Obama and McCain to speak at Clinton CGI event Sept 23-26

[grantcart]

Source: New York Times

Former President Bill Clinton is welcoming a galaxy of international stars to the annual meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative later this month, including Senator John McCain, the Republican presidential nominee, whom Mr. Clinton has vowed to help Senator Barack Obama defeat in November.

The event, scheduled to run Sept. 23-26 in New York, is nonpolitical and has featured prominent Republicans in the past, including Laura Bush in 2006. Mr. McCain is to deliver the opening remarks; Mr. Obama, the Democratic nominee, is to address the participants by satellite.

“C.G.I. isn’t about politics,” said Matt McKenna, a spokesman for Mr. Clinton. “It’s about improving lives and solving some of the world’s most pressing problems. President Clinton is grateful that both candidates for president are taking time away from the trail to join in that effort.”

Mr. Clinton began the initiative in 2005 to bring together influential people to help solve problems in areas like health, energy and poverty around the world. The members have made nearly 1,000 commitments valued at more than $30 billion to provide help in more than 150 countries.

Others scheduled to attend this year include Al Gore, Bono, Lance Armstrong, Barbra Streisand, Muhammad Ali, T. Boone Pickens and Tom Brokaw. Several heads of state are also coming, including Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan, Gordon Brown of Britain and Silvio Berlusconi of Italy.


Read more: http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/15/mccain-at-bill-clinton-event/

[firedupdem]

1. Why is McCain doing opening remarks? Since when did he care

about health, energy, or poverty? I don't really like this...maybe I need to read it again?????

[grantcart]

2. I don't get it either although if he is still lying through his ass every 5 minutes it

will be very embarassing for him to show up while everyone is laughing at his lame campaign.

[Politicalboi]

3. Wouldn't this be

A celebrity event? Is MaGoo now a celebrity? And isn't the MaGoo and Obama debate on the 26th?

[heliarc]

4. This sucks...

Of course CGI is cool and all... for what its worth... but McCain delivering opening remarks is really awful.