Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama went head to head in the final debate Tuesday before the Ohio and Texas primaries next week. They debated issues on health care, the war in Iraq, and trade policies. Obama brought up the point again that Clinton had voted to authorize the Iraq was in 2002. She fought back saying at the end of the debate that she would have chosen differently if given the opportunity to vote again. Clinton accused Obama of misrepresenting her health care program in campaign mailings and throughout various debates. Both Senators stated they would threaten to abandon the North American Free Trade Agreement, unless Mexico and Canada agreed to renegotiate terms of the agreement. From the beginning moments of the debate to the end, Senators Obama and Clinton clashed and argued on almost every topic. Hillary Clinton even cited a “Saturday Night Live” skit in which the media was portrayed as favoring Barack Obama.
The impact this debate will have on voters, especially those voting in next week’s Texas and Ohio primaries, is crucial. Citizens had one last chance to hear the candidates talk about important issues and contrast them to each other before casting their votes. The timeliness of this debate was a factor because it occurred precisely one week before important primaries. Therefore voters are more likely to remember what was said in Tuesday’s debate. The debate was held at Cleveland State University; a strategic location because Ohio is one of the states soon to be taking part in a primary election. (The Washington Post, 2/27/08, p. A01)
The story that captured my attention this past week was about a missile fired from a Navy cruiser and hit a satellite. According to reports from the Pentagon, the SM-3 missile hit a spy satellite that was falling toward the Earth February 20, 2008. It was fired from the USS Lake Erie at approximately 10:26 p.m. Eastern time and hit the satellite 150 miles above the Earth. Military officials hoped the missile would break the fuel tank which contained 1,000 pounds of hydrazine before hitting land. Critics speculated that the tank could not survive the travel through the atmosphere and would most likely not have reached a populated area. Some skeptics believed the firing was an attempt to test a controversial anti-satellite test. (The Washington Post, 2/21/08, p. A01)
The Supreme Court ruled to allow employees to sue over mismanagement of their 401(k) retirement accounts. (The Washington Post, 2/21/08, p. A01) The New York Philharmonic Orchestra performed in North Korea, opening a small barrier between the United States and its noted enemy. (The Washington Post, 2/27/08, p. A01) In Cuba, the National Assembly named Raul Castro to succeed his older brother Fidel as president. (The Washington Post, 2/25/08, p. A01) Rival opposition parties in Pakistan, which include the Pakistan People’s Party and Pakistan Muslim League, agreed to form a coalition in the newly elected Parliament. (The Washington Post, 2/22/08, p. A01) Three New York detectives went on trial for the 2006 murder of Sean Bell Monday. (The Washington Post, 2/26/08, p. A02)
