LIVE TRANSCRIPT SERVICE:
Saddleback Civil Forum on the Presidency
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2 Rick: WELCOME BACK. WELCOME BACK. AND I'M HERE WITH
3 SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN. NOW JOHN, IN THIS NEXT SECTION WE'RE
4 GOING TO TALK ABOUT WORLDVIEW. AND I ACTUALLY INVITED 40
5 THOUSAND PEOPLE OF MY PERSONAL FRIENDS TO SEND ME THEIR
6 QUESTIONS AND THESE ARE HEARTLAND QUESTIONS THAT CAME IN
7 FROM ALL OVER AMERICA. NO MATTER HOW YOU ANSWER THEM,
8 SOMEBODY'S NOT GOING TO LIKE IT BECAUSE WE HAVE MANY WORLD
9 VIEWS, OBVIOUSLY, IN AMERICA. BUT LET'S TALK THROUGH
10 THESE MINE FIELDS TOGETHER. FIRST, YOU'VE MADE NO DOUBT
11 ABOUT THE FACT THAT YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN. YOU PUBLICLY
12 SAY YOU ARE A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO
13 YOU AND HOW DOES FAITH WORK OUT IN YOUR LIFE ON A DAILY
14 BASIS? WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU?
15 A MEANS I'M SAVED AND FOREGIVEN AND WE'RE TALKING
16 ABOUT THE WORLD. OUR FAITH ENCOMPASSES NOT JUST THE
17 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA BUT THE WORLD. CAN I TELL YOU
18 ANOTHER STORY REAL QUICK?
19 Q SURE.
20 A VIETNAMESE KEPT US IN PRISON IN CONDITIONS OF
21 SOLITAIRY CONFINEMENT FOR TWO OR THREE TO A CELL. THEY
22 DID THAT BECAUSE THEY KNEW THEY COULD BREAK DOWN OUR
23 RESISTANCE. ONE OF THE TECHNIQUES THAT THEY USED TO GET
24 INFORMATION WAS TO TAKE ROPES AND TIE THEM AROUND YOUR
25 BICEPS, PULL YOUR BICEPS BEHIND YOU, LOOP THE ROPE AROUND

