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John McCain goes on attack at debate; Barack Obama touts economy
BY MICHAEL SAUL, CELESTE KATZ, MICHAEL McAULIFF and DAVID SALTONSTALL
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS
Updated Thursday, October 16th 2008, 2:05 AM
Dharapak/Getty The stage is set at Hofstra University for the third and final presidential debate between John McCain and Barack Obama.
John McCain threw the kitchen sink - and "Joe the Plumber," too - at Barack Obama during Wednesday night's final, in-your-face presidential debate.
Hours after Wall Street saw the Dow's steepest percentage drop since 1987, each candidate claimed to have the better cures for the sick economy.
And each did his best to pummel the other's ideas as bad for Joe the Plumber - a mythical-sounding but very real Ohio man who had an impromptu encounter with Obama on the campaign trail earlier this week.
ANALYSIS: FEISTY McCAIN WORKS HARD, CAN'T SCORE
"He looked at your tax plan and he saw that he was going to pay much higher taxes," McCain said of Joe Wurzelbacher, who is thinking of buying the company where he works but fears his taxes would rise under Obama's plan.
Obama's answer that day was, in part, that although he didn't want to "punish" Wurzelbacher for becoming more successful, "When you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody."
McCain seized on the comment last night as proof that "the whole premise behind Sen. Obama's plans are class warfare."
RELATED: TWISTS, TURNS OVER JOE THE PLUMBER
"Joe," McCain said, "I want to tell you ... I'll keep your taxes low."
Obama argued that Joe would still prosper more under his overall economic blueprint, adding, "I would prefer that none of us had to pay taxes, including myself."
The tangle was just the first in a wide-ranging debate at Hofstra University on Long Island that was in many ways the most personal, lively and freewheeling of the three presidential faceoffs.
HINCKLEY: LOTS OF TV FUN AS CANDIDATES FINALLY SHOW PERSONALITY
It was also the whiniest, particularly from McCain, who cast himself early on as the victim of unfair attacks despite weeks of slashing Obama for assorted past associations.
When asked about his tough ads, McCain groused that Obama had not slapped down a supporter, Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), for accusing the GOP ticket of stirring up racist passions at rallies in ways reminiscent of former Alabama governor and segregationist George Wallace. "That, to me, was so hurtful," McCain said.
Obama said Lewis' comparison was wrong. But he stood by complaints about McCain supporters who have called Obama a "terrorist" and yelled "kill him!" at rallies.
The Secret Service is now investigating at least one of those incidents.
Then Obama, mindful of polls showing voters weary of mudslinging, artfully switched gears:
"The important point here is, though, the American people have become so cynical about our politics because all they see is a tit for tat and back and forth.
BY MICHAEL SAUL, CELESTE KATZ, MICHAEL McAULIFF and DAVID SALTONSTALL
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS
Updated Thursday, October 16th 2008, 2:05 AM
John McCain threw the kitchen sink - and "Joe the Plumber," too - at Barack Obama during Wednesday night's final, in-your-face presidential debate.
Hours after Wall Street saw the Dow's steepest percentage drop since 1987, each candidate claimed to have the better cures for the sick economy.
And each did his best to pummel the other's ideas as bad for Joe the Plumber - a mythical-sounding but very real Ohio man who had an impromptu encounter with Obama on the campaign trail earlier this week.
ANALYSIS: FEISTY McCAIN WORKS HARD, CAN'T SCORE
"He looked at your tax plan and he saw that he was going to pay much higher taxes," McCain said of Joe Wurzelbacher, who is thinking of buying the company where he works but fears his taxes would rise under Obama's plan.
Obama's answer that day was, in part, that although he didn't want to "punish" Wurzelbacher for becoming more successful, "When you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody."
McCain seized on the comment last night as proof that "the whole premise behind Sen. Obama's plans are class warfare."
RELATED: TWISTS, TURNS OVER JOE THE PLUMBER
"Joe," McCain said, "I want to tell you ... I'll keep your taxes low."
Obama argued that Joe would still prosper more under his overall economic blueprint, adding, "I would prefer that none of us had to pay taxes, including myself."
The tangle was just the first in a wide-ranging debate at Hofstra University on Long Island that was in many ways the most personal, lively and freewheeling of the three presidential faceoffs.
HINCKLEY: LOTS OF TV FUN AS CANDIDATES FINALLY SHOW PERSONALITY
It was also the whiniest, particularly from McCain, who cast himself early on as the victim of unfair attacks despite weeks of slashing Obama for assorted past associations.
When asked about his tough ads, McCain groused that Obama had not slapped down a supporter, Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), for accusing the GOP ticket of stirring up racist passions at rallies in ways reminiscent of former Alabama governor and segregationist George Wallace. "That, to me, was so hurtful," McCain said.
Obama said Lewis' comparison was wrong. But he stood by complaints about McCain supporters who have called Obama a "terrorist" and yelled "kill him!" at rallies.
The Secret Service is now investigating at least one of those incidents.
Then Obama, mindful of polls showing voters weary of mudslinging, artfully switched gears:
"The important point here is, though, the American people have become so cynical about our politics because all they see is a tit for tat and back and forth.