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Arab American Institute - October 10, 2007
Presidential debate in Dearbon, Michigan
In October 9, 2007 Republican debate in Dearborn, Michigan, presidential hopeful Governor Mitt Romney was asked how he, as president, would change the bias facing Arab Americans.
Here's Romney's reply: "Well, of course, we remind people that this is a nation that recognizes the equality of all individuals. We welcome people from all nations to come here. We also want to make sure that our nation is kept safe. And we're going to pursue any avenue we have to to assure that people who might be preaching or teaching doctrines of hate or terror are going to be followed into a church or into a school or a mosque or wherever they might be. But we welcome people of all backgrounds and faiths, and we don't discriminate against people based on those things. The countries that we're battling around the world - they're the ones that distinguish based on those things, and we don't. And we of course welcome Arab Americans here in Dearborn and in places across our country."
While Romney's answer is generally thoughtful and positive, including warnings about national security in a comment about the Arab American community as a whole helps to perpetuate the climate that has led to bias in the first place.
Also at the debate, CNBC host Maria Bartiromo asked the candidates "should a Dubai company be able to own 20 percent of NASDAQ?" Following are excerpts from their responses . . . the negative reactions from Congressmen Duncan Hunter and Tom Tancredo come as no surprise . . .
Mayor Rudy Giuliani: "Sure, if they are - if they are considered to be safe, if they - pass safety and security clearances. Unfortunately, that deal was done so hastily, it was done so quickly, nobody can tell whether they could or they couldn't. But you just can't rule out foreign companies. There's a whole procedure you go through as to whether or not are they safe, are they secure. We cannot stop doing business with the rest of the world . . ."
Congressman Ron Paul: "I don't think they're a threat to our national security, no. So they would be able to."
Governor Mike Huckabee: "I think it really matters as to whether or not they're going to be - there's going to be a fair trade. And the fact is, we don't have fair trade. And that's the issue we've got to address. Can they buy a company? Sure. But our real problem continues to be that an American company is having to pay an extraordinarily high tax on everything they produce, but the countries who are importing to us don't have the same border adjustability that we do."
Senator John McCain: "Yes, of course, they have to pass the required security requirements and everything like that. But I'm a student of history. Every time the United States has become protectionist and listened to the siren song that you're hearing partially on this stage tonight, we've paid a very heavy price. The Smoot-Hawley Tariff Acts in the 1930s were direct contributors to World War II. It sounds like a lot of fun to bash Chinese and others, but free trade has been the engine of our economy in the last half of this year, it will continue to be, and free trade should be the continuing principle that guides this nation's economy."
Governor Mitt Romney: "Of course you let a country invest in the United States, because we're going to have to stop thinking always in terms of defense and trying to keep other people out. The key is that America can compete around the world and win, and we do. In product after product, service after service, we're the best in the world. But we have to make sure that as we enter into agreements with other nations, we make sure that those agreements are in our benefit as well as theirs; usually that's the case, but not always, and in some cases it's not."
Senator Fred Thompson: "The answer is yes. Dubai would own 20 percent of NASDAQ, but NASDAQ, under this deal, as I understand it, would gain more than 30 percent of the Dubai company. It all depends on national security issues. Doesn't seem to be one there. But we should look at all these deals carefully because we have a vast infrastructure. The great portion of it is in private hands. There's no way, frankly, we can protect it all. So we need to do everything that we can to make sure that we're doing all that we can to protect the infrastructure we've got and scrutinize these deals, number one, first and foremost, from a national security standpoint."
Congressman Duncan Hunter: "No, because I don't trust them. And I don't trust them because a few years ago Dubai, while an American Customs agent was trying to stop them, set for delivery a set of nuclear triggers to an anonymous recipient in Islamabad, probably for the A.Q. Khan network. That went directly against American interests. So I would not do that."
Senator Sam Brownback: "Yes . . . If this party walks away from free trade, we're going the wrong way as a party . . ."
Congressman Tom Tancredo: "No, if -- I'll tell you. If Dubai wanted to buy Wal-Mart, I might think about it. But if they wanted to buy something else that would have, in this case, certainly more of an impact on our national security interests, I'd say, no, we'd have to think about that in a totally different way . . . But when you trade with people who are your potential enemy, and they have shown a willingness to use that economic opportunity to actually increase their threats to the United States, I'm not for trading with them at all."
Boston Globe - October 23, 2007
McCain promises gun company he'll
personally chase Bin Laden and shoot him
By GottaLaff
While speaking at a company called Thompson, which bills itself as "America's Master Gunmaker," John McCain declared:"I will follow Osama Bin Laden to the gates of hell and I will shoot him with your products."
We're all for hunting down Osama, but the current administration has failed to do that over the past several years.
It's a little difficult to imagine that John McCain would single-handedly take a gun made in New Hampshire, as president, chase across the world and personally find and shoot Osama to death.
Just what we need, another delusional cowpoke.
First, Rudy claims to have single handedly protected all of New York on 9/11, now McCain's going to use a hand gun to kill the most wanted man in the universe.
http://www.alternet.org/bloggers/gottalaff/66042/
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