(CNN) –On the anniversary of the September 11 attacks, presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama each take the stage to discuss service and civic engagement in a forum at Columbia University.
What do you think of their ideas? How does the role of service determine what kind of nation we live in? What does national service mean to you?
Along with CNN Senior Political Correspondent Candy Crowley, CNN Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider, CNN Political Analyst Roland Martin, and Republican strategist Bay Buchanan, thousands of you weighed in.
Click "comments" below for a look at the entire conversation.
From CNN Politics
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Roland,
I'll let you tell that to the guy that spent years in a POW camp. He's one of the reasons people like you are allowed to ponder the world's problems, write about, but do nothing tangible to solve it.
the military
I see Obama as not there to entertain, but to make the lines of difference more visible to the public eye between him and McCain...and he's doing a fantastic job.
Dan
well said!
I think obama is doing well tonight.
Concerned: Most thought inspiring comment of the evening. I'm in accord with you and your thinking. I hope everyone participating on this blog will make their list and ponder it. Thank you.
CNN: How many bloggers are on now? I know you don't post every comment but it'd be nice to know how many people are reading this.
(Roland Martin) What do you think of rich neighborhoods not allowing military recruiters to come to there schools?
Obama was careful to put the military in a special category of service, because its people who put their lives on the line.
That's important for him to do.
Why wasn't Obama in the secluded cone during the time McCain was interviewed? He keeps saying he listened to John McCain's interview. He had a huge advantage in knowing the questions in advance and also John McCain's answers!
On the Lipstick on a pig comment. That is an old saying and even one of the republican's Tory something wrote a book entitled "Lipstick on a Pig." why is it that when John McCain said it twice and others mentioned it, it wasn't a big deal. But just because Palin mentioned the word Lipstick, it became a big deal. Why is it that people are so sensitive for this woman, when they lambasted Hillary Clinton?
I am beginning to think that people are not listening and thinking this through but making choices to vote based on who is more charming on the camera. I personally would like women to remember if the repubs win what we stand to lose is our right of choice. Why does that NEVER seem to come up when we are talking about Palin and McCain? I personally think this is THE most important issue at stake since they are BOTH declared to do what they can to reverse Roe v Wade. With that being said, I do not believe everyone that liked Hillary is going to Palin, the media saying women are doing that are saying women are stupid and I simply do not buy it.
I hate hearing how there's a "government program" that can heal all of our wounds and fix everything when there isn't. I don't want to be reliant on the government to move on with my life! A big part as to why people are stuck where they are is poor personal choices, and a government that gets in our way too often. No matter how many programs are started, there will always be people that have a hard go at life!!!
ALL AMERICAN SERVICE IS VITAL NOT JUST MILITARY BUT COMMUNITY SERVICE AS WELL.
OBAMA 08
The national Guard should be just as the name applies NATIONAL in the United States. Our soldiers are needed here at times of difficulty and could serve OUR country in many ways that are not being utilized by the goverment for the good of our nation alone.
my husband was turned down for the army so to try and draft him now would be a contradiction imo. I just hope we get steady jobs back where you work for a company forever till you retire and thats that ... Man i need health care too but cant afford it due to contract work currently.. So far I have always been disappointed in my presidential picks or they didnt win.. Hope its not that way this year as I may give up voting..
It is so refreshing to hear someone actually answer the questions instead of skirting around them with the same pat answers we have heard over and over.
I think Obama is being very substantive and you can tell that he knows of what he speaks. I'm supporting Sen. Obama but I think Sen. McCain did well too. I did find it interesting that he really didn't address the fact that more kids that are not well off are in the military. they should have pressed harder there. Sen McCain said offer them more incentives to become officers. If they are well off, what's the incentive that you use?
Wheres McCain seemed to focus on a few good men for service, Obama appears to solicit all to service.
Concerned, great thinking, elections have become a media circus, its time to get back to the issues
its obvious this forum was staged to cater to Obama's community service
FFS.....its being held at his alma mater university how biased is that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Roland you are correct about DOCTORS ...I think that is a smart idea and I would support it...
Fabian- how can you suggest that every man and women should be forced to do 2 yrs service to the military? In what world would that make any sense? Contrary to what you may have been told, you can learn Honor, respect and discipline at home with the right parents. How dare you question non military cititzen's patriotism! What a shmuck!
Fabian, you argument is rediculous. you imply that by not being in the military, I am the hundreds of million of other americans are not patriotic, are not diciplined, do not honor our country.
That sir is offensive!
Senator Obama speaks eloquently about his plans to fix public educaton yet during his tenure in Illinois and national politics his real actions have been to send his children to the most exclusive private school in Chicago. It speaks volumes about his oportunistic politics