killers, and must abandon their religion to be "saved".

This is a true example of self-destruction.

So how is Palin supporting the Jewish people again? Please explain!

[blamegovt]

Sarah Palin''''s pastor, whom we never see on TV, unlike the Rev. Wright, believes that Jews must convert to Jesus or else be damned for Eternity.

That''''s right--Palin''''s spiritual advisor teaches that Jews are damned as Jesus-killers, and must abandon their religion to be "saved".

This is a true example of self-destruction.

So how is Palin supporting the Jewish people again? Please explain!
-----------------------
Posted by jmurrieta11

Who cares about the Jews? Your hysterical comment attempting to spark outrage does not matter. Coverting is much different than hatred.

[dj292009]

Somebody needs to put a new record in Obama''''s mouth. His stump speeches are getting stale.

Big surprise that CBS and NYT team up to give a poll that gives their hero a lead. Also have noticed that CBS has lightened up on the "Troopergate" now that Hollis French and his Obama cronies have come under fire by Republican filing suit and the Alaska Attorney General stepping in.

On economics, anyone talking about all the perks received from FEMA and Fannie Mae?

And the MSM has buried the story on Rothschild endorsing McCain/Palin.

We are safer because Barrack Obama has not been President using tough diplomacy to keep our enemies at bay. With Russia entering the Caribbean basin with Venezuela as a partner who has bought billions of Russian arms, we have a whole new threat building here.

We don''''t need a leader who is riding with training wheels in the White House. Obama should have stuck to his 2012 plan and stayed in the Senate or tried for a Governorship. Then he could equal Palin in experience.

LOL She is the govenor of a state with 700,000 she has two major accomplishments, She tried to fund the Bridge to Nowhere, then said she did not want the money, but yet she kept the money anyway.

Then she also has the accomplishment of seeing Russia from Alaska. Wow Thats incredible. Nah I think Obama being a community leader has 100 times more experience than Palin will ever Have

[misha128-2009]

see http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/17/AR2008091703304.html

The Republicans and Sarah Palin believe security can be maintained on public e-mail servers instead of using the private, secure e-mail servers provided for government business. What makes us believe these people have any expertise in dealing with national security.

[praiseallah1]

Federal Elections Commission investigating Barak Obamas Campaign fundraising while the FBI investigates ACORN executives with Federal Racketeering Charges of voter fraud.

It has been well known recently that ACORN is at the heart of one of the most massive voter fraud campaigns in American history.

In recent years, many ACORN employees were convicted of voter fraud in Ohio, Colorado, California, Missouri, Washington, and other cities which easily manipulates opinion polls.

Obama campaign%u2019s federal filings showed ACORN%u2019s subsidiary, Citizens Services, only did polling and advance work on campaign events. Later, the campaign had to amend its reports to show that ACORN did GOTV work for them as well and paid them $800,000:

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/archive/s_584829.html

"ACORN settled the largest case of voter fraud in the history of Washington State. Seven ACORN workers had submitted nearly 2,000 bogus voter registration forms. Three ACORN election fraudsters pleaded guilty in October. "

It`s obvious the Federal government needs to open up an investigation of ACORN and Obama under the RACKETEER INFLUENCED AND CORRUPT ORGANIZATIONS LAW.

Email the FEC at [e-mail], and the www.fbi.gov and demand that they stop thier voter fraud.

[miles1967-2009]

First WTC attack was in 1993

Second attack on WTC (9/11) was in 2001, 8 years after the first.

The chances of a terrorist attack on US soil are slim, especially by plane again. We realized there was a serioud security breech with airline travel and corrected that. But to say that we are safer since 2001 because of the Iraq War is patently false.

Recent US intelligence estimated that al Qaeda is at the strength they were before 9/11/01.

[screan_name]

McSame and Obama talk about preventing another 9/11. Meanwhile the fallout of 8 years of failed policies is making many Americans fear for their very survival. The Republican administration and Republican Congress has done to this country what no terrorist could possibly do....bankrupt the country.

