(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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Bay, your wrong once again Mccain had 26 years to make change in washington. He had a chance to change things and he hasnt end of story!!
Just food for thought...Like good ole Rudy said, Biden really should have gotten his position of running for VP in writing...is Obama going to dump him and pick up Hillary now...?
McCain talks out of both sides of his mouth, just watch, he will say whatever he thinks is expedient to win at all costs? The Straightalk Express has gone so wrong!! Most of all in making disparaging comments about community organizers, as expressed through his Alaskan mouthpiece.
How can you speak of yourself as representing change when you've admitted so proudly that you've voted with President Bush over 90% of the time?
I think our enemies hate us because of the things we value and the things we hold true
McCain is trying to use his nearly 30 years in Washington to his advantage, saying his experience means he knows how to reform it. It's a bit of complicated argument, but it just might work.
- Bill Schneider
My question is, how can he reform Washington with his experience, when he can't even reform his campaign ? He is running the most negative, divisive , low road campaign ever . Certainly, if he had better judgment and experience, it would be clearer to him that the American people would believe him a little more, in terms of reforming anything if his campaign was reflecting it !
Poor Sarah. She looked so scared tonight. She's John McCain little trophy VP. Now we see why she held off on giving interviews for so long. Would someone tell her to please stop slouching in her chair!!!!!
Why does Mccain support a North American Union and removal of American sovereignty? Why won't he talk about his CFR membership and connection to the Rockefellers?
Community service should be encouraged but not forced. It's meaningless and unproductive if someone feels like he/she is forced to do it.
Can anyone tell me why McCain's military records are sealed??????
Send Palin! Send her oversees. That will work...
She can go "hunting" with Putin
It is just SO hypocritical to talk about small government from this war monger.
I don't think the government should provide everything to everyone; but with the resources the government DOES manage, I would rather have MY values and priorities addressed. Staying in Iraq for any length of time does NOT align with my priorities.
There is keeping our country safe and then there is Fear Mongering to retain power. The Repub party and brand are damaged, they have cried wolf far too often for me to have ANY respect or patience.
9/11 happened on THEIR watch and Olbermann said it best when he referred to it as 9/11 TM (trademark); because they will pull that chain every single time they feel the polls slipping toward Obama. I want to believe in my government again. McCain does not inspire feelings of trust or belief by me.
Kudos to those who see something else; I don't fall in line by manipulation. ENOUGH!
McCain just talked about privatization and how the private sector should run programs, not government. And what? no follow up from the reporters on Fannie May crash and taxpayer bailout? " We" have to pay for this failed privatization. We end up paying taxes twice; once to government and again for bailout. And why no mention of this happening again to Social Security? Afraid of scaring the boomers? then the republicans the nerve to say they don't raise taxes. Directing these commentators to stay on script is not advancing the real dialogue here.
More people come here and be educated? Like Obama's dad? Hmmmm...
Light at the end, are you trying to say that Obama should be President because he is a person of color, and by having a person of color as President all people of color will have overcome? Seems a bit near sighted to me
McCain is running for pres. not Sarah
Getting her librarian and brother in law fired. Changing her mind about the bridge to nowhere after it was dead in the water then taking credit for it. She may not be a Washington insider or a good ol' boy but she sure has been taking good notes. Sounds less like change and more like business as usual to me.
Uh oh, Lou Dobbs is about to explode!
McCain just said to let more folks come here, get educated, and stay in this country.
He's gonna lose it, John!
How is he going to Reform. Give me one example ....to start with
I would like both candidates to focus on the issues and stop the criticizing. I can't really see how it helps the country tackle the big issues, when all they talk about is gender, race, rural vs urban, christian or not, old or young. Sure if makes for great TV but it doesn't keep us safe, save our jobs or homes or educate our kids. Can someone ask both candidates if they would agree to a truce and focus on the real issues?
I realize the bloggers can't really answer fellow blogger questions, but if you could, I would really love to know if Americans want someone as apparently negative as John McCain to reform their government. I really don't want to give a one liner, but I really mean this: is it just more of the same? I really have mixed feelings on that issue and would love to hear a response.
Tomorrow McCain will be back to slinging mud. Does PTSD cause schizophrenia?
Roland:
Come on man. Tim asked a good question.
When they had the forum at Saddleback Obama supporter to this day insist McCain cheated.
You don't honestly believe that do you?
Laura
Obama's father came here from kenya and was educated! And look what that did for our country- blessed us with an awesome candidate!
Eleanor Young Fla because then people take advantage of you..