How Obama should answer McCain ('08)

I sent this letter to the LATimes in Sept. 2008 (not published):

This week's debate offers Barack Obama a chance to counter some of John McCain's charges. Here's part of what I wish he would say....

John McCain says I will raise taxes. I'm sorry Senator McCain has trouble finishing his thoughts. Instead of a two second sound bite, the complete story takes, oh, maybe thirty seconds. First, if you earn less than $250,000, your taxes will be THE SAME OR LOWER. But yes, if you get more than that, I will raise your taxes, because I want to take back some of the ill-conceived Bush tax breaks you got. Oh, and we're fighting a war in Afghanistan that's not going very well right now, and we could really use your help. I think I even have time to repeat: If you make less than $250,000, your taxes will be THE SAME OR LOWER.

John McCain says I'm wrong on Iraq. I think we were wrong to invade Iraq in 2003, especially when we were already at war in Afghanistan, much closer to our real enemies. We have, in fact, done some good things and some bad things in Iraq since then. Among the good things is we have brought the Iraqi people the freest and fairest elections they have seen in at least a generation. And, you know what? The freely, democratically elected parliament of Iraq now wants a timetable for American forces to leave Iraq. So does the Iraqi Prime Minister. So do most of the Iraqi people. So do I. So I think I was right on Iraq in 2003, and I think I am right on Iraq now. You decide.