Sep 11, 2008 10:06 pm US/Central
Obama, McCain Upset Columbia Students During Forum
A Night Of 9/11 Healing In NYC Gets Awkward When Both Candidates Push For Return Of ROTC To Campus
McCain Blames Harsh Tone Of Campaign On Lack Of Town Halls
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
It wasn't a night to ruffle feathers, but Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain may have unintentionally done that very thing when they proposed that ROTC be brought back to Columbia University.
The somber anniversary brought Obama and McCain together for a rare joint appearance as they put their sparring aside for a day in tribute to the victims and heroes of 9/11.
But on Thursday night they came together again at a forum at Columbia and it didn't take long for the controversies to return.
It wasn't a night to ruffle feathers, but both McCain and Obama may have done that by suggesting Columbia University bring back its Reserve Officer Training Corps.
"This school will not allow ROTC? On this campus? I don't think that's right. Shouldn't the students here be exposed to the attractiveness of a career in the military?" McCain said.
Said Obama: "Young people here at Columbia – or anywhere, in any university – aren't offered the choice, the option of participating in military service."
Calling for a return of ROTC at Columbia, which outlawed it in 1969, generated controversy on this 9/11 night.
"Even though my particular philosophy – you know, I'm not ROTC bound, but I believe that freedom of speech is the entire thing that funds this country. We should have everyone have an opportunity to have every road available to them."
Added student Alex Shachner: "I think there should be no militaries in the world, at all. No militaries, at all. No presidents either, but start with no militaries."
Both candidates were at Columbia University for a forum on public service. It came after the two jointly and somberly visited ground zero with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Both men laid flowers in the reflecting pool.
The forum, which drew thousands of students, many of whom had to watch it outdoors on a Jumbotron, also drew a number of pointed questions and responses.
McCain was asked about the ugliness of the campaign.
"The tone of the campaign would have been different if Sen. Obama had agreed to my request of town hall meetings across America," McCain said.
The two candidates agreed to suspend their presidential campaigns for the day, and that meant no ugly ads and no attacks. But as Thursday night showed, who really knows what will happen Friday?
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