Seems like a great special. I'll probably miss it but I'll catch it on the rerun! LOL

I hope the whole 360 team has a great 4th of July with all of your family and friends!

Cindy...Ga.

OOOH, the next president has his hands full! Needed changes in education, health care, environment, housing, social security, racism, world peace, diplomatic relations..............CHANGING the image of America as a whole for we are not looking good as of late. Solutions must be put on the table as well as incouragement that change takes time. The have not are getting sick and tired and the people who have must do more! What about jobs and downsizing and work going outside of our country? What needs to be done and how to build up America and its people? Be clear and to the point please.

After seeing your panel last night on Obama's supposed "flip-flopping" on his position on Iraq, I would like to ask that you devote at least as much time to McCain's multiple changes of position on any number of subjects, including the Bush tax cuts. If anyone's a "flip-flopper" in this election, It's McCain. Anderson mentioned it briefly but made Obama the focus last night. Unfair, and unbalanced, and worthy of Fox "News".

Sounds like a good special for the 4th of July. I'm looking forward to seeing it especially the part where you try to determine what type of President they would make. Have a great 4th of July everyone!

Annie Kate
Birmingham AL

Why is Obama so Wishy Washy on every issue?

Thanks

And a Happy 4th back at ya:)

Hopefully it will be more than just glossed-over party-approved snapshots.

Anderson and staff:

Happy 4th July! Family day at Nana's house – swimming, hot dogs, fireworks – fun time. Will be ready for AC 360 tonight – interested in both candidates and what family and friends think.

Sorry if you've already answered this question and I missed it but, whatever happened to that petition that Lanny Davis was pushing to try to get Hillary the VP spot?

It seemed to get a lot of coverage and then,suddenly, the story (and Lanny, oddly enough) disappeared! Is it still around, or did he get the word from one camp or the other to get lost?

I don't want Hillary as the VP – I was just curious.......

Happy Fourth of July to Ac360 and everyone else. Have a Great Holiday weekend.

Lorie Ann, Buellton, Calif.

Once we had already toppled Saddam's government and created chaos, why was/is it ok to walk away from a situation we created? Basically, why not try to at least clean-up our mess and restore order?
Why is/was it ok to cut and run when the job is not finished? That seems un-american and irresponsible. Question for Senator Obama

I like to say on the subject of flip flopping when is it safe to change your mind as a man or a women without being called a flip flopper i believe people has earn the right to change their minds be it Politician
or just a regular Citizen.
And i have a serious problem with people having to pay for the words that come out of others mouth only in America.

Happy 4th of July to Anderson, Erica, and everyone at CNN and this blog! I'll be celebrating at a friend's house today, and will be watching 360 from there! Have a great day, everyone!

Lilibeth
Edmonds, Washington

I do not know why, I bother to blog. Everytime I do it never makes it on. If this is a pro Obama news station and blog, please be nice enough to tell me and the rest of the HRC/McCAIN supporters so we will not waste our time on this blog or with this show. Oh and one more thing there are 1 million + voters as of today who will not only not vote for Obama, but will vote for McCain thanks in part to the news networks and THE DNC.

Obama believes in hardwork! He is superior to Mcain intellectualy. Smart guy!! We need him!!

Whats up guys, In the pieces shown tonight, why didnt we hear anything about McCain's first wife and how her accident and disfigurement affected his life. We heard about Obama's drug use, but not McCain's filandering. I see it was a very thoughtfully done program.

Who did Barack beat in his 'landslide' victory?

When I heard the news that Tim Russert had died, I thought to myself that the last true journalist had died. When he was doing an interview, You could not determine his party affiliation as he was a True Journalist. Even though we all knew he was a democrat. I enjoyed your show over the years. The story you did tonight about the next President was the most biased story I have ever seen. You stated all positive about the Obamas and all negative about the McCains. I am not a big fan of either becoming The President Of The United States. You are not a journalist anymore but merely a commentator pushing your agenda. You are no better than Rush except he does not call his show news. Don't worry, You are now lumped in with all of the other commentators on CNN and the other networks. You have lost a viewer fore ever.

Jim Meyers
Nuevo,Ca.

Is it possible for me to purchase a copy of the July 4th segment of The Next President and if so, how? Thanks

PS Great piece!

Last night Anderson Cooper said it was important that we know everything about each candidate. Yet we learned nothing about John McCain's early years. It would seem to be extremely relevant that he was brought up in a world dominated by the military. What about his first wife. I underestand she was crippled in an automobile accident while he was a prisoner of war. What happened to that commitment? Were their children from that marriage? If so, why were they excluded from tthe story?