1 YOUR HEAD, PULL YOUR HEAD DOWN BETWEEN YOUR KNEES AND
2 LEAVE YOU IN THAT POSITION. YOU CAN MANAGE, IT'S VERY
3 UNCOMFORTABLE. ONE NIGHT I WAS BEING PUNISHED IN THAT
4 FASHION. ALL OF A SUDDEN THE DOOR OF THE CELL OPENED, THE
5 GUARD CAME IN, A GUY WHO WAS JUST WHAT WE CALL A GUN
6 GUARD. HE JUST WALKED AROUND THE CAMP WITH A GUN ON HIS
7 SHOULDER. HE WENT LIKE THIS AND THEN HE LOOSENED THE
8 ROPES. HE CAME BACK ABOUT FOUR HOURS LATER, HE TIGHTENED
9 THEM UP AGAIN AND LEFT. THE FOLLOWING CHRISTMAS, BECAUSE
10 IT WAS CHRISTMAS DAY, WE WERE ALLOWED TO STAND OUTSIDE OF
11 OUR CELL FOR A FEW MINUTES, AND THOSE DAYS WE WERE NOT
12 ALLOWED TO SEE OR COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER ALTHOUGH WE
13 CERTAINLY DID. AND I WAS STANDING OUTSIDE FOR MY FEW
14 MINUTES, OUTSIDE MY CELL. HE CAME WALKING UP. HE STOOD
15 THERE FOR A MINUTE AND WITH HIS HANDLE ON THE DIRT IN THE
16 COURTYARD HE DREW A CROSS AND HE STOOD THERE AND A MINUTE
17 LATER, HE RUBBED IT OUT AND WALKED AWAY. FOR A MINUTE
18 THERE, THERE WAS JUST TWO CHRISTIANS WORSHIPPING TOGETHER.
19 I'LL NEVER FORGET THAT MOMENT SO EVERY DAY --
20 Q ALL RIGHT. LET'S GO INTO THE TOUGH ONES. THAT
21 WAS JUST A GIMMIE. LET'S DEAL WITH ABORTION. I, AS A
22 PASTOR, HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS ALL THE TIME, EVERY
23 DIFFERENT ANGLE, EVERY DIFFERENT PAIN, ALL THE DECISIONS
24 AND ALL OF THAT. 40 MILLION ABORTIONS SINCE ROE V WADE.
25 SOME PEOPLE WHO -- PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE THAT LIFE BEGINS AT

1 CONCEPTION WOULD SAY THAT'S A HOLOCAUST FOR MANY PEOPLE.
2 AT WHAT POINT IS A BABY ENTITLED TO HUMAN RIGHTS?
3 A AT THE MOMENT OF CONCEPTION. I HAVE A 25-YEAR
4 PRO LIFE RECORD IN THE CONGRESS, IN THE SENATE. AND AS
5 PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, I WILL BE A PRO LIFE
6 PRESIDENT AND THIS PRESIDENCY WILL HAVE PRO LIFE POLICIES.
7 THAT'S MY COMMITMENT, THAT'S MY COMMITMENT TO YOU.
8 Q OKAY. WE DON'T HAVE TO GO LONGER ON THAT ONE.
9 DEFINE MARRIAGE.
10 A UNION -- A UNION BETWEEN MAN AND WOMAN, BETWEEN
11 ONE MAN AND ONE WOMAN, THAT'S MY DEFINITION OF MARRIAGE.
12 ARE WE GOING TO GET BACK TO THE IMPORTANCE OF SUPREME
13 COURT JUSTICES.
14 Q WE'LL GET TO THAT.
15 A ALL RIGHT. OKAY.
16 Q YOU GOT ALL MY QUESTIONS, GOOD.
17 A WHEN WE SPEAK OF THE ISSUES OF THE RIGHTS OF THE
18 UNBORN, WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT JUDGES, BUT ANYWAY GO AHEAD.
19 Q LET ME JUST ASK YOU A QUESTION RELATED TO THAT.
20 WE GOT A BILL RIGHT HERE IN CALIFORNIA PROPOSITION EIGHT
21 THAT'S GOING ON BECAUSE THE COURT OVERTURNED THIS
22 DEFINITION OF MARRIAGE. WAS THIS SUPREME COURT OF
23 CALIFORNIA WRONG?
24 A I BELIEVE THEY WERE WRONG AND I STRONGLY SUPPORT
25 PRESERVING UNIQUE STATUS OF MARRIAGE BETWEEN MAN AND WOMAN

