The Candidates On Their Personal Flaws

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

(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.

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Katie Couric: What one personal flaw do you think might hinder your ability to be president?

Barack Obama: I don't think there's … a flaw that would hinder my ability to function as president. I think that all of us have things we need to improve. You know, I said during the primary that my management of paper can sometimes be a problem.

Couric: You can come up with something better than that, though, can't you?

Obama: I just use it as an example of something that I'm constantly tryin' to work on. What is often a strength can be a weakness. So, you know, for me there are times where I want to think through all our options. At some point you've gotta make sure that we'r making a decision. So far, at least I've proven to be pretty good about knowing when that time is.

I think, as president, with all the information that's coming at you constantly, you're never gonna have 100 percent information. And you've just gotta make the call quickly and surely. And I think … that's a capacity that I've shown myself to have.

John McCain: You know, I'm not an objective observer. I would think that probably, I think that would have to be, to make sure, that I don't make any decisions that are not fully informed by every source of information that's credible I can possibly get. When I see and read history, I see sometimes that presidents make judgments that they only consulted a small circle of people. And sometimes, those were only those who agreed with that president.

I've got to make sure that I reach out to Democrats, to Republicans, to people who have opposing views. Because when we're making decisions about the future of the country, you cannot discount practically any viewpoint. So what happens to presidents in history is they get in bubbles and they don't get all the information they need to make the best judgments. I've got to guard against that.

[ojacanu]

Does the election really boil down to one question: Is it OK for my daughter to date a black guy? Think about it.

[starleo146]

When asked why he had, as little as a month ago, described himself as an zealous deregulator, John McCain replied.

Did I mention, my friend, that I was a POW and I never had a stock portfolio when I was in the Hanoi Hilton ... You know .... I didn''''t even have an executive chair or a desk or a drawer to store a stock portfolio in.

Elect me ... I was a POW.... not a collaborator .... I repeat NOT a collaborator .... My Friend!



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Posted by makeitso928 at 08:59 AM : Sep 18, 2008
+ report abuse


Exactly pity me please,Why does a fellow prisoner with John Mc Same, in the Hanoi Hotel with him, not endorse him. He said,"John Mc Same would be the last one I would want as my president, especially with that red button sitting there".John Mc Same has flipped flopped on this economy so much he is in a tail spin, doesn''t know one thing about this economy. This economy is fundamentally strong Haaaa I rest my case.

[mjvw2]

Democratic-controlled Congress, acknowledging that it isn''''t equipped to lead the way to a solution for the financial crisis and can''''t agree on a path to follow, is likely to just get out of the way.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said yesterday, "no one knows what to do'''''''' at the moment.

how reassuring

[snoop99991]

Flaws, lets take a quick look at Sarah!
Lets'' read a little about psycho Sarah and oh, lets say, a witch hunter!

Seems Sarah had a little help in run for governor. A Kenyan witch doctor came to her church and laid hands on her! She is a religious whacko.. Here is the link to the story and a bit of it..! http://timesonline.typepad.com/uselections/2008/09/palin-linked-el.html

Palin linked electoral success to prayer of Kenyan witch hunter The pastor whose prayer Sarah Palin says helped her to become governor of Alaska founded his ministry with a witch hunt against a Kenyan woman who he accused of causing car accidents through demonic spells. At a speech at the Wasilla Assembly of God on June 8 this year, Mrs Palin described how Thomas Muthee had laid his hands on her when he visited the church as a guest preacher in late 2005, prior to her successful gubernatorial bid. In video footage of the speech, she is seen saying: I was mayor and Pastor Muthee was here and he was praying over me.

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[mjvw2]

Barack Obama: "I don''''t think there''s a flaw that would hinder my ability to function as president"

including being the second highest recipient of Fannie and Freddie corruption dollars.


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[jmmalone2]

Now can we vote for Obama??

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."

[dburfears]

McCain should have said he has a tendency to LIE alot.

Posted by MANDALAY-BAY at 12:27 PM : Sep 18, 2008
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He would have, but he now considers that a VIRTUE.

[dburfears]

PLEASE. The "What flaws do you have" question is the refuge for idiot interviewers.

Katie- FIND ANOTHER FRIGGIN'' JOB.

[mandalay-bay]

McCain should have said he has a tendency to LIE alot.

[sdfaeg]

wonder if t here is any truth to the actual candidate that bumps off mutual opponent will win in November regardless of issues and polls?

provided there is an election considering how the economy may put a stop to it or another Bush/Cheney orchestrated war with Iran, Pakistan, Yemen, etc.

apparently the mutual opponent is wealthy, exposed corruption within both parties and is presently targeted.

wonder how would they bump off mutual opponent?

will Dems use an OJ Simpson-like black convict with jail time waiting? BTW, OJ is available as his trial is underway today.

will GOP use a Guiliani-like mob ties as used by his protege, ex-NYPD commissioner and was indicted for and may be doing up to 140 years of jail time? or use Gotti, Jr. who is also available as his trial is underway today too?

will both parties employ the popular law enforcement practice of ''sweetheart exchange deals'' where convicts commit crime/murders in exchange for less jail time, conveniently covered up and real culprits not suspected?

as this information is given, do we too have to worry about our personal safety? For example, should my diabetic husband worry about his health/life while doing his routine jog after work around 4-4:15pm in the Hackensack, Bogota and Teaneck, areas in NJ today? Do I have to worry about my own safety as I commute to the city via Port Authority bus this afternoon?

