John McCain
Town Hall
Baton Rouge, LA 06/04/08
TRANSCRIPT:
JOHN MCCAIN: And along those lines my friends, I said, this morning, because of my belief in the spirit of town hall meetings and the participation of people in the democratic process in probably what can be viewed by many as the most important election we've had in a long, long time with perhaps the greatest differences between the two candidates. This morning I sent Sen. Obama a letter inviting him to join me in town hall meetings across the country. It's an idea that was borrowed from an a agreement between president Kennedy and Sen. Goldwater. Sen. Goldwater, as you know, was my predecessor in the United States Senate. Anyways, anyways, the real reason why the conservative did enjoy the success that it has across America is that great and wonderful person. He and President Kennedy. The Senator and Kennedy enjoyed a real, good, personal relationship. And they had an agreement that, if the 1964 election had taken place, that they would have traveled around the country and had town hall meetings all over the country. The agreement was made between President Kennedy and Sen. Goldwater, which would have happened, had not the tragic event in Dallas occurred. I suggest the town hall meeting format, as I said, because I believe it's the best way. I don't think we need any big, media run productions. No processed question from reporters, no spin rooms. Just two Americans running for the highest office of the greatest nation on earth, responding to the concerns of the people whose trust that we must earn. I suggest that we travel to them together, on the same plane. Probably, help out on energy savings. [laughter and applause] With our expenses, I know my campaign would agree to it. [laughter] And, what I'd like to do is have ten town hall meetings, one a week, between now and the Democrat convention. Uh, maybe have two to four hundred people, chosen by an executive organization, have them show up and come to these town hall meetings all over America. The first one, I suggest, would take place on June 12th and that would be in New York City in Federal Hall. The place where the beginnings of our government took place. And, I would be there on the 12th and I would hope that Sen. Obama would also. Uh, um, it was in the spirit of President Kennedy's and Sen. Goldwater's agreement, in the spirit of the proud politics of change, to do our country good, that I have asked him to join me in participating in these town hall meetings across the country. There are many issues and challenges faced by Americans. You know, I think Americans are tired of the ways in which presidential campaigns have been run in the past. All the gimmicks, the phony sound bites and photo-ops, campaigns that always seem to be more about the candidates interests than the public. And I hope that Sen. Obama agrees. Joint town halls would show that we both understand that this election couldn't be more important for the future security and prosperity of American families. It will be, as you well know, a change election. No matter who wins this election, the direction of the country is going to change dramatically. The choice before the American people is between the right change and the wrong change. Between going forward and going backward. [applause] Sen. Obama truly has the opportunity to embrace a new kind of politics by committing to participate in these history making meetings and join us in a higher level of discourse that Americans would obviously prefer.
LABEL: JM LA 6-4 (EW#12) SUF -- Clip A
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