1 AND I'M A FEDERALIST. I BELIEVE IN THAT STATE SHOULD MAKE
2 THOSE DECISIONS. IN MY STATE, I HOPE WE WILL MAKE THAT
3 DECISION AND OTHER STATES. WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THE
4 UNIQUES STATUS OF MARRIAGE BETWEEN MAN AND WOMAN AND THAT
5 MEANS -- THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT PEOPLE CAN'T ENTER INTO
6 LEGAL AGREEMENTS, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY DON'T HAVE
7 THE RIGHTS OF ALL CITIZENS. I'M NOT SAYING THAT. I AM
8 SAYING THAT WE SHOULD PRESERVE THE UNIQUE STATUS OF
9 MARRIAGE BETWEEN ONE MAN AND ONE WOMAN AND IF A FEDERAL
10 COURT -- IF A FEDERAL COURT DECIDED THAT MY STATE OF
11 ARIZONA HAD TO OBSERVE WHAT THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS
12 DECIDED, THEN I WOULD FAVOR A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
13 UNTIL THEN, I BELIEVE THE STATE SHOULD MAKE THE DECISIONS
14 WITHIN THEIR OWN STATES.
15 Q OKAY. ALL RIGHT. ANOTHER ISSUE, STEM CELLS.
16 NOW WE'VE HAD THIS SCIENTIFIC BREAKTHROUGH OF CREATING
17 PLURY POTENT STEM CELLS THROUGH ADULT STEM CELLS SO WOULD
18 YOU FAVOR OR OPPOSE THE FEDERAL FUNDING OF EMBRYONIC STEM
19 CELL RESEARCH SINCE WE HAVE THIS OTHER BREAKTHROUGH?
20 A FOR THOSE OF US IN THE PRO LIFE COMMUNITY, THIS
21 HAS BEEN A GREAT STRUGGLE AND A TERRIBLE DILEMMA BECAUSE
22 WE'RE ALSO TAUGHT OTHER OBLIGATIONS THAT WE HAVE AS WELL.
23 I'VE COME DOWN ON THE SIDE OF STEM CELL RESEARCH, BUT I AM
24 WILDLY OPTIMISTIC THAT SKIN CELL RESEARCH WHICH IS COMING
25 MORE AND MORE INTO FOCUS AND PRACTICABILITY WILL MAKE THIS
1 DEBATE AN ECONOMIC ONE.
2 Q HOW ABOUT THE ISSUE OF EVIL? I ASKED THIS OF
3 YOUR RIVAL IN THE PREVIOUS THING. DOES EVIL EXIST AND IF
4 SO, SHOULD WE IGNORE IT, NEGOTIATE WITH IT, CONTAIN IT OR
5 DEFEAT IT?
6 A DEFEAT IT. COUPLE POINTS, ONE, IF I'M PRESIDENT
7 OF THE UNITED STATES, MY FRIENDS, IF I HAVE TO FOLLOW HIM
8 TO THE GATES OF HELL, I WILL GET OSAMA BIN LADEN AND BRING
9 HIM TO JUSTICE. I WILL DO THAT AND I KNOW HOW TO DO THAT.
10 I WILL GET THAT DONE. NO ONE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO TAKE
11 THOUSANDS OF AMERICAN -- INNOCENT AMERICAN LIVES. OF
12 COURSE EVIL MUST BE DEFEATED. MY FRIENDS, WE ARE FACING
13 THE TRANSCENDENT CHALLENGE OF THE 21-CENTURY, RADICAL
14 ISLAMIC EXTREMISTS. NOT LONG AGO IN BAGHDAD, AL-QAEDA
15 TOOK TWO YOUNG WOMEN WHO WERE MENTALLY DISABLED AND PUT
16 SUICIDE VESTS ON THEM, SENT THEM INTO A MARKETPLACE AND BY
17 REMOTE CONTROL, DETINATED THOSE SUICIDE VESTS. IF THAT
18 ISN'T EVIL, YOU HAVE TO TELL ME WHAT IS AND WE'RE GOING TO
19 DEFEAT THIS EVIL AND THE CENTRAL BATTLE GROUND ACCORDING
20 TO DAVID PETRAEUS AND OSAMA BIN LADEN IS THE BATTLES -- IS
21 BAGHDAD, MOZIL AND IRAQ AND WE ARE WINNING AND WE ARE
22 SUCCEEDING AND OUR TROOPS WILL COME HOME WITH HONOR AND
23 VICTORY AND NOT IN DEFEAT AND THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING. WE
24 HAVE -- AND WE FACE THIS THREAT THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
25 IT'S NOT JUST IN IRAQ. IT'S NOT JUST IN AFGHANISTAN. OUR
1 INTELLIGENCE PEOPLE TELL US AL-QAEDA CONTINUES TO TRY TO
2 ESTABLISH CELLS HERE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. MY
3 FRIENDS, WE MUST FACE THIS CHALLENGE. WE CAN FACE THIS
4 CHALLENGE AND WE MUST TOTALLY DEFEAT IT AND WE'RE IN A
5 LONG STRUGGLE, BUT WHEN I'M AROUND THE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN
