Posted by ERIC WILSON – In New York City at Columbia University’s Lerner Hall, I sat in a sea of AmeriCorps, City Year, Teach for America and college students. A few notables in the crowd included Jon Bon Jovi, Leonardo DiCaprio, Usher and Tobey Maguire (gave welcoming remarks) among others.
As we waited for the presidential candidates to appear, New York Governor David Paterson welcomed everyone and delivered a major announcement that received a roaring applause from the civic minded audience. Paterson joined Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger making his director of service a cabinet level position. More governors should join these two.
Moving on to Presidential Forum, here is a picture taken from my seat showing the candidates on stage together.
A coin toss decided who took questions first from TIME Managing Editor Richard Stengel and PBS Senior Correspondent Judy Woodruff . Senator McCain, up first, focused his message around military service, saying it’s “not about the individual; it’s about the cause.” When asked about the military’s recruitment problems, he brought up Columbia University, where his daughter Meghan attended, not allowing R.O.T.C. programs on campus. “Shouldn’t the students here be exposed to the attractiveness of serving in the military?”
Senator Obama agreed with McCain on that issue, and both candidates also criticized President Bush for not taking advantage of America’s sense of unity after 9/11. However, one main issue they did disagree on was the role of government in service initiatives, McCain saying the “government can’t do it all” and Obama saying “the government has to have a role. FEMA needs to work.”
During Obama’s questioning, he emphasized the need to “restore that sense of mutual responsibility” and giving citizens more opportunities to serve. He mentioned his desire to supply a “$4,000 tuition credit to every student every year, but in exchange for giving something back.”
Overall, both candidates expressed a need to inspire the nation to find ways to serve. On a separate note, Governor Sarah Palin was the only vice presidential candidate mentioned during the forum, even though Senator Joe Biden was in the crowd. She was referenced in regard to her comments at the Republican National Convention on Obama’s experience as a “community organizer.” McCain explained that “she was responding to the criticism of her inexperience and her job as a mayor in a small town.”
My real work begins tomorrow morning as New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg welcomes all the invited participants and prepares us for the summit. Until then…