This article compares the presidential candidates in the United States' 2008 presidential election. It does not cover previous elections.
The presumptive nominees of the 2008 election for the two major United States political parites are John McCain, the candidate supported by the Republican Party and Barak Obama, the candidate supported by the Democratic Party. In addition there are three minor party candidates.
Major Party Candidates
For detailed description of both of the candidates individual stances, visit the respective candidates articles: John McCain's political positions and Barak Obama's political positions.
Biographical Data
| John McCain | Barack Obama | |
|---|---|---|
| Gender | Male | Male |
| Age | 71 | 46 |
| Profession | US Senator, Naval aviator | US Senator, Attorney |
| Undergraduate education | United States Naval Academy | B.A. Occidental College/Columbia University (Political Science, International Relations) 1983[1] |
| Graduate education | J.D. Harvard Law (1991) | |
| States/Countries lived in | Arizona, Florida, Panama Canal Zone, Washington, DC | California, Hawaii, Illinois, Indonesia, Massachusetts, New York, Washington, DC |
| Last political office | Senate career of John McCain, 2001–present | US Senator (2005-present) |
| Senate committee memberships | Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions; Foreign Relations; Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs; Veterans' Affairs[2] | |
| Other political experience | Illinois State Senator (1996-2004) | |
| Management/Corporate experience | Business International Corporation in New York, NY (1984-1985); Community Organizer in Chicago, IL (1985-1988); Attorney at Davis, Miner, Barnhill & Galland (1993-2002) | |
| Teaching experience | Lecturer in Constitutional Law at the University of Chicago Law School (1993-2004) | |
| Armed Forces experience | None | |
| Net worth (with spouse) | $23–36 million (USD)[3] | 1-3 million (self-made)[4] |
| Spouse | Cindy Hensley McCain (m. 1980) | Michelle Obama (married since 1992) |
| Spouse’s undergraduate education | University of Southern California | Princeton University |
| Spouse's graduate education | Harvard Law School | |
| Spouse’s profession | Philanthropist and Businessperson | Attorney, Executive |
Economic Issues
| John McCain | Barack Obama | |
|---|---|---|
| Free Trade | McCain is a strong proponent of free trade.[5] He supports the NAFTA agreement, the existing GATT agreements, and U.S. participation in the World Trade Organization.[5] He opposes tacking on labor and environmental conditions to trade agreements.[5] | |
| Health Care | McCain is against publicly-funded health care, universal health care, or health coverage mandates, instead favoring tax credits of up to $5,000 for families that get health insurance.[6] | Obama's health care plan includes implementing guaranteed eligibility for affordable health care for all Americans.[7] He would provide mandatory health care insurance for children. |
| NASA | "The early education plan will be paid for by delaying the NASA Constellation Program for five years."[8]"As president, Obama will support the development of this vital new platform Crew Exploration Vehicle to ensure that the United States' reliance on foreign space capabilities is limited to the minimum possible time period."[9][10] | |
| Taxation and Budget Deficit | While McCain has historically opposed tax cuts in favor of deficit reduction,[11][12] he now favors tax cuts.[13] He says that he would reduce government spending to make up for the tax cuts,[14] but analysts say that his numbers don't add up[15] and that the deficit would grow under his proposal.[16] | Obama advocates responding to the "precarious budget situation" by eliminating "tax credits that have outlived their usefulness", closing corporate tax loopholes, and restoring the PAYGO policy that prohibits increases in federal spending without a way to compensate for the lost revenue.[17] According to the National Taxpayers Union, Obama's proposed budget is estimated to increase spending by over $300 billion.[18] |
| Social Security | ||
| Network Neutrality | McCain is against government regulation of network neutrality unless evidence of abuse exists[19]. He is quoted as saying "let's see how this thing all turns out, rather than anticipate a problem that so far has not arisen in any significant way." Until such a time, he supports allowing network owners to control what sites consumers view, saying, in May 2007, "When you control the pipe you should be able to get profit from your investment".[20][21] | |
| Lobbying | Obama has spoken out numerous times against the influence of lobbying in the United States.[22][23]According to his website, if elected president, Obama would create an online database of lobbying reports, campaign finance filings and ethics records, and would create an independent watchdog agency to oversee congressional ethical violations. | |
| Transportation |
Foreign Policy
| John McCain | Barack Obama | |
|---|---|---|
| Arab-Israli Conflict | ||
| Iraq | ||
| Iran | ||
| Darfur | ||
| Nuclear Weapons | ||
| North Korea | ||
| Pakistan | ||
| Extrajudical Prisioners |
Social Issues
| John McCain | Barack Obama | |
|---|---|---|
| Enviornment | ||
| Energy | independence with national security, climate change, and the environment.[24][25] McCain proposed increasing ethanol imports and moving from exploration to production of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. He said that US dependence on foreign oil is "a major strategic vulnerability, a serious threat to our security, our economy and the well being of our planet." He is co-sponsor of a Senate cap-and-trade bill designed to limit greenhouse gas emissions,[26] and is seen as a bipartisan leader on the issue. | |