6 WHO ARE SERVING THIS NATION IN UNIFORM, I HAVE NO DOUBT,
7 NONE.
8 Q ALL RIGHT. THESE NEXT QUESTIONS HAVE TO DO WITH
9 DOMESTIC ISSUES. I BELIEVE THAT LEADERSHIP IS STEWARDSHIP
10 NOT OWNERSHIP AND FOR A FEW YEARS, YOU ARE ASKING US TO
11 PLACE OUR STEWARDSHIP, OUR FREEDOM AND OUR SECURITY AND
12 ECONOMY, AND ENVIRONMENT, EVERYTHING, IN YOUR HANDS SO
13 HERE I HAVE ABOUT FIVE HUNDRED QUESTIONS IN THIS CATEGORY.
14 THE FIRST ONE IS ON THE COURTS, WHICH EXISTING SUPREME
15 COURT JUSTICES WOULD YOU NOT HAVE NOMINATED?
16 A WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, JUSTICE GINSBURG, JUSTICE
17 BREYER, JUSTICE SOUTER ER AND JUSTICE STEVENS.
18 Q WHY? TELL ME WHY?
19 A WELL, I THINK THAT THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
20 STATES HAS INCREDIBLE RESPONSIBILITY IN NOMINATING PEOPLE
21 TO THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT. THEY ARE LIFETIME
22 POSITIONS AS WELL AS THE FEDERAL BENCH. THERE WILL BE TWO
23 MAYBE THREE VACANCIES. THIS NOMINATION SHOULD BE BASED ON
24 THE CRITERIA OF PROVEN RECORD OF STRICTLY ADHERING TO THE
25 CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND NOT
1 LEGISLATING FROM THE BENCH. SOME OF THE WORST DAMAGE HAS
2 BEEN DONE BY LEGISLATING FROM THE BENCH. AND BY THE WAY,
3 JUSTICES ALITO AND ROBERTS ARE TWO OF MY MOST RECENT
4 FAVORITES, BY THE WAY. THEY REALLY ARE. THEY ARE VERY
5 FINE AND I'M PROUD OF PRESIDENT BUSH FOR NOMINATING THEM.
6 Q ALL RIGHT. LET'S TALK ABOUT THE ROLE OF FAITH
7 BASED ORGANIZATIONS. THERE WAS A RECENT POLL THAT CAME
8 OUT, SAID OVER 70 PERCENT OF AMERICANS BELIEVE THAT FAITH
9 BASED ORGANIZATIONS DO A BETTER JOB AT COMMUNITY
10 SERVICES --
11 A BECAUSE AMERICANS ARE RIGHT.
12 Q -- THAN THE GOVERNMENT.
13 Q YOU KNOW, ADDICTIONS, HOMELESSNESS, POVERTY ALL
14 OF THESE -- PRISONER REHAB, THINGS LIKE THAT. NOW THE
15 CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964 ALLOWS RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS,
16 NOT JUST CHURCHES, BUT FAITH BASED ORGANIZATIONS, TO KEEP
17 AND HIRE THE PEOPLE THAT THEY BELIEVE SHARE COMMON BELIEFS
18 WITH.
19 A YES.
20 Q WOULD YOU INSIST THAT FAITH BASED ORGANIZATIONS
21 FORFEIT THAT RIGHT TO ACCESS FEDERAL FUNDS?
22 A ABSOLUTELY NOT. AND IF YOU DO, IT WOULD MEAN A
23 SEVERE CRIPPLING OF FAITH BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND THEIR
24 ABILITIES TO DO THE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE DONE SO
25 SUCCESSFULLY. LIFE IS FULL OF ANECDOTES. CAN -- AND I'M
1 SORRY TO TELL YOU SO MANY ANECDOTES, BUT I WENT TO
2 NEW ORLEANS AFTER KATRINA, THE RESURRECTION BAPTIST CHURCH
3 WAS DOING TREMENDOUS WORK WITH THOUSANDS OF VOLUNTEERS,
4 I'M SURE PROBABLY FROM HERE AT SADDLEBACK, COORDINATING
5 THE EFFORTS OF THOUSANDS OF VOLUNTEERS, INCLUDING MY OWN
6 CHURCH, THE NORTH PHOENIX BAPTIST CHURCH, WHO CAME FROM
7 ALL OVER AMERICA. AND VARIOUS AUTHORITIES OFF THE RECORD
8 TOLD ME OFF THE RECORD THAT THEY WERE DOING SO MUCH MORE
9 GOOD THAN THE GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS. THEY SAID IT WAS
10 INCREDIBLE AND NEW ORLEANS COULD NOT HAVE BEEN ON THE PATH
11 -- AND THEY'VE GOT A LONG WAY TO GO -- ON THE PATH TO
12 RECOVERY IF IT HADN'T BEEN FOR THE FAITH BASED
13 ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE STILL OPERATING IN NEW ORLEANS MUCH
