Presidential candidates Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Barack Obama (D-Ill.) on Thursday at the Clinton Global Initiative 2008 Annual Meeting in New York said they would increase efforts to fight malaria and tuberculosis and address extreme poverty worldwide if elected, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports (Fabregas, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, 9/25).

Both candidates linked poverty, disease and violence to U.S. national security. McCain noted that such issues can lead to resentment, despair and extremism in developing countries. McCain pledged to fight malaria if elected, saying, "You have my pledge that, should I be elected, I will build on" the President's Malaria Initiative and "other initiatives to ensure malaria kills no more" (Rhee, Boston Globe, 9/26). McCain also said he would support maternal and child health programs, reform aid programs, and support energy innovation and agricultural programs in Africa (Moore, Long Island Newsday, 9/26). In addition, McCain called for a global effort to fight TB.

Obama pledged to eliminate deaths from malaria by 2015. It is "time to rid the world of a disease that doesn't have to take lives," Obama said (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, 9/25). Obama added that if elected president, he would increase foreign aid to reduce extreme poverty by 50% worldwide by 2015 and establish a $2 billion Global Education Fund to support education in developing countries (Long Island Newsday, 9/26).

The Rev. Jesse Jackson said he was pleased McCain and Obama discussed how they would increase efforts to fight disease, poverty and hunger worldwide if elected, adding, "That's been the missing note in much of this campaign season" (Long Island Newsday, 9/26).

Kaisernetwork.org is the official webcaster of the CGI Annual Meeting. Coverage includes live and archived webcasts, as well as transcripts and podcasts of conference sessions.

C-SPAN on Thursday broadcast McCain's speech at the meeting. C-SPAN also broadcast Obama's speech (C-SPAN, 9/25).