[perm3800]

jn122736 - actually, if Obama had had a Caucasian father instead of a Kenyan one, he wouldn''t have won the primary, he wouldn''t have garnered the support of Kerry and Edwards. He would have been just another smart white man with too much suave and not enough accomplishment. I still don''t understand how one can be president of the Harvard Law Review without publishing or be a fully tenured professor without publishing (after all, universities is where ''publish or perish'' was born.) He was one among many in his community organizer days and most of the work done by community organizers is political - get folks to show for meetings, get folks to participate in rent strikes, set up midnight basketball leagues. I am still not convinced that there is any there there when it comes to BO. Mind, I want to believe; the aging hippie in me is aching to believe but the brain that still works keeps going "talk is cheap, baby, show me the money."

[christiansin]

Haven''t we just spent eight long years dealing with the negatives that have come from having a "Maverick" running around using his "Cowboy Diplomacy" to alienate all of our allies and harsh partisan politics to divide and concur at home? Do we really want to continue that?

To some of us the term "Maverick" means uncooperative, self-serving, and irresponsible when used to describe a person. At this point we need someone that will foster cooperation and unity. We need a "Leader" that will unite and lead the U.S. and the world, not a "Maverick" that will charge off in his own direction making statements like %u201Cif you aren''t with us, you''re against us."

If these "Patriots" truly believe that America is the greatest country in the world, then they should be prepared to work within the greatest political system in the world to resolve its problems. Circumventing the Constitution and Bill of Rights and ignoring the will of the people at every turn (as you might expect a "Maverick" to do) does not demonstrate a proper understanding of or respect for the balanced structure of our government.

We''ve had eight years of a "Maverick" running around making a mess of America. We need a "Leader."

[rational_1]

If you spend 3 years as a brilliant community organizer, become the first black President of the Harvard Law Review...
Posted by geneonlbk at 09:50 AM : Sep 18, 2008

First of all, BRILLIANT community organizer? Ha ha, oh ya that''ll get you ready to deal with Putin. What I found interesting about your post is that you compared the Dem headliner to the Repub second-banana. Why didn''t you put up Obama''s experience (including his brilliant community organizer epoch), against McCain''s accomplishments just in the Senate? Things like bills written. Don''t you think that would have a bit more illustrative? After all, voters don''t make their decisions based on VPs.

Come on, face it - Obama has been in the Senate a bit over 3 and a half years, and he''s spent half of that time running for President. He''s no bastion of real experience no matter how many articles he wrote for the Harvard Law Review as President (which is zero).

[jn122736]

What can racial bigots do?

They can show their own true moral character (or lack of) by repeatedly copying and pasting the same insulting comment in the same forum, on different articles.

Or they can continually post insults, subterfuge and outright lies under different pseudonyms to make it appear as if the comments are coming from several different posters.

For instance;
To quote john43218: Polls are always wrong. Hasn''''t anyone learned that by now? as well, it is wrong to believe Obama is ahead or will win, : they aren''''t and he won''''t, and it won''''t have anything to do with the "race" card, but all to do with him not being qualfiied at the end of the day unquote

My question: Did john43218 not just recently comment about McCain taking the lead over Obama?

Further john43218 quote: ( If you think celebrities opinions matter you are as dumb as wood) If people are switching sides every time something new comes to light they are too neorotic to vote, stay home, then. Obama does not think he has any flaws, well, "Mr Messiah" you do and it shows every time you open your mouth. Unquote.

My response: john43218 gives no specifics, just obvious personal bias.

If Obama was 100% white, instead 50% white, and his name was Jones instead of Obama, he would have a double-digit lead in the polls.

BTW, prejudice against ANY race is still racial prejudice.

[geneonlbk]

If you spend 3 years as a brilliant community organizer, become the first black President of the Harvard Law Review, create a voter registration drive that registers 150,000 new voters, spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law professor,B spend 8 years as a State Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, become chairman of the state Senate''s Health and Human Services committee, spend 4 years in the United States Senate representing a state ofB 13 million people while sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs, Envi ronment and Public Works and Veteran''s Affairs committees, you don''t have any real leadership experience.

If your total resume is: local weather girl, 4 years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 7,000 people, 20 months as the governor of a state with only 650,000 people, then you''re qualified to become the country''s second highest ranking executive.

[mjvw2]

Barack Obama: "I don''t think there''s %u2026 a flaw that would hinder my ability to function as president"

including being the second highest recipient of Fannie and Freddie corruption dollars.

[rational_1]

Barack Obama: I uhm don''t uhm think uhm there''s uhm... any uhm way uhm I uhm can uhm possibly uhm say uhm a uhm sentence uhm clearly uhm without uhm the uhm aid uhm of uhm a uhm tele- uhm -promptor. Uhm.

For a guy with his oratorical skills he sure uhms and pauses a lot when he doesn''t have a speech to read and has to wing it. Maybe to avoid saying anything clearly so as not to alienate any voter he''s hoping that, with all the uhms and pauses you''ve forgotten what he said in the beginning of a sentence once he gets to the end of it.

Personally I think he should have answered the question simply and just gone with hubris.

[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 this voter fraud!

[jab232]

Can you visualize President Palin dealing with the economic meltdown, two wars, massive and terrible unemployment and all the rest? That''s what would happen if Ancient John were to die or become disabled in office. John McCain''s greatest flaw is his temper and impulsiveness. It causes him to be willing to put the whole country at risk.

[primilioneah]

I have said it before, I''ll say it again Obama can only be elected because he is lucky. The answer to a question about what he thinks his flaws are is "I am flawless". Pliz, you are really the "One".