14 TO THEIR CREDIT. THANK GOD.
15 Q FIRST AND LAST OUT.
16 A YES.
17 Q ALL RIGHT. LET'S TALK ABOUT EDUCATION. AMERICA
18 RANKS 19TH IN HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATIONS, BUT WE'RE FIRST IN
19 INCARCERATION. EVERYBODY SAYS THEY WANT MORE
20 ACCOUNTABILITY IN SCHOOLS?
21 A UH-HUH.
22 Q ABOUT 80 PERCENT OF AMERICA SAYS THEY SUPPORT
23 MERIT PAY FOR THE BEST TEACHERS. NOW, I DON'T WANT TO
24 HEAR YOUR STUMP SPEECH ON EDUCATION?
25 A YES. YES. AND FIND BAD TEACHERS ANOTHER LINE OF

1 WORK.
2 Q YOU KNOW --
3 A CAN I --
4 Q YOU ARE ANSWERING SO QUICKLY.
5 A CAN I --
6 Q YOU WANT TO PLAY A GAME OF POKER?
7 A CAN I JUST SAY CHOICE AND COMPETITION, -- CHOICE
8 AND COMPETITION, HOME SCHOOLING, CHARTER SCHOOL VOUCHERS,
9 ALL THE CHOICE COMPETITION, I WANT -- LOOK, I WANT EVERY
10 AMERICAN FAMILY TO HAVE THE SAME CHOICE THAT CINDY AND I
11 MADE AND SENATOR OBAMA AND MRS. OBAMA MADE AS WELL AND
12 THAT WAS WE WANTED TO SEND OUR CHILDREN TO THE SCHOOL OF
13 OUR CHOICE. AND CHARTER SCHOOLS WORK, MY FRIENDS, HOME
14 SCHOOLING WORKS, VOUCHERS IN OUR NATION'S CAPITAL WORKS.
15 WE'VE GOT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN WASHINGTON DC THAT ARE
16 APPLYING FOR A VOUCHER SYSTEM. NEW YORK CITY IS
17 REFORMING. I GO BACK TO NEW ORLEANS. THEY WERE -- AS WE
18 KNOW, THE TRAGEDY DEVASTATED THEM. THEY NOW HAVE OVER 30
19 CHARTER SCHOOLS IN THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS AND GUESS WHAT?
20 IT'S ALL COMING UP. IT'S ALL COMING UP. IT'S A SIMPLE
21 PRINCIPLE, BUT IT'S GOING TO TAKE DEDICATED MEN AND WOMEN,
22 PARTICULARLY IN THE TEACHING PROFESSION, TO MAKE IT
23 HAPPEN. AND BY THE WAY, HERE IN -- I WON'T GO ANY
24 FURTHER, BUT THE POINT IS IT'S ALL BASED AND IT'S BEING
25 PROVEN THAT CHOICE IN COMPETITION FOR EVERY AMERICAN
1 FAMILY AND IT IS THE CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUE OF THE 21ST
2 CENTURY BECAUSE EVERY CITIZENS' CHILD NOW HAS AN
3 OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO SCHOOL. BUT WHAT KIND OF OPPORTUNITY
4 IS IT IF YOU SEND THEM TO A FAILING SCHOOL? THAT'S WHY WE
5 GOT TO GIVE EVERYBODY THE SAME OPPORTUNITY AND CHOICE.
6 Q OKAY. ALL RIGHT. LET'S MOVE ON.
7 A SORRY YOU MENTIONED THAT MY ANSWERS ARE SHORT,
8 AREN'T YOU?
9 Q NO. NO. ACTUALLY, THIS IS GREAT BECAUSE I MAY
10 ACTUALLY GET TO ASK YOU A COUPLE OF EXTRA QUESTIONS WHICH
11 IS GOOD. THEY ARE THE LIGHTENING BONUS ROUND. ON TAXES,
