Obama, McCain argue over war, taxes in 1st debate

Beth Fouhy ,  The Associated Press ,  Oxford, Mississippi   |  Sat, 09/27/2008 9:18 AM  |  Headlines

PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE: Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill. left, and Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz, right, shake hands with moderator Jim Lehrer after the presidential debate Friday, Sept. 26, 2008 at the University of Mississippi in Oxford, Miss. (AP Photo/Chip Somodevilla)

John McCain accused BarackObama of compiling "the most liberal voting record in the United StatesSenate" Friday night as the two rivals clashed over taxes, spending,the war in Iraq and more in an intense first debate of the White Housecampaign. "Mostly that's just me opposing George Bush's wrong-headedpolicies," shot back the Democrat.

Obama saidhis Republican rival has been a loyal supporter of the unpopularpresident across the past eight years, adding that the current economiccrisis is "a final verdict on eight years of failed economic policiespromoted by President Bush and supported by Sen. McCain."

The two men were polite but pointed as they debated at close quarters for 90 minutes on the University of Mississippi campus.

McCainaccused his younger rival of an "incredible thing of voting to cut offfunds for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan," a reference to legislationthat cleared the Senate more than a year ago.

Obamadisputed that, saying he had opposed funding in a bill that presented a"blank check" to the Pentagon while McCain had opposed money inlegislation that included a timetable for troop withdrawal.

Obamaopposed the invasion of Iraq in 2002, before he was a member ofCongress, while McCain voted in the Senate to authorize the war.

"You were wrong" on Iraq, Obama repeated three times in succession. "John, you like to pretend the war began in 2007."

McCainreplied that Obama has refused to acknowledge the success of the troopbuildup in Iraq that McCain recommended and Bush announced more than ayear ago.

The two presidential candidatesstood behind identical wooden lecterns on stage at the performing artscenter at the University of Mississippi for the first of threescheduled debates with less than six weeks remaining until ElectionDay. The two vice presidential candidates will meet next week for theironly debate.

The 47-year-old Obama is seekingto become the nation's first black president. McCain, 72, is hoping tobecome the oldest first-term chief executive in history - and he made afew jokes at his own expense.

"I've beenaround a while," he said at one point. "Were you afraid I couldn't hearhim?" he said at another after moderator Jim Lehrer repeated a phrase.

Buthe also sought to turn his age into an advantage. "There are someadvantages to experience and knowledge and judgment," he said. "And Ihonestly don't believe that Sen. Obama has the knowledge or experience"to serve as commander in chief.

McCain alsomade a point of declaring his independence from Bush. "I have opposedthe president on spending, on climate change, on torture of prisoners,on Guantanamo Bay, on a long - on the way that the Iraq War wasconducted. I have a long record and the American people know me verywell ... a maverick of the Senate."

It was adebate that almost didn't happen. McCain decided a few hours in advanceto attend, two days after announcing he would try to have the eventrescheduled if Congress had not reached an agreement on an economicbailout to deal with the crisis now gripping Wall Street.

Thetwo men were pointed but polite, although at least once McCain soughtto depict his rival as naive on foreign policy. That was in response toObama's statement that it might become necessary to send U.S. troopsacross the Pakistani border to pursue terrorists.

"You don't say that out loud," retorted McCain. "If you have to do things, you do things."

He also criticized Obama for having said he would sit down without precondition with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

"Solet me get this right, we sit down with Ahmadinejad and he says 'we'regoing to wipe Israel off the face of the earth' and we say, 'no you'renot.' Oh please," McCain said.

Obama said Henry Kissinger, the former Republican secretary of state and a McCain adviser, shared his view on talks with Iran.

Thetwo men also differed on federal spending. McCain said a freeze on mostgovernment spending was worth considering, except for veterans, defenseand "some other vital issues."

Obama said the problem with that was that some programs needed more money. He mentioned early childhood education as an example.

ModeratorJim Lehrer's opening question concerned the economic crisis. Whileneither man committed to supporting bailout legislation taking shape inCongress, they readily agreed lawmakers must take action to preventmillions of Americans from losing their jobs and their homes.

Both also said they were pleased that lawmakers in both parties were negotiating on a compromise.

McCainjabbed at Obama, who he said has requested millions of dollars in porkbarrel spending, including some after he began running for president.

Ashe does frequently while campaigning, the Republican vowed to veto anylawmaker's pork barrel project that reaches his desk in the WhiteHouse. "You will know their names and I will make them famous," he said.

Thestakes were high as the two rivals walked on stage. The polls gaveObama a modest lead and indicated he was viewed more favorably than hisrival when it came to dealing with the economy. But the same surveysshow McCain favored by far on foreign policy.

Bothcandidates had rehearsed extensively, Obama prepping with advisers at aresort in Clearwater, Fla., and McCain putting in debate work at hishome outside Washington.

The two presidentialhopefuls are scheduled to debate twice more, at Belmont University inNashville on Oct. 7 and at Hofstra University in Hempsted, N.Y., onOct. 15. Vice presidential contenders Sarah Palin and Joe Biden are tosquare off in a single debate Oct. 2 at Washington University in St.Louis.

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