Weigh in with CNN's analysts and contributors.
(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.
Candy Crowley is a servant of the International Bankers.
are the interviewers trying to say that McCain should be ashamed of his pride for the US? What?!
McCain talks about HIV/AIDS in other countries, YET "he" would make cuts to program here at home that services people living with HIV/AIDS and their families... In addition, studies show that prevention (which includes sex education for youth) works!!!!!
A split second of a feeling of reality.
McCain shouldn't have done the croke joke. Just sifted my viewing from the television – to the "what if' thinking mode.
Yes, we have a great history of honoring that created equal thing....that is why it has taken us this long to have a diverse group of Presidential candidates–and I would point out that was more noticable on the Dems side.
I am a bit tired of the moral superiority of us Americans. There are many democracies in the world, some of which could be argued to be even better democracies, in that their citizens truly have all civil liberties...and not just the rights that the current leaders think they should have.
Service like a Community Organizer? That was considered a "Bad word" last week by McCain!
He does it by ignoring it all together Bill. Obama won't let it slide though. He ties him to Bush EVERY day. It almost doesn't matter if he seperates himself from Bush because Obama won't let him. He drives the message home every single day.
Is anyone bored listening to McCain. Seriously this guy is boring lol.
Can these news media outlets stop teasing with headlines like " Palin wants war with Russia "
This discussion has changed my vote. I'm going to vote McCain now. I realized that there is really not that much difference in them, except that John McCain was in the army
I don't think Obama is ready to lead, but neither McCain. To me, Obama has been fed by his campain on everything he needs to say to convince people that he must be the next president. McCain, on the other hand, has the experience but he has some of the same destructive policy that our current president has played for 8 years destroying our country.
I will stay home, that's my resolution....
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This is not a JOKE, why is he playing sleep, making funny noises.
Mccain and Bush are one in the same – same Rove Brain.
So rather than educate our children we will give greencards to stay here to other countries citizens if they get a PhD in science?So they can send money back to their countries or bring their families to the US???
McCain deliberated avoided agitating the immigration battle by skiritng the issue of green cards for high tech foreign students. smart.
You go Roland, you are on a roll tonight
It has been my experience working in various churches, that people who are struggling financially, are much more likely to volunteer. I know it is has been documented that they given a significantly higher percentage of their incomes to charities/churches.
If everyone is created with equal rights why does McCain not support Gay marriage?
My dictionary defines service as an act of helpful activity; help; aid; to do someone a service.
Obama has done this by serving his community to make it better when he could have gotten a position with a top attorney firm based on his academic record making a great deal of money. To me that really defines what service is about. To care so much there is a personal financial sacrifice in order to help others.
Whoa. I'm gonna have to take a Xanax ... "people who come to this country ... then " blah blah go home, etc. and carry on their good work ... blah blah.
People like Mushareff? People like bin Laden? Hmmm ...
America cannot keep people with these special skill sets in sciences, do you know how much you get paid even if you have Phd in Sciences. Crappy pay? I will make more money working as a Hegde Fund guru than twenty PhDs combined. Its all talk, no wonder people get the degrees and leave the US because we can't keep them.
I wonder if McCain and Obama believe that it is a service to the country for the media to ignore 3rd party presidential candidates? Does McCain and Obama believe the country is served best when some of the 3rd party presidential candidates that mathematically could win the election is excluded from the presidential debates, regardless of who sponsors these events?
Lets see, we are living free today because of our milatary – we won our freedom back in 1776 because of our milatary, our milatary help Europe defeat Hilter and kept the Nazi's out of the US...so the reason serving in the milatary is not a good time is what....I can't understand why anyone would think serving your country would not be an honorable thing to do. By the way, our freedome to say and blog anything we want is defend by our milatary along with all our other constitutional rights
As much as McCain is a cowardly hypocrite, his responses are clear and thoughtful. As much as I believe in Obama's change, I am already nervous for him... Obama is definitely a candidate for the nearest Toastmasters chapter.
Candy, I think they should not just encourage them but require them to volunteer and serve their communities.