NEW YORK: The two US presidential candidates Sen. John McCain and Sen. Barack Obama promised to help promote and develop global needs in a session entitled “Integrated solutions: Water, food and energy” at the Clinton Global Initiative here.
McCain, who arrived with Sarah Palin and his wife Cindy, said, what brought us here are global issues but we cannot ignore “the crisis right here in America in the financial district of this city.”
He reiterated his statement of suspending his campaign at these crucial times, stating, “From this moment I suspend my campaign” and that leadership should put aside politics “in order to discuss the country’s financial crisis.”
The Republican presidential candidate said he could not stay on the campaign trail as normal while the future of the American economy was at stake. “I’m an old Navy pilot, and I know when a crisis calls for all hands on deck,” McCain said in a speech to the annual meeting of former President Bill Clinton’s foundation here.
McCain’s speech had a marked shift on the use of force against countries that are anti-US, when he said, “You can never guarantee security with military actions.” Instead, he said, promoting development, creating job opportunities will not only “serve our strategic plans but show the good side of America.” McCain, ironically, used the platform to plug his campaign by saying that if elected he will end the Malaria, improve child health care around the globe and work on an agricultural plan for Africa. After McCain’s speech a panel discussion took place hosting Robert Zoellick, president of the World Bank and Israel President Shimon Peres and others. Clinton later introduced Obama, who appeared in the discussions via satellite. Obama’s appearance on the big screens at the Metropolitan Ballroom of the Sheraton Hotel was welcomed with lots of cheering. Obama, while stressing that the presidential debate should be held on schedule, agreed that this is the time for all Americans to come together and said that he will be flying to Washington to discuss the matter (financial crisis with President George W. Bush and McCain). “After that I’ll head directly to Oxford, Mississippi, for the first presidential debate,” he said. “The American people deserve to hear that directly,” he added.
The Democratic candidate also seized the opportunity to offer three key points that he will focus on globally if he is elected president: Poverty, education and health. He stressed the need to educate children. “All children have the right to learn,” said Obama. He explained the need to develop learning methodologies in some countries for security reasons. “A guy going to a madrasa in Karachi can be a threat to my daughters in Chicago,” said Obama on the need of better education quality around the world.
Obama also announced his commitment to the UN Millennium Development goals and as his fellow candidate McCain he too vowed to end Malaria, especially in Africa. Obama concluded his speech by saying that “Destiny should be written by us not for us.”
