Debate No. 1: Change v. Maverick

Jim Lehrer moderated the first 2008 presidential debate, held on September 26. While intended to cover national security and foreign affairs, the U.S. financial crisis weighed heavily during the opening questions. Lehrer's attempt to encourage eye contact during the opening was somewhat futile.

Senator McCain hammered Senator Obama on earmarks and pork barrel spending. Obama chastised McCain's complicity during an orgy of spending under President Bush. "You voted for almost all of his budgets. To stand here and say that after eight years you're going to lead on controlling spending and balancing our tax cuts for middle-class families ... it's kind of hard to swallow."

On foreign policy, McCain cited his reputation as a maverick, particularly when it came to banning torture. McCain touted his many foreign travels and relationship with foreign leaders, and claimed Obama's views on foreign policy to be naive.

Obama challenged McCain's effectiveness. "Over the last eight years, this administration, along with Senator McCain, has been solely focused on Iraq. That has been their priority. That is where all their resources have gone. In the meantime, Osama bin Laden is still out there. He is not captured. He is not killed. Al Qaeda is resurgent."

By 12:22 a.m. on September 27, MTV News published a comprehensive debate report on their website. Spirited commentary ensued.

Breakfast with the Troops

Barack Obama had breakfast with U.S. troops in Kabul as part of his visit to Afghanistan on July 20, 2008. Obama went to an American base in the Afghan capital to dine with soldiers and sailors there. Later that same day, he met with President Hamid Karzai.

In May 2012, Obama and Karzai signed an historic agreement for American and NATO troops to leave Afghanistan by 2014. Karzai will also step down as president the same year.

According to the New York Times, the looming transition is "is causing anxiety among the Afghan elite who have been among the war’s biggest beneficiaries, enriching themselves from American military contracts, insider business deals with foreign companies, government corruption and narcotics trafficking."

Obama Travels Abroad

On Thursday, July 17, 2008, Barack Obama departed Washington to begin a foreign tour of the Middle East and Europe. He first stopped in Kuwait and then continued to Afghanistan to visit U.S. troops. The trip was designed to highlight his foreign policy credentials.