During the 2008 campaign, we'll ask you what questions you have for the candidates and then get you answers. Staff writer Rob Christensen posed these questions from voters to Obama on Wednesday in Fayetteville.

"I'm curious how he feels about the recent bailout of Bear Stearns. Does he feel that government should step in and bail out corporations that took chances on high-risk notes or if it would serve our people better to help out the people who will lose their homes instead?"

--Jane Olsen, 30, full-time mother Washington, N.C., Democrat

OBAMA: "In terms of Bear Stearns, I think it is legitimate to worry about the domino effect of a major investment bank failing. But I also think it's important to understand that some of these companies, some of these corporations, some of these financial institutions, they took big risks and reaped huge rewards. We can't be in a situation where there is no downside, but it's all upside for these folks, particularly when some of these same individuals are the ones who argue that they should never be taxed. All these enormous rewards they were getting over the last 10 years were actually taxed at a lower rate than the wages and salaries of a lot of Democrats." "What steps do you propose in order to shift our national budget from being predominantly military, to one that rebuilds our failing infrastructure, combats poverty and provides for affordable health care for all?

- Barry Freeman, 82, retired house painter and community worker

Chapel Hill, Democrat

OBAMA: "I have talked about ending the war in Iraq primarily for national security and strategic reasons. But it could have an effect on our budget. We are spending $400 million per day, $12 billion a month. ... Part of the benefit of phasing down this war is to be able to free up resources to first of all ... provide benefits to our veterans that they deserve. But also to use some of that money to rebuild our infrastructure. I have proposed a $60 billion, 10-year plan for rebuilding infrastructure that is funded in part by the dividend that would come from the phasedown of the war."

"How will you get rid of or minimize the influence the lobbyists have that run this country so we can get things done in Congress?"

- Joel Glassman, 59, retired state employee and part-time speech pathologist

Cary, Democrat

OBAMA: "We took a significant first step last year when I passed the toughest ethics reform since Watergate. We eliminated meals, gifts, the lending of corporate jets for lobbyists, and we forced lobbyists to disclose who they were bundling money for and where they were getting that money. So we made some progress, but we didn't get as much as we'd like. For example, we didn't get an Office of Public Integrity, which I have been pushing for, which would ensure an arm's length evaluation of any ethics violations in Congress. I think we have got to reduce the influence of money in politics. A lot of that has to do with disclosure. But a lot of that also has to do with possibilities like free television for certain candidates who have qualified by getting small donations. Reducing the cost of campaigns will go a long way in reducing the influence that lobbyists have."

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