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TranscriptofsecondMcCain,ObamadebateNASHVILLE,Tennessee(CNN)--PresidentialcandidatesJohnMcCainandBarackObamadebatedinNashville,Tennessee,onTuesdaynight.NBC'sTomBrokawmoderatedthedebate.Hereisatranscriptofthatdebate.TOM:GoodeveningfromBelmontUniversityinNashville,Tennessee.I'mTomBrokawofNBCNews.Andwelcometothissecondpresidentialdebate,sponsoredbytheCommissiononPresidentialDebates.Tonight'sdebateistheonlyonewithatownhallformat.TheGallupOrganizationchose80uncommittedvotersfromtheNashvilleareatobeherewithustonight.Andearliertoday,eachofthemgavemeacopyoftheirquestionforthecandidates.Fromallofthesequestions--andfromtensofthousandssubmittedonline--Ihaveselectedalonglistofexcellentquestionsondomesticandforeignpolicy.Neitherthecommissionnorthecandidateshaveseenthequestions.Andalthoughwewon'tbeabletogettoallofthemtonight,weshouldhaveawide-rangingdiscussiononemonthbeforetheelection.Eachcandidatewillhavetwominutestorespondtoacommonquestion,andtherewillbeaone-minutefollow-up.Theaudiencehereinthehallhasagreedtobepolite,andattentive,nocheeringoroutbursts.Thoseofyouathome,ofcourse,arenotsoconstrained.Theonlyexceptioninthehallisrightnow,asitismyprivilegetointroducethecandidates,SenatorBarackObamaofIllinoisandSenatorJohnMcCainofArizona.Gentlemen?Gentlemen,wewanttogetunderwayimmediately,ifwecan.SinceyoulastmetatOleMiss12daysago,theworldhaschangedagreatdeal,andnotforthebetter.Westilldon'tknowwherethebottomisatthistime.Asyoumightexpect,manyofthequestionsthatwehavefromhereinthehalltonightandfromonlinehavetodowiththeAmericaneconomyand,infact,withglobaleconomicconditions.Iunderstandthatyouflippedacoin.And,SenatorObama,youwillbegintonight.Andwe'regoingtohaveourfirstquestionfromoverhereinSectionAfromAlanSchaefer.Alan?QUESTION:Withtheeconomyonthedownturnandretiredandoldercitizensandworkerslosingtheirincomes,what'sthefastest,mostpositivesolutiontobailthesepeopleoutoftheeconomicruin?OBAMA:Well,Alan,thankyouverymuchforthequestion.Iwanttofirst,obviously,thankBelmontUniversity,Tom,thankyou,andtoallofyouwhoareparticipatingtonightandthoseofyouwhosente-mailquestionsin.IthinkeverybodyknowsnowweareintheworstfinancialcrisissincetheGreatDepression.AndalotofyouIthinkareworriedaboutyourjobs,yourpensions,yourretirementaccounts,yourabilitytosendyourchildoryourgrandchildtocollege.AndIbelievethisisafinalverdictonthefailedeconomicpoliciesofthelasteightyears,stronglypromotedbyPresidentBushandsupportedbySenatorMcCain,thatessentiallysaidthatweshouldstripawayregulations,consumerprotections,letthemarketrunwild,andprosperitywouldraindownonallofus.Ithasn'tworkedoutthatway.Andsonowwe'vegottotakesomedecisiveaction.Now,steponewasarescuepackagethatwaspassedlastweek.We'vegottomakesurethatworksproperly.Andthatmeansstrongoversight,makingsurethatinvestors,taxpayersaregettingtheirmoneybackandtreatedasinvestors.ItmeansthatwearecrackingdownonCEOsandmakingsurethatthey'renotgettingbonusesorgoldenparachutesasaconsequenceofthispackage.And,infact,wejustfoundoutthatAIG,acompanythatgotabailout,justaweekaftertheygothelpwentona$400,000junket.AndI'lltellyouwhat,theTreasuryshoulddemandthatmoneybackandthoseexecutivesshouldbefired.Butthat'sonlystepone.Themiddle-classneedarescuepackage.Andthatmeanstaxcutsforthemiddle-class.Itmeanshelpforhomeownerssothattheycanstayintheirhomes.Itmeansthatwearehelpingstateandlocalgovernmentssetuproadprojectsandbridgeprojectsthatkeeppeopleintheirjobs.Andthenlong-termwe'vegottofixourhealthcaresystem,we'vegottofixourenergysystemthatisputtingsuchanenormousburdenonfamilies.Youneedsomebodyworkingforyouandyou'vegottohavesomebodyinWashingtonwhoisthinkingaboutthemiddleclassandnotjustthosewhocanaffordtohirelobbyists.TOM:SenatorMcCain?MCCAIN:Well,thankyou,Tom.Thankyou,BelmontUniversity.AndSenatorObama,it'sgoodtobewithyouatatownhallmeeting.And,Alan,thankyouforyourquestion.YougototheheartofAmerica'sworriestonight.Americansareangry,they'reupset,andthey'realittlefearful.It'sourjobtofixtheproblem.Now,Ihaveaplantofixthisproblemandithasgottodowithenergyindependence.We'vegottostopsending$700billionayeartocountriesthatdon'twantusvery--likeusverymuch.WehavetokeepAmericans'taxeslow.AllAmericans'taxeslow.Let'snotraisetaxesonanybodytoday.Weobviouslyhavetostopthisspendingspreethat'sgoingoninWashington.Doyouknowthatwe'velaida$10trilliondebtontheseyoungAmericanswhoareherewithustonight,$500billionofitweowetoChina?We'vegottohaveapackageofreformsandithasgottoleadtoreformprosperityandpeaceintheworld.AndIthinkthatthisproblemhasbecomesosevere,asyouknow,thatwe'regoingtohavetodosomethingabouthomevalues.Youknowthathomevaluesofretireescontinuestodeclineandpeoplearenolongerabletoaffordtheirmortgagepayments.AspresidentoftheUnitedStates,Alan,IwouldorderthesecretaryofthetreasurytoimmediatelybuyupthebadhomeloanmortgagesinAmericaandrenegotiateatthenewvalueofthosehomes--atthediminishedvalueofthosehomesandletpeoplebeabletomakethose--beabletomakethosepaymentsandstayintheirhomes.Isitexpensive?Yes.Butweallknow,myfriends,untilwestabilizehomevaluesinAmerica,we'renevergoingtostartturningaroundandcreati