While Senator Obama's life was given a careful scrutiny, it would appear that much of Senator McCain's life story was subject to redaction.

The piece was pretty interesting. Wasn't Sen McCain married previously? Why wasn't there mention of the marriage during up close with McCain? The only time it was mentioned that Cindy was his second wife was during the wives coverage. Why his children by the first wife not mentioned? Aren't they still his children? Anderson not mentioning the first marriage was insensitive, biased, and media's "whitewashing" of McCain's life. Plus it was unfair to the children....Despicable!!

solidarity will give the consumers their economic power back. It is coming

UP CLOSE: THE NEXT PRESIDENT

This was so geared towards Obama voters. I loved how there were no negative things to say about Obama and then when they got on Mccain they stayed on him longer and just bashed him. Definitely not fair and balanced programming. Please do a side by side comparison of the candidates and their stances on different issues. That way there's no spin to a story on the two candidates.

GREED...It's what has lead us to what we now know as life...If I could run for president, I could run office for half the pay, giving the other 50% back to the US Citizens directly. Although, this may be pennies, but my statement is clear, this job can be performed with less compensation. I wonder how can anyone who walks through a disaster area, seeing every victim, and feeling awe towards them and wishing them luck, whilst have no "financial" burdens of their own. This is none other than hypocrisy. I have personally witnessed the last two presidents and, so far, the two candidates for next term, exercise this common trait. The public cry's "the anticrist." They know nothing! It hasn't got bad yet. "The beast will rise from the sea, having power given to it by the dragon." Guess what public, it isn't talking about a monster out of water either.

This program was unbelievable in bringing forth so much information on the candidates. All the info was accurate as I remember happening in the past. What a shame it was on while all of America was out watching foreworks! Please air this program again and again. Perhaps time limited information, we are still interested in hearing from John McCain's first wife and their children.

We would like to know more information on Phil Grahmn's relationship with the deregulation of the banks. Did he introduce the bill that was passed to deregulate the banks which resulted in the fraudulent laons? Is Phil Grahmn still a McCain advisor? Did Phil Grahm give up his lobbying position? Had he retired from the Senate before passing this bill? Was he wife a lobbyist for the International Banks when the bill was passed?

Is anyone going to call attention to the fact that John McCain recently went to New Orleans at which time he told the people that "he would've never let that happen to them." Then a local reporter spoke up and ask "why did you vote against the bills to help the victimsof Katrina?" And John answered with "I do not know what you are talking about."

McCAIN SETS HIMSELF UP FOR A DOUBLE STANDARD?

In response to Barack Obama’s campaign military advisor General Wesley Clark’s ill-conceived comments about John McCain’s military service, the GOP presidential nominee fired back at the Obama camp: “I think it’s up to Senator Obama now to not only repudiate him, but cut him loose.”
In calling for Clark’s dismissal from the Obama campaign, McCain is telegraphing that in seeking the highest office in the land, a candidate should be held to the highest ethical standard and distance themselves of any one who would tarnish that standard.
But what about McCain’s own campaign advisors? If someone were to be found doing something unscrupulous, shouldn’t the same high standard of ethics apply and that someone is held accountable for it?
In what I consider to be the most overlooked blockbuster story in journalism, on May 5, nationally syndicated columnist and McCain campaign advisor Ralph Peters wrote an op-ed entitled, “Saudi Stick-up” in which he stated a key reason for high gas prices was because the Saudi royal family was punishing America because President Bush defied their “order” to not attack Iraq.
The problem with Peters’ statement is that it directly contradicts Bob Woodward’s “definitive account” from his Bush at War trilogy books. According to Woodward, who was given “unprecedented access” to the president, the Bush White House and Saudi royal family were on the exact same page in ousting Saddam Hussein from power, offering logistical and military support for the invasion and even keeping crude prices in check during the 2004 presidential election cycle as a reward for Bush’s solidarity.
For two months now, Ralph Peters aided by an either enabling or incompetent media, has allowed him to skate on what I consider to be the cardinal sin of journalism: fabricating a story line to advance one’s own agenda.
As I see it, Mr. Peters needs to be challenged on how he came to the “America is being punished by the Saudis because Bush defied their order to not invade Iraq” story line. And if he ducks the issue or simply refuses to answer, given the unimpeachable reputation of Mr. Woodward, whose body of work he’s discrediting, it should be assumed he’s guilty of the charge.
And if it comes to that, shouldn’t we expect the same reaction from McCain that he not only repudiates Peters, but cuts him loose as well?