12 DEFINE RICH. EVERYBODY TALKS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, TAXING THE
13 RICH AND -- BUT NOT THE POOR, THE MIDDLE CLASS. AT WHAT
14 POINT -- GIVE ME A NUMBER, GIVE ME A SPECIFIC NUMBER WHERE
15 DO YOU MOVE FROM MIDDLE CLASS TO RICH? IS IT 100
16 THOUSAND, IS IT 50 THOUSAND, 2 HUNDRED? HOW DOES ANYBODY
17 KNOW IF WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE STANDARDS ARE?
18 A SOME OF THE RICHEST PEOPLE I'VE EVER KNOWN IN MY
19 LIFE ARE THE MOST UNHAPPY. I THINK THAT RICH IS -- SHOULD
20 BE DEFINED BY A HOME, A GOOD JOB AND EDUCATION AND THE
21 ABILITY TO HAND TO OUR CHILDREN A MORE PROSPEROUS AND
22 SAFER WORLD THAN THE ONE THAT WE INHERITED. I DON'T WANT
23 TO TAKE ANY MONEY FROM THE RICH. I WANT EVERYBODY TO GET
24 RICH. I DON'T BELIEVE IN CLASS WARFARE OR REDISTRIBUTION
25 OF THE WEALTH. BUT I CAN TELL YOU FOR EXAMPLE THERE ARE

1 SMALL BUSINESSMEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE WORKING 16 HOURS A
2 DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK THAT SOME PEOPLE WOULD CLASSIFY AS,
3 QUOTE, RICH, MY FRIENDS, WHO WANT TO RAISE THEIR TAXES AND
4 RAISE THEIR PAYROLL TAXES. LET'S HAVE -- KEEP TAXES LOW.
5 LET'S GIVE EVERY FAMILY IN AMERICA A 7 THOUSAND DOLLAR TAX
6 CREDIT FOR EVERY CHILD THEY HAVE. LET'S GIVE THEM A 5
7 THOUSAND DOLLAR REFUNDABLE TAX CREDIT TO GO OUT AND GET
8 THE HEALTH INSURANCE OF THEIR CHOICE. LET'S NOT HAVE THE
9 GOVERNMENT TAKE OVER THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM IN AMERICA.
10 SO -- SO I THINK IF YOU'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT INCOME, HOW
11 ABOUT FIVE MILLION. SO -- BUT SERIOUSLY, I DON'T THINK
12 YOU CAN -- I DON'T THINK, SERIOUSLY THAT -- THE POINT IS
13 THAT I'M TRYING TO MAKE HERE SERIOUSLY -- AND I'M SURE
14 THAT COMMENT WILL BE DISTORTED, BUT THE POINT IS -- THE
15 POINT IS -- THE POINT IS THAT WE WANT TO KEEP PEOPLE'S
16 TAXES LOW AND INCREASE REVENUES. AND MY FRIEND, IT WAS
17 NOT TAXES THAT MATTERED IN AMERICA IN THE LAST SEVERAL
18 YEARS. IT WAS SPENDING. SPENDING GOT COMPLETELY OUT OF
19 CONTROL. WE SPENT MONEY IN A WAY THAT MORTGAGED OUR KIDS
20 FUTURES. MY FRIENDS, WE SPENT $3 MILLION OF YOUR MONEY TO
21 STUDY THE DNA OF BEARS IN MONTANA. NOW I DON'T KNOW IF
22 THAT WAS A PATERNITY ISSUE OR A CRIMINAL ISSUE, BUT THE
23 POINT IS -- BUT THE POINT IS IT WAS 3 MILLION OF YOUR
24 MONEY. IT WAS YOUR MONEY. AND YOU KNOW, WE LAUGH ABOUT
25 IT, BUT WE CRY AND WE SHOULD CRY BECAUSE THE CONGRESS IS

