When you have no substance, you simply criticize your opponents, accusing her or him things they never said or did. They have to defend themselves, and by the media cycle finished that round, they forgot what the original question was and a new subject will come along.

NewYorker fuels misconception - so said 0bama. Now you know, NewYorker was probably correct since 0bama is shifting blames.

That's how a phony does his business to deceive you.

As a Senator after Vietnam, I was so impressed with Dr. King's work, that I voted against a MLK national holiday over and over. . . . . . every time that request hit the Senate floor.

I new McCain would endorse Obama for President eventually...

I knew McCain would endorse Obama for President eventually...

DAVID NH

We do not even have holiday for our founding fathers. why in the world you want a holiday for one civil right leader.

McCain was right on opposing it

McCain would endorse Obama for President of School, not the President of USA.

I have news for you David. Maybe to you all MLK was just a civil rights leader but to the millions of blacks across this nation and people throughout the world he was larger than life. It is not what he accomplished but how he accomplished it. I had the pleasure to travel the world and in many great world cities they have streets named after him. I didn't see many streets on foreign lands with the names of our founding fathers. Do yourself a favor and educate yourself and join the 21st century.

The theory of school vouchers sounds good, but I agree with the earlier poster in that the reality is that poor families (often in urban areas) are in no position to place their children in expensive private schools (often in the suburbs). A voucher for a portion of the tuition won't help the families pay for the balance of the tuition. Further, if the students attend failing schools, they may not even be accepted at better-performing private schools because of their own performance levels. The answer is not to filter off a few students here and there to better-performing schools; the answer is to address the problems in the public schools so that something closer to education equity actually exists in the public school system. That was the initial intention of the public school system in this country. We should expect that of our public schools.

All other issues aside, McCain's plan to revamp the educational system is a great one - his education adviser is the same woman who revised public education in Arizona, lifting it out of its ranks as one of the worst in the country. If she can do for the country what she did for Arizona, America would be a much better place. It's funny that this issue gets so little press because improving our educational system is probably the most pressing issue facing the country - our future depends on it.

Mary - Well said. Add to that the fact that poor urban families have no way of transporting their children to suburban schools. The future of our children lies in rebuilding the public school system after years of neglect.

Missy - the issue gets little press because its HARD. It would require that people think, debate, plan, and make compromises across ideological boundaries for the good of the country. It's MUCH easier to scream "Obama is a Muslim" or "McCain is an old man" then stand back and watch. The media is in business to make money, not resolve issues.

It does not bother me that McCain opposed the MLK holiday.

Kids should be in school on MLK day learning about Civil Rights but many just sit at home watching TV not giving a rat's behind about MLK. Mandate a civil rights course in school, not another stinking day off that most parents do not get and have to scramble for child care.

McCain will push vouchers because they remove the responsibility of education from the public schools and build up streams of capitalism for private schools. But do not be fooled, must of the problems we are experiencing with oil, the American economy, healthcare and other sectors of our lives is directly related to capitalistic greed. Public schools can work, but communities, parents and undustries must invest resources in public schools and public schools have to open up their industry to MBA's, MPA's and other disciplines in order to make education practical and functionally competent. In other words, it does no good to get A's in Trig and Chem, if you can not balance a checkbook or have the skills to get along appropriately with other people. Vouchers will continue to make the rich richer, and poor poorer.

I will give mccain credit for attenting the naacp award. I am a Obamacan and I don't think that I would feel very comfortable at the Naacp. This org is not supose rep just one party , the stuggle was supose to be freedom to vote for who you please. I dont see this, just as travis smiley state of the black family I feel so much hostilaty from most of the black people that I would be just as afraid to attend the naacp. I was not suprised when jesse jackson said what he said. This how I see lots of black people who actually express them selves with such thoughts and language. however I do believe that a change has come where we can discuss our differences. I was afraid to tell anyone that I was republican because that year they addressed my issues. this year I am an Obamacan because he address my issues this year and I do have a right to change my mind or vote for my issues.

babsNJ - not a bad idea. We should do the same with president's day - spend a day learning about some of the truly great leaders in our past. Then they can compare them to the nitwits we've had in the last 20 years. Maybe they will choose more wisely in the future.

p:

we do not need your pessimism....

just be sure you vote!!

I am definitely in favor of McCain over Obama, but school vouchers are a ridiculous idea. Public schools are abysmal in California and it's not from underfunding. It's from poor management of funds and from lazy parents. Private schools receive far less funding, yet they work a great deal better. It's because of parents taking a much more active role in their children's education and teachers who are not shackled by the political correctness that has crippled our country.

Throwing money at schools is not going to resolve the issue of poor people not taking an interest in their children's education. Nor will it change the fact that minorities are the bulk of poor people.

I think it's great that this old guy with the mediocre intellect and the well-deserved reputation for a rash and hot temper spoke at the NAACP convention.

Did he explain why he wants soldiers to remain indentured servants and not get a college education?

Republicans continue to amaze me. Here is John McSame, talking so much about the darkness of his POW cell as if he was cryin' his eyelashes off when Dr. King was assassinated. But wasn't this the same John McSame who voted against making King's birthday a national holiday?

It's too bad these candidates don't have to have a lie detector tied to their bodies while campaigning. If there was a bell ringing each time they lied to the American people, the tone would hopefully be deafening enough that no one would be able to listen any longer.

IMHLAR - Can't argue with that. It's the same here in Texas. What I meant to say was that we need to invest to rebuild public EDUCATION - of which the schools are only one part. Get the parents involved and invested in their children's education, throw out half of the administrative staff and employ more teachers, and get the government off the backs of the teachers. Easy to say - a lot harder to do.