Former U.S. president Bill Clinton established the Clinton Global Initiative in 2005 with the aim of joining a group of global leaders along with non-governmental organizations to address and devise solutions to the world's most pressing problems.CGI: CGI

In December 2008, the William J. Clinton Foundation (of which CGI is one charity) came under scrutiny when a list of donors was released pursuant to Senator Hillary Clinton taking a job with the Obama administration. The New York Post listed a group of donors (in addition to other middle-eastern concerns) that it called "dubious." New York Post: Bill's Dubious Donors (December 21, 2008)

At the 2008 Clinton Global Initiative on September 25, 2008, John McCain spoke of the importance of coming up with a quick solution to rescue financial institutions from debt. McCain made the following statement, "Time is short and doing nothing is not an option."Huffington Post: McCain Speaks At CGI (September 25, 2008)

Barack Obama joined the CGI conference via satellite on September 25, 2008. Obama reportedly agreed with McCain's statements at the CGI also expressing the importance of coming up with an immediate bipartisan plan. Obama made the following statement, "Now is the time to come together, Democrats and Republicans, in the spirit of cooperation on behalf of the American people." Huffington Post: McCain Speaks At CGI (September 25, 2008)