[michaelm07]

I heard McCains response and then Obama''s and please can someone please explain to me what Obama''s answer was and how his canned stale comments about Iraq have anything to do with what Katie asked him. I just heard stuttering and disconnected phrases as he just tried to get through his response. And you Dems, this is the guy you think will help us?

McCain is far from perfect but Obama is lost and clueless and we are deep **** if he gets elected.

[mbourn2]

Obama said:

"The problem is when we got distracted by Iraq. We gave al Qaeda time to reconstitute itself. And we now know, based on all the intelligence available to us that they, in fact, have set up safe havens back in Afghanistan, the hills between Afghanistan and Pakistan"

My problem with that statement is:

Can anyone seriously believe that if we had dumped ALL our resources into Afghanistan and neglected Iraq that we would not still be facing these same groups only they would be staging out of Iraq rather than Afghanistan and they would have the financial and military support of an intact Iraq army and government backing them.

brdlikblssss, whatever you are smoking, can we get some of that?

[im4honesty]

Can anyone seriously believe that if we had dumped ALL our resources into Afghanistan and neglected Iraq that we would not still be facing these same groups only they would be staging out of Iraq rather than Afghanistan and they would have the financial and military support of an intact Iraq army and government backing them.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by mbourn2


SEE!!! This is an example of what I don''t get about you republicans. You want to engage in the political debate, but you refuse to get informed. Anyone who has paid even the leasts bit of attention knows that Saddam and Al Queda were staunch enemies. There was no Al Queda in Iraq until we took out their enemy, and if Saddam were still in power there would still be no Al Queda in Iraq!!

GET INFORMED!!

[docpeter1953]

Posted on another CBS comment section

"If we know one thing about Al Qaeda they are consistent to a pattern of attacks and targets. They have greeted every new American President since Bill Clinton with a U.S. Terrorist attack in the President''''s first year in office, Bill Clinton in the 1993 World Trade Center Bombings, and again with George W Bush 2001 with the 9/11 attacks.

Interestingly enough the pattern continues with an attack in Yemen in the last year of the Presidents Term, Bill Clinton in the 2000 Bombing of the U.S.S Cole and now in 2008 with the U.S. Embassy in Yemen.

Going deeper into the warning signs is the intelligence that Al Qaeda has stopped funding the insurgency into Iraq and pulling out other resources, which simply leads me to conclude that an attack on U.S. soil in 2009 is extremely likely.

Posted by DVSC2008 at 08:02 AM : Sep 18, 2008
________________

Sounds fairly accurate and precise/concise to me. Guess we can expect another attack on the USA in 2009, somewhere. Unfortunately the new Pres. will take the fall for this one also.

[jjorcutt]

I''m tired of this question about why we haven''t been attacked. I''ll tell you why because it''s a hell of alot easier to go to Iraq and kill Americans there than here in the USA. In fact I would say we have been attacked to the tune of over 4000 deaths since the start of the Iraq war.

[katina408]

Obama''s judgement and foresight have been very keen and based on fact and reflection something that Bush and now McCain seem sorely in need of. McCain sticks to rote learned cliches (notice how he is lost without a teleprompter) giving one the feeling that he''s vacuous and empty. If Obama''s style of "stuttering" annoys people, it''s probably because he''s thinking (remember he was trained at Harvard) and pondering his answer before spouting out a learned line that his advisors fed him knowing that it would please the ignorant populace. McCain''s poorly honed intellectual skills proven by his lackluster performance at his military academy and there beyond bode ill for our country. Palin''s past as a beauty queen and an extreme religious fanatic (her Wasilla church wanted to convert Jews to Christianity?), also make me cringe at the prospect that she may one day be leading this great country. Like Garrison Keillor (read Moose on the Loose in Palin Country), I feel like "lighting out for the territories" and escaping the political frenzy where the greedy lords of flies will prevail yet once again.

