Campaign 2008

The Candidates and the World

Morning Update: Last Weekend for U.S. Campaign

by campaign2008 Friday, October 31, 2008

With the U.S. presidential campaign headed into its final weekend, Sens. Barack Obama (D-IL) and John McCain (R-AZ) made final pushes for votes, and analysts began looking ahead to the transition of administrations that will follow the November 4 vote. The Financial Times reports Obama’s campaign is sticking largely to its economic message as it enters the final few days of campaigning. The Los Angeles Times looks at McCain’s final days of campaigning in potential swing states Ohio and Florida, and says both candidates have sought to highlight differences in their economic plans.

Read more »

Morning Update: National Security Threats

by campaign2008 Thursday, October 30, 2008

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) told a Florida crowd that national security dangers lurk and should not be ignored amid the financial crisis. He mentioned as one potential crisis “the success of the Iranian regime in its program of acquiring nuclear weapons,” which he said could threaten Israel or spark “an uncontrollable nuclear arms race across the region.”

Read more »

Quote: Palin on Energy Policy

by campaign2008 Wednesday, October 29, 2008

“The price of oil is declining largely because of the market’s expectation of a broad recession that would lower demand. This is hardly a good sign of things to come, and should only add to our sense of urgency in gaining energy independence. When our economy recovers, and growth once again creates new demand, we could run into the same brick wall of rising oil and gasoline prices — and now is the time to make sure that doesn’t happen. In Washington, we can view this period of lower oil prices as just one more chance to make excuses — and on the problem of energy security, we’ve heard enough excuses. Or we can view it as an opportunity to finally confront the problem.” Read more »

Morning Update: Dueling Economic Agendas

by campaign2008 Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Following a meeting with his economic advisers, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) touted his economic policy plans in a speech in Cleveland on Monday. “To incentivize investments, I have proposed that if you buy stock and hold it for a minimum of a year, your tax on that investment will be cut in half,” he said. He also promised to “make sure that the SEC enacts and enforces rules that keep our markets safe and competitive.”

Read more »