Sen. John McCain began his town hall meeting at Pinkerton Academy on Sunday afternoon with “something happening in a faraway part of the world” – railing against the military junta in Myanmar.
“This kind of thing should not happen in the 21st century,” the Arizona Republican said. “We should do what we can … we have an obligation to help these people.”
At least 10 people protesting military rule have been killed in clashes with soldiers and riot police. McCain told the 225 people gathered in the senior cafeteria at Pinkerton Academy that China should use its influence to assist the protesters rallying for democracy in Myanmar, formerly Burma.
After a few jokes and brief statements on oil dependency and the war in Iraq, he took questions from the crowd for more than an hour. Social Security, health care, education reform and immigration were discussed at length. Some of the many veterans in the crowd questioned McCain about the Veterans Administration and the future of Iraq and Iran.
McCain said bipartisan efforts are needed to reform Social Security and pledged to cut wasteful spending in Congress, like $3 million used to study the DNA of bears in Montana.
Earlier in the day, McCain stopped at Waterhouse Country Store in Windham, owned by state Rep. Kevin Waterhouse. After the town hall meeting at Pinkerton, McCain headed to a house party in Hollis.
