Obama Says Economy, Iraq Are Top Issues

Energy And Health Care Follow Ending The War And Dealing With The Wall St. Meltdown As Key Priorities

(CBS)  Friday in Coral Gables, Fla., Obama was surrounded by a financial brain trust that includes three former treasury secretaries and a former Federal Reserve chairman who are advising him on the Wall Street crisis and on his ambitious and expensive economic agenda - $60 billion to create jobs improving infrastructure, $150 billion to develop alternative energy sources, and a similar amount for health care.

Kroft: The McCain campaign, right now, is characterizing you as just another big spending liberal. And that, as a result of this, who wants to raise taxes.

Obama: Right. They're wrong. And I think they're being deliberately misleading. Under my tax plan, 95 percent of American workers would get a tax cut. Ninety-five percent. If you are making less than $250,000, you would not see a single dime of tax increase. Not on anything.

Kroft: And at what level would the tax break start to kick in? Salary-wise?

Obama: I would say if you are making $150,000 a year or less, you are definitely getting a tax cut under my plan. Between 150 and 250,000 you're probably gonna stay roughly the same. It is true, if you make more than $250,000 a year you'll probably pay a slightly higher rate.

Kroft: Is it a good idea to be raising taxes at a time when the country seems to be broke?

Obama: Well, keep in mind, that we are cutting taxes for 95 percent of the people who are more likely to spend the money to go and put that money to work in a small business. Who are more likely to give a boost to the economy, a stimulus to the economy, at a time when it's needed.

The most expensive part of the Obama program is the health heath insurance plan, which would make coverage for children mandatory, and promises affordable government subsidized insurance to all Americans, with premiums based on a percentage of their income.

Kroft: How much is it gonna cost? $150 billion it's gonna cost, right?

Obama: It is. If it is. But we pay for every dime that we propose to spend. I believe in pay as you go. That if you want to propose a new program, you better cut some old ones. If you want to expand a program, then you better figure out where the money's coming from.

Kroft: So this is paid for with the increased taxes on people who make more than 250,000…dollars a year.

Obama: It's rolling back the Bush tax cuts. It's closing corporate tax loopholes. But look, I don't make a claim that we are going to be able to eliminate our deficit within my first term as president.

Kroft: Right now it's, what, 400…

Obama: It's a lot.

Kroft: …billion.

Obama: Right.

Kroft: Is it gonna go up under an Obama administration?

Obama: No. It's gonna go down. But it's not gonna go away. Because we dug ourselves a deep hole.

[wtezra]

I will vote for Obama. I am white, Israeli-American and 61 years old.
He is our best chance for a future.

If America is so dumb and votes for McCain, I will be looking to live elsewhere.

I feel proud and lucky to have a candidate as bright, capable and inspiring as Obama to want this job.

GO BARACK!

[anotherview2-2009]

The "race issue" needs to be looked at from the fact that 90% of the blacks will vote for Obama, not because he is qualified, but because he is "one of us". Clearly Obama would not be where he is if it weren''t for the black racist vote which does not get talked about at all. With Obama getting 40 to 50% of the white vote, I see that has a vote based on ideology and beliefs.

And while this interview was taking place Russia was moving one of its largest warships into the Caribbean, and selling billions of dollars of arms to Chavez.

Not a word from CBS on this.

[nodevils2]

OBAMA IS FOR THE FREE MARKETS OF CAPITALISM, constrained by the conscience of sensible government regulation! Obama understands that the government is just as essential to capitalism as is the consumer; and, he understands the government%u2019s role to enhance and create new industries and markets when the private sector is failing to do so. For example, Obama sees that the markets are not "laissez faire capitalism" when it comes to our energy industries. This is evident by the abnormally high gas prices that are hurting the consumer. He understands far better than Bush/McCain that our way to independence is through alternative energies, such as FUEL CELL TECHNOLOGY, BIO-MASS, BIO-DIESEL, WIND, SOLAR, BIO-THERMAL TECHNOLOGIES. Obama knows how to unleash NASA again, unfettered by the sinister repression of free scientific thought, the BUSH/McCain sought to SILENCE and edit the scientists. Obama respects the opinions of ECONOMISTS, unlike Bush/McCain/Palin, who tried to pander with gas holiday gimmicks. OBAMA 08, YES WE CAN!!

[nodevils2]

The most significant change that Obama/Biden will bring to the White House is leadership that actually leads, by changing our government%u2019s strategies and culture so that they have a better fit to the global economy. Obama has an excellent ability to shape a strategic vision of a realistic and attractive future that binds us together as Americans and focuses our energy toward super ordinate goals as a nation. Obama stands alone as the candidate who can frame messages around a grand purpose with emotional appeal that captivates the best in us. Transformational leaders not only talk about a vision; they enact it. They walk the talk by stepping outside the executive suite and doing things that symbolize the vision, the way that Obama performed during the primaries and the way he has run a STELLAR overall campaign. Obama stands alone as the candidate best equipped to demonstrate a Can Do attitude with an image of honesty, trust, and integrity. OBAMA IS THE BEST CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA! OBAMA 08; Yes We Can

[nodevils2]

Basically, America has lost its farming base and its manufacturing base. Driving our economic growth for the last eight years has been the FINANCE BUBBLE, credit and mortgages, coupled with exotic derivatives and other risky financial instruments. We need a leader who can inspire America with a vision that results in Americans actually MANUFACTURING something of value for the world other than EXOTIC FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS. OBAMA stands alone as the candidate taking us in that direction.