[jmmalone2]

Now can we vote for Obama Pleaseeeee?
Don''t let race get in your way of right minded thinking.

From NBC''s Mark Murray
In an interview with the Omaha World-Herald, Nebraska

Sen. Chuck Hagel (R) suggested that Palin doesn''t have the foreign-policy experience to be president. "''She doesn''t have any foreign policy credentials,'' Hagel said in an interview. ''You get a passport for the first time in your life last year? I mean, I don''t know what you can say. You can''t say anything.''"

Check out this other Hagel line: "''I think they ought to be just honest about it and stop the nonsense about, "I look out my window and I see Russia and so therefore I know something about Russia,"'' he said. ''That kind of thing is insulting to the American people.''"

And this one: "''I think it''s a stretch to, in any way, to say that she''s got the experience to be president of the United States,'' Hagel said."

[mbourn2]

SEE!!! This is an example of what I don''''t get about you republicans. You want to engage in the political debate, but you refuse to get informed. Anyone who has paid even the leasts bit of attention knows that Saddam and Al Queda were staunch enemies. There was no Al Queda in Iraq until we took out their enemy, and if Saddam were still in power there would still be no Al Queda in Iraq!!

GET INFORMED!!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by im4honesty at 10:53 AM : Sep 18, 2008

If you had bothered to do even a little research on this you would have found that there significant debate on this issue. You are certainly entitled to your opinion but you will have to excuse me if I do not come to the same conclusions as you. I would suggest you "get informed".

Al-Qaeda in Iraq - From Wikipedia
AQI is one of Iraq''s most feared militant organisations and many experts regard it as the United States'' most formidable enemy in the country.[6][7] Others suggest that the threat posed by AQI is exaggerated and some scholars claim that a "heavy focus on al-Qaeda obscures a much more complicated situation on the ground."

[jjorcutt]

mbourn...Oh come on! Your posting wikipedia as your proof that Al Queda existed in Iraq before we ousted Saddam. First of all it doesn''t say that Al Queda came into Iraq after the invasion. Second it is well documented that Wikipedia can be less than perfect since it can be manipulated by people such as yourself in order to bolster your position. I suggest you post with more proof that Al Queda existed in Iraq BEFORE the invasion.

[dmgenet]

Bush and his gang used the old Hitler tactic of the "Big Lie". It worked again and most of the media (except McClatchy) swallowed the inconsistencies, double talk, and lies, hook line and sinker.

Remember, believe 1/2 of what you read and nothing of what you hear. The truth is out there but YOU have to piece it together. The Republicans rely on the electorate being lazy. We are to blame as much as the Bush cabal.

[urnot]

Republican Principles have been borrowed from their historical brethern.


"If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State."
-- Joseph Goebbels, Adolf Hitler''''s propaganda minister

However, McCain has raised the art of the BIG LIE to a new level.

Shame.

[katina408]

It''s true that Obama uses teleprompters to make speeches but it is a known fact that he doesn''t use one at standard campaign rallies and town hall events. Which is probably why he''s gotten this reputation of stuttering and floundering when he tries to gather his thoughts. However at least he doesn''t utter idiocies like McCain when he can''t find his cue cards..."the American economy is basically sound?" Iran borders Pakistan? (senior moment from a seasoned military officer? is this what we call ''military intelligence''? we''ll probably have more and more of them)...come on! When a huge segment of the population can''t afford sufficient health insurance to cover major catastrophes (the World Health Organization ranks us 37 after Costa Rica for health care access and performance and McCain wants to keep the same system...why shouldn''t he? He has access to a great health care system reserved for political representatives) and the investment banking sector has gone amok because of total deregulation (let''s let the fox into the chicken coop...oh well say the Republicans...folks over 65 can always go back to work to get their pensions back or buy their medicine and younger people can just find another job! just keep that low tax rate for millionaires like Donald Trump who ''create'' jobs for the proletariats). As far as ''facts'' are concerned, check out ''www.factcheck.org'' from the Annenberg Foundation.