| LGBT Issues | In 2004, McCain voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment, arguing that each state should be able to choose whether to recognize same-sex marriage.[27][28] He supported the failed 2006 Arizona initiative to ban gay marriage.[29] | Obama voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment which would have defined marriage as between one man and one woman, but personally believes that marriage is defined as a religious bond between a man and a woman. He supports civil unions that would carry equal legal standing to that of marriage for same-sex couples, but believes that decisions about the title of marriage should be left to the states.[30][31][32] He has called for the repeal of the federal Defense of Marriage Act.[33] |
| Abortion | In 1999, McCain said of Roe v. Wade, "I'd love to see a point where it is irrelevant, and could be repealed because abortion is no longer necessary. But certainly in the short term, or even the long term, I would not support repeal of Roe v. Wade, which would then force X number of women in America to [undergo] illegal and dangerous operations."[34][35] | In his write-in response to a 1998 survey, Obama stated his abortion position as: "Abortions should be legally available in accordance with Roe v. Wade."[36] While serving in the Illinois Senate, Obama received a 100 percent rating from the Illinois Planned Parenthood Council[37] for his support of abortion rights, family planning services, and requiring health insurance coverage for female contraceptives.[38] |
| Gun Control | McCain has received fair to poor ratings on gun issues from the National Rifle Association, garnering a C+.[39] According to a review by Gun Owners of America (GOA), "...in 2001, McCain went from being a supporter of anti-gun bills to being a lead sponsor" in toward restrictions on the free speech of pro-Second Amendment organizations.[40] McCain's GOA rating is F-.[41] | Obama is rated F by the National Rifle Association.[42] The NRA describes the recipient of its F grade as a "true enemy of gun owners’ rights."[43] He is also rated F by Gun Owners of America[44] who stated that Obama will "Get the Dems 'Barack' into the Business of Gun Control".[45] |
| Death Penalty | Obama supports a guest worker program.[46] Obama has said that he "will not support any bill that does not provide [an] earned path to citizenship for the undocumented population." | Obama believes the death penalty is used too frequently and inconsistently. However, he favors it for cases in which "the community is justified in expressing the full measure of its outrage."[47] |
| Immigration | McCain has promoted the legislation and eventually the granting of citizenship to the estimated 12–20 million illegal aliens in the United States and the creation of an additional guest worker program with an option for permanent immigration. In his bid for the 2000 Presidential nomination, McCain supported expansion of the H-1B visa program, a temporary visa for skilled workers.[48] In 2005, he co-sponsored a bill with Ted Kennedy that would expand use of guest worker visas.[49] | |
| Stem Cell Research | McCain is a member of The Republican Main Street Partnership and supports embryonic stem cell research despite his earlier opposition.[50] He states that he believes that stem cell research, and indeed embryonic stem cell research, will continue whether or not the U.S. sanctions it, and so it would be the wisest course of action to support it to the extent that the United States will be able to regulate and monitor the use. | Obama supports embryonic stem cell research and was a co-sponsor[51] of the 2005 Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act which was passed by both houses of Congress but vetoed by President George W. Bush. |
| Education | independence with national security, climate change, and the environment.[52][53] McCain proposed increasing ethanol imports and moving from exploration to production of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. He said that US dependence on foreign oil is "a major strategic vulnerability, a serious threat to our security, our economy and the well being of our planet." He is co-sponsor of a Senate cap-and-trade bill designed to limit greenhouse gas emissions,[54] and is seen as a bipartisan leader on the issue. | During an October 2004 debate, Obama stated that he opposed education vouchers for use at private schools because he believes they would undermine public schools.[55]
In a July 2007 address to the National Education Association, Obama supported merit pay for teachers, to be based on standards to be developed "with teachers."[56] Obama also called for higher pay for teachers.[56] |
Sources
- ^ "OBAMA, Barack - Biographical Information".
- ^ "Barack Obama - U.S. Senator for Illinois".
- ^ Senate Financial Disclosure Form, OpenSecrets.org (2005). Retrieved 2008-02-21.
- ^ "CRP: Personal Financial Disclosure Reports".
- ^ a b c "John McCain on Free Trade". On the Issues. Retrieved 2008-04-19.
- ^ McCain's Health Care Proposal WashingtonPost.com, Oct. 10, 2007
- ^ [http://www.barackobama.com/issues/healthcare/ BarackObama.com - Healthcare
- ^ last paragraph in his 15-page "Plan For Lifetime Success Through Education"
- ^ Barack Obama's Plan For American Leadership in Space
- ^ Obama's Plan for NASA
- ^ S. 1731, CQ Vote #28: Adopted 56-42: R 45-2; D 11-39; I 0-1, 2/13/02, McCain Voted Nay, H.R. 8, CQ Vote #151: Motion Rejected 54-44: R 45-2; D 9-41; I 0-1, 6/12/02, McCain Voted Nay
- ^ McCain is the GOP's best choice for president Corpus Christi Caller-Times, Feb. 16, 2008
- ^ Cooper, Michael (2008-04-16). "McCain addresses economy". San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved 2008-04-17.
- ^ Tax Cuts at Center of McCain's Economic Plan Wall Street Journal, April 16, 2008
- ^ Sullivan, Andy (March 10, 2008). "McCain budget numbers don't add up, experts say". Reuters. Retrieved 2008-04-15.
- ^ Cooper, Michael (2008-04-16). "McCain addresses economy". San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved 2008-04-17.
- ^ "Barack Obama on Budget & Economy"; ontheissues.org
- ^ http://www.ntu.org/pdf/P080303_ObamaAgendaCostUpdate.pdf
- ^ Roy Mark, "John McCain, A Republican Tech Record", eweek.com, November 21, 2007
- ^ John Paczkowski, "Sen. John McCain", Wall Street Journal, May 29, 2007
- ^ McCain Opposes Net Neutrality, newsmax.com, June 3, 2007
- ^ "Sen. Barack Obama's remarks". Politico.com. 2007-12-27. Retrieved 2008-01-04.
- ^ Tapper, Jake (2007-12-29). "Obama Ad Omits Lobbyist Reference". ABC News. Retrieved 2008-01-04.
- ^ McCain Speech on Energy Policy, April 23, 2007
- ^ "McCain: Energy, warming are key threats", MSNBC.com, April 23, 2007
- ^ S.139: Summary Library of Congress
- ^ "Statement on the Federal Marriage Amendment", McCain Senate website, July 13, 2004, accessed November 18, 2006]
- ^ McCain's Senate website, Statement on the Marriage Protection Amendment, June 6, 2006, accessed November 18, 2006
- ^ Díaz, Elvia (2005-08-26). "Gay-marriage ban initiative wins support from McCain". Arizona Republic. Retrieved 2006-11-18.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Obama Statement on Vote Against Constitutional Amendment to Ban Gay Marriage Barack Obama: US Senator for Illinois (Accessed 2 March 2007)
- ^ Philip Elliott. Obama’s N.H. visit brings little criticism, much love. Associated Press, printed in Rockford Register Star, 13 February 2007. (Accessed 2 March 2007)
- ^ "CNN/You Tube debate transcript". CNN. Retrieved 23 July.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Obama Talks All Things LGBT With The Advocate". The Advocate. Retrieved 2008-04-21.
- ^ Terry M. Neal. "McCain Softens Abortion Stand", Washington Post (1999-08-24).
- ^ D'Agostino, Joseph A. “McCain flips, flops and flips on abortion”, Human Events (1999-09-03).
- ^ Obama, Barack. "1998 Illinois State Legislative National Political Awareness Test", Project Vote Smart. Retrieved on 2007-01-21.
- ^ Project Vote Smart. "Senator Barack H. Obama (IL)"
- ^ Keith, Ryan (January 17 2007). "Obama's past offers ammo for critics". Associated Press. CBS News. Retrieved 2008-03-03.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Project Vote Smart
- ^ John Velleco. "Presidential Candidates and The Second Amendment: John McCain" "John McCain's Gun Control Problem". Gun Owners of America (GOA).
{{cite web}}: Check|url=value (help) - ^ "GOA on John McCain's Record" Gun Owners of America (GOA)
- ^ "Illinois - 2004". National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund. Retrieved 2008-01-07.
U.S. SENATE (D) BARACK OBAMA F
- ^ "What The Grades Mean". National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund. Retrieved 2008-01-07.
True enemy of gun owners' rights. A vehement anti-gun candidate who always opposes gun owners' rights and/or actively leads anti-gun legislative efforts, or sponsors anti-gun legislation.
- ^ GOA Senate Ratings For The 110th Congress
- ^ "Presidential Candidates And The Second Amendment - Barack Obama".
Obama to Get the Dems 'Barack' into the Business of Gun Control
- ^ Floor Statement of Senator Barack Obama on Immigration Reform, April 3 2006. Retrieved on January 26 2007
- ^ Religion and Politics 2008: Death Penalty Profile
- ^ Excerpts from Speech by Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) to the Commonwealth Club of California August 19, 1999
- ^ Patterson, Crystal (2005-03-15). "Quick Guide to Kennedy-McCain Immigration Bill". Daily Kos. Retrieved 2006-08-15.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Allen, Jonathan (2005-10-25). "GOP hopefuls getting more time to weigh stem-cell vote". The Hill. Retrieved 2006-08-15.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Statement of Support for Stem Cell Research, Barack Obama, U.S. Senator for Illinois
- ^ McCain Speech on Energy Policy, April 23, 2007
- ^ "McCain: Energy, warming are key threats", MSNBC.com, April 23, 2007
- ^ S.139: Summary Library of Congress
- ^ Keyes, Obama disagree sharply, The Chicago Tribune, October 27, 2004. Archived at the www-news.uchicago.edu website. Retrieved on January 31, 2008.
- ^ a b Appelbaum, Lauren (2007-07-05). "Obama Calls For Merit Pay". MSNBC. Retrieved 2007-08-02.