[nodevils2]

OBAMA IS LEADING! In the polls, in history, in new voter registration, in fundraising, in campaign management, by every metric possible! Conventional wisdom has always said that you can determine how a president will lead by observing how he leads his campaign and the decision he made in picking his vice presidential nominee! Obama/Biden 08, real leadership for a new generation! What a STELLAR campaign being run by an incredible young, American leader! Go OBAMA/BIDEN

[michaelm07]

Obama defending his experience? That probably only took a few seconds considering there is very little and virtually none that qualifies him for the Oval Office.

[credibility2]

Once sources like NBC''s SNL show ruthlessly go after Obama and ridicule him as they''ve done with McCain and Palin, I''ll feel much better. But of course, too many are afraid of taking this turn lest it seem racist. It''s sad that no one can go after Obama, factually and jokingly without being accused of being racist or bigoted. This is what our society has become. Free speech, but only if it doesn''t offend non-whites and bi-racials. Obama is a fraud and corrupt. He was a do-nothing IL senator and is now a do-nothing US senator. If he could, he''d sell all of his supporters a piece of swamp land in FL. If Obama were genuinely ready and sufficiently qualified to be president, he wouldn''t keep tap dancing around the experience questions and issues. And, what does it say about a man who constantly defends himself and compares himself to a woman who isn''t even running for president? It says plenty about his ineptitude and insecurity and fears.

[vanpete]

well. I don''t think it is going to be any better if Democrats take over the white house. They are the majority of the House and Senates in the last 4 years. Why didn''t they veto Bush''s plans and why didn''t they have their own bills that could help. Bush could only veto their bills twice, the third time the bills would automatically go into effect. If they take over the white house too, they will become a sole power. America will be like Putin''s democracy. And economy and national security go together, can''t be seperated. Obama is not the answer to the problem.

[waxhawron-2009]

Tonight I read through both interviews with Senators Obama and McCain. I was very disappointed with two things:
(1) in the tradition of Mike Wallace and Dan Rather (before he lost his perspective) the interviewers let the candidates off the hook too easily when they tried to avoid answering questions or when they were obviously lying.
(2) reading through the comments I was very disappointed how lax the compliance was with the Rules of Engagement.
(3) reading through the comments I was shocked by the lies and venom being spread by supporters of each candidate. This is a very serious election. And if tolerance of others'' opinions cannot be accepted then there is very little hope for the future of our country.

[waxhawron-2009]

Tonight i read through both interviews with Senators Obama and McCain. I was very disappointed with two things:
(1) in the tradition of Mike Wallace and Dan Rather (before he lost his perspective) the interviewers let the candidates off the hook too easily when they tried to avoid answering questions or when they were obviously lying.
(2) reading through the comments I was very disappointed how lax the compliance was with the Rules of Engagement.
(3) reading through the comments I was shocked by the lies and venom being spread by supporters of each candidate. This is a very serious election. And if tolerance of others'' opinions cannot be accepted then there is very little hope for the future of our country.

[waxhawron-2009]

Tonight i read through both interviews with Senators Obama and McCain. I was very disappointed with two things:
(1) in the tradition of Mike Wallace and Dan Rather (before he lost his perspective) the interviewers let the candidates off the hook too easily when they tried to avoid answering questions or when they were obviously lying.
(2) reading through the comments I was very disappointed how lax the compliance was with the Rules of Engagement.
(3) reading through the comments I was shocked by the lies and venom being spread by supporters of each candidate. This is a very serious election. And if tolerance of others'' opinions cannot be accepted then there is very little hope for the future of our country.

[alibuddha]

I felt like he was vying for a spot on the Apprentice. ummm....ummmm....ummmm....doesn''t do so well when he doesn''t have his teleprompter.

[navvet2]

Obama: Hey look, I don''t know. I know nothing about the economy, I know nothing about Iraq and I know nothing about hacked emails. So there, "I know nothing".

[lalabradle]

sexistnbc,

Well I guess those Republicans just love the Mexicans, there were so many of you at the convention. What a joke!!!!!!!!

[specialty8]

Yea McCain is looking for a place to park his thirteen cars. Meanwhile back at the Al Gore mansion he is heating all of his swimming pools and using all of this electricity and telling us grunts to go green to make more for him.

[apostasyusa]

While investors search for a safe place to park their money....

McCain is searching for a safe place to park his thirteen foriegn cars.

[apostasyusa]

sexistnbc is a best friend of Larry Craig.

Frigginn toe tappers...how is it down there between Rush Limpdiks sweaty legs?

Ewewww........

[lalabradle]

sexistnbc

I doubt that Sara Palin could even stand up to Obama. Now if they bring up moose hunting and hockey, maybe. Alaska in no way qualifies her to be VP of America. Alaska is in America, but it''s no America. She doesn''t have a clue what goes on in the real world.

[specialty8]

Maybe so, but I have also seen the samething from the people of Chicago who have said the same about Obama.
I will vote Ron Paul because if anyone thinks McCain or Obama really care they are fooling themselfs.