1 SUPPOSED TO BE CAREFUL STEWARDS OF YOUR TAX DOLLARS. SO
2 WHAT DID THEY JUST DO IN THE MIDDLE OF AN ENERGY CRISIS
3 WHEN IN CALIFORNIA WE ARE PAYING $4 A GALLON FOR GAS, WENT
4 ON VACATION FOR FIVE WEEKS. I GUARANTEE YOU, TWO THINGS
5 THEY NEVER MISS, A PAY RAISE AND A VACATION. AND WE
6 SHOULD STOP THAT AND CALL THEM BACK AND NOT RAISE YOUR
7 TAXES. WE SHOULD NOT AND CANNOT RAISE TAXES IN TOUGH
8 ECONOMIC TIMES. SO IT DOESN'T MATTER REALLY WHAT MY
9 DEFINITION OF RICH IS BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO RAISE
10 ANYBODY'S TAXES. I REALLY DON'T. IN FACT, I WANT TO GIVE
11 WORKING AMERICANS A BETTER SHOT AT HAVING A BETTER LIFE
12 AND WE ALL KNOW THE CHALLENGES, MY FRIENDS, IF I COULD BE
13 SERIOUS. AMERICANS TONIGHT IN CALIFORNIA AND ALL OVER
14 AMERICA ARE SITTING AT THE KITCHEN TABLE, RECENTLY AND
15 SUDDENLY LOST A JOB, CAN'T AFFORD TO STAY IN THEIR HOME,
16 EDUCATION FOR THEIR KIDS, AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE, THESE
17 ARE TOUGH PROBLEMS. THESE ARE TOUGH PROBLEMS. YOU TALK
18 TO THEM EVERY DAY.
19 Q ALL THE TIME?
20 A EVERY DAY. MY FRIENDS, WE HAVE GOT TO GIVE THEM
21 HOPE AND CONFIDENCE IN THE FUTURE. THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO
22 GIVE THEM AND I CAN INSPIRE THEM. I CAN LEAD AND I KNOW
23 THAT OUR BEST DAYS ARE AHEAD OF US.
24 Q ALL RIGHT. NOW, WE GOT A COUPLE MINUTES LEFT IN
25 THIS SECTION. HERE IS A SECURITY QUESTION I DIDN'T GET TO

1 WITH SENATOR OBAMA. WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME. WHEN IS
2 OUR RIGHT TO PRIVACY -- WHEN OUR RIGHT TO PRIVACY AND OUR
3 RIGHT TO NATIONAL SECURITY COLLIDE, HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHAT
4 TAKES PRECEDENT?
5 A IT DOES COLLIDE AND THERE ARE ALWAYS COMPETING
6 PRIORITIES. WE MUST PRESERVE THE PRIVACY OF ALL OF OUR
7 CITIZENS AS MUCH POSSIBLE BECAUSE THAT'S ONE OF THE
8 FUNDAMENTAL AND BASIC RIGHTS WE HAVE. AND BY THE WAY,
9 INCLUDING A SECRET BALLOT FOR UNION ORGANIZERS, A SECRET
10 BALLOT, NOT A BALLOT THAT SOMEONE COMES AROUND AND SIGNS
11 YOU UP, THAT'S A DIFFERENT SUBJECT. BUT THE POINT IS WE
12 HAVE NOW HAD TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES OVER THE LAST 20 OR 30
13 YEARS IN COMMUNICATIONS THAT ARE REMARKABLE. IT'S A
14 REMARKABLE ABILITY THAT OUR ENEMIES HAVE TO COMMUNICATE SO
15 WE HAVE TO KEEP UP WITH THAT CAPABILITY. I MEAN, THERE IS
16 TOO MANY WAYS AND -- THROUGH CYBERSPACE AND THROUGH OTHER
17 WAYS -- THAT PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH ONE
18 ANOTHER. SO WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO STEP UP OUR
19 CAPABILITIES TO MONITOR THOSE. SOMETIMES THERE ARE CALLS
20 FROM OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES, INSIDE THE UNITED STATES,
21 THERE IS ALL KINDS OF COMMUNICATIONS OF EVERY DIFFERENT
22 KIND. SO YOU NEED CONGRESS TO WORK TOGETHER YOU NEED A
23 JUDICIARY THAT WILL REVIEW THESE LAWS THAT WE PASS AND AT
24 THE SAME TIME, IT'S JUST AN EXAMPLE OF OUR FAILURE TO SIT
25 DOWN, REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRAT, AND WORK THESE THINGS OUT

1 TOGETHER FOR THE GOOD OF THE NATION'S SECURITY. INSTEAD
2 OF THIS CONSTANT FIGHTING WHICH, ACCORDING TO OUR DIRECTOR
3 OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE, UNTIL WE FINALLY REACHED AN
4 AGREEMENT NOT LONG AGO WAS COMPROMISING OUR ABILITY TO
5 KEEP AMERICA FROM ATTACK. AND SO THERE IS A CONSTANT
6 TENSION. IT IS CHANGING WITH CHANGES IN TECHNOLOGY AND WE
7 HAVE TO STAY UP WITH IT.
8 Q WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN.