Candidates halt campaigns for joint appearance on Sept 11 anniversary

Thursday 11th September, 03:40 PM JST

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

Latest 15 of 35 Total Comments Show All

Helter_Skelter at 05:05 AM JST - 12th September

Barack is the candidate most of the world wants.He is huge in Russia, China, the Middle East, Cuba, and Indonesia. Off the chart in France.

Even Hamas and Hezbollah support Obama. What outstanding endorsements!
Sarge at 06:54 AM JST - 12th September

So, DXXJP ( 1:05AM ) believes the 9/11 attacks were carried out by the CIA! And that if they do it again, Bush can stay in office another 4 years! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
Taka313 at 06:57 AM JST - 12th September

Good Donkey, Thanks for the story. My mother was visiting us in Japan when it happened. Just by chance, I was channel surfing before going to bed and end up seeing the whole thing unfold. I woke my wife and my mother and told them I was going to war. Then I took my 1 1/2 year old daughter from her crib and held her until morning. It was, an end of an era, for all of us.

Taka
SezWho2 at 07:55 AM JST - 12th September

I don't think that the candidates need to halt their campaigns for 9/11. This pretends that we are somehow a unified country when the truth is far from that. One of the issues of this campaign--if we can ever get past the lipstick--is how we operate in a world in which 9/11s are possible.

Another issue is why we remember 9/11. Do we remember it as we remembered the Alamo, the Maine, and Pearl Harbor? as a spur to revenge and vindication? Or do we remember it as the trigger to when we finally began trying to answer the little girl's question as to why "they" hate "us" so? Or is it just a day for unspecified national mourning?

I don't think that McCain and Obama should make a political spectacle of the day, but I think that is exactly what they're doing when they pretend to put politics aside. For the relatives and friends of those who died, 9/11 was a personal event. For the most of the rest of us, it was shocking and emotionally devastating--but primarily a political event.

Furthermore, it is an event that we as a country have not moved beyond. It is constantly in the news. We are constantly asked to remember that day and are constantly invited to consider what is the best political reaction to it. Unless they are going to say something helpful, there is no need for Obama and McCain to remember a day that America has not yet had a chance to forget.

If McCain and Obama wanted to do something meaningful, they would not suspend their attack ads for only a day. That is a gesture, and an empty one if it does not lead to greater civility in the future and to increased focus on issues. Permanent suspension would be meaningful. Non-suspension would at least be honest.
DXXJP at 08:01 AM JST - 12th September

Yeah sargie I do believe your dear leader had a lot to do with it. Weather or not you do. I also believe as long as he can perpetuate war, weather in or out of office he can also benefit from his investment in it.

Kind of like the crack dealer giving out samples till everybody is addicted. You would have been better off a crack head then a bush supporter, they have 12 steps to ween you off the crack.
Nippon5 at 03:35 PM JST - 12th September

As far as the McCain and Obama maybe just maybe they are feeling the pain that all of us from America feel when we remember 9-11 and feel they should put it aside and be united as Americans not politicians for a day...
SezWho2 at 03:50 PM JST - 12th September

There is no point in being united for a day if it does not lead to being united. Returning to an atmosphere of acrimony after a day's truce makes 9/11 all the more grotesque.
Nippon5 at 04:25 PM JST - 12th September

sezWho2 So since you will never get all the people to do the same thing all the time we shouldnt try to be peacful in respect of anything.. Good logic there, glad you wont ever be in power any time in my life time...
SezWho2 at 05:29 PM JST - 12th September

Nippon5,

And I'm glad you'll never be a logician in mine. Who said we shouldn't try to be peaceful in respect of anything? To use your terms I said that there is no point in being peaceful for a day if we are resolved to continue being bellicose afterwards.
Nippon5 at 05:57 PM JST - 12th September

SezWho2

I dont live in the land OZ　or mother grimms fairy tales so your safe.. But here in the real word you have to look at things for what they are and not what you want them to be, You post it doesnt matter what the event is if it doesnt change the pattern, and I say your full of BS cause its not about the two idiots running for election its about the 3000 who died, but you just dont get its not a political thing. They got it and didnt act like typical political dumb a$$es, and that was the point.. The day was far more important then them,...
SezWho2 at 10:52 PM JST - 12th September

Nippon5,

I don't live in OZ nor do I live in Mother Gooseland or Brothers Grimmland either. I can assure you I live in what people call "the real world". However, my real world seems to be not quite so uncivil as yours seems to be. I choose not to indulge in implied threats, personal slurs and innuendos against people who disagree with me and I choose not to call them names. I wish our candidates would do the same.

You're right that this is not about the two candidates, at least it's certainly not all about the candidates. You are not quite right that it's about the 3000 who died. It's about the 3000, it's about the pain we suffered as a nation, it's about our response to what happened on 9/11 and its about observing correct political form--and possibly more.

Contrary to what you say, I did not post that it does not matter what the event is if it doesn't change the pattern. I posted that there is no point in a cessation of political ads on this one day if we are determined not to change the pattern. If you are down with a one-day truce, that's fine with me. I don't find you an idiot for thinking so. But I disagree with you.
Nippon5 at 04:56 PM JST - 13th September

As I only refered to the polititions as idiots.. I dont know you nor would it change my belief that not everything in the world has to revolve around a political belief if I did, and 9-11 shouldnt be used in politics. Bush was wrong for using it and so is any other person who uses it for political gain.

Ill quote you so you understand why I think you dont get it...

Returning to an atmosphere of acrimony after a day's truce makes 9/11 all the more grotesque.

This is history of what happened on a day when too many died for no reason, putting a political spin on it and saying because they dont stop the ads it makes it worst is just wierd and not a way I feel we should honor those who didnt do anything to warrent death....

Enough said on this subject, you have your belief and I have mine, but to quote you" I choose not to indulge in implied threats, personal slurs and innuendos against people who disagree with me " this means you dont read what you right?

Good night

I choose not to indulge in implied threats, personal slurs and innuendos against people who disagree with me

Thats not true you do it almost every post when you dont agree with someone.. sorry but thats just reality
SezWho2 at 08:31 PM JST - 13th September

Nippon5,

Forget about "almost every post". Show me two examples where I have indulged in implied threats, personal slurs or innuendos against posters who have disagreed with me.

I still have no idea why you think I don't get it. The political ads that appear on television have no connection with 9/11 although it seems to me that McCain's sometimes suggest that they have. Obama and McCain are perfectly capable of honoring the day without suspending their ads and the suspension of the ads in no way honors those who died on 9/11.

Pretense does honor to no one. In my opinion, it does more harm than good. However, I understand that many, if not most, people will think that their agreement to suspend hostile ads for a day shows that they are sincere Americans who honor the memory of the horror of 9/11 and recognize a superordinate goal. That in itself is a political spin on the day.
Nippon5 at 10:26 AM JST - 14th September

I had some written down on this answer but I dont want to get in a tit for a tat on this cause you will say its not an attack its just my opinion, but when you tell others they have something wrong with them because they dont agree with you its an attack on them...... So I say we drop it cause its a waste of band width and I really dont have theat much time to type on a 2nd rate web rag.... With that said

I actually agree with a lot of what you say, but I cant understand why you think if someone does something out of respect it has to be politically charged.. When the VFW fired the 21 gun salute at my fathers grave I didnt ask them if it was because they had to I knew it was to honor his service in the Navy.... Just like I will always believe those two Americans took off the hats of politics and just wanted to show respect for those 3000 people who died that day.. Sorry if you have to put a political spin on it as its your right as an American (if you are one) to do so... I just choose to believe in the spirit of being an American and taking my hat off and holding it on my heart for those who died for no reason.....Just like I do here in Japan when we refresh the graves and such.....
SezWho2 at 02:16 PM JST - 14th September

Nippon5,

To the best of my knowledge I have never told anyone that they have something wrong with them because they do not agree with me. It really is time for you to produce evidence for your claims. You had enough time to make the accusation. I would ask you to find time to provide the evidence.

You say that you can't understand why I think that if someone does something out of respect it has to be politically charged. I don't understand why you think I think that. I am not speaking generally, I am speaking about a particular set of facts and circumstances. And my claim is not that McCain and Obama should not have shown respect for 9/11, but that the 1-day suspension of negative advertising does not show respect and, if anything, tends to make a mockery of a show of unity. I think I have already explained my reasoning for that so if you have a question about any of the reasons I have already cited I'll be glad to try to elaborate.

If you want to take off your hat to show respect for those who died (even if there was a reason for them dying), that is your right. But if you think this is not a political act, I think you are mistaken. If it is a political act to sit while others stand to hear the Star Spangled Banner, then it is also a political act to stand. If it is a political act not to wear a flag lapel pin, then it is a political act to wear one. In addition to all the other reasons I have cited, I say it was a political act because as soon as one or the other candidates proposed a suspension of advertising, the other party couldn't refuse to accept. Imagine the headlines.