Comparison of the 2008 United States presidential candidates

This article compares the presidential candidates in the United States' 2008 presidential election. It does not cover previous elections. Note that because of ballot access restrictions in the United States, not all candidates may appear on the ballots in all states.

Party	Candidate Name	Website
Constitution Party	Chuck Baldwin	Baldwin
Democratic Party	Barack Obama*	Obama
Green Party	None	n/a
Libertarian Party	Bob Barr	Barr
Prohibition Party	Gene Amondson	Amondson
Republican Party	John McCain*	McCain
Socialist Party USA	Brian Moore	Moore
Independent	Frank Moore	Moore
Independent	Ralph Nader	Nader
Independent	Jonathon Sharkey	Sharkey
	* = presumptive nominee

Biographical Data

	Bob Barr	John McCain	Barack Obama	Ralph Nader
Gender	Male	Male	Male	Male
Age	59	71	46	74
Profession	Former US Congressman, Attorney	US Senator, Naval aviator	US Senator, Attorney	Consumer advocate
Undergraduate education	B.A. University of Southern California 1970	United States Naval Academy	B.A. Occidental College/Columbia University (Political Science, International Relations) 1983	B.A. Princeton University (East Asian Studies, International Relations) 1955
Graduate education	M.A. George Washington University (1972), J.D. Georgetown University Law Center (1977)	National War College	J.D. Harvard Law (1991)	L.L.B. Harvard Law (1958)
States/Countries lived in	California, Georgia, Iowa, Lima, Peru, Tehran, Iran, Washington, D.C.	Arizona, Florida, Panama Canal Zone, Washington, D.C.	California, Hawaii, Illinois, Indonesia, Massachusetts, New York, Washington, D.C.	Connecticut
Last political office	US Congressman (1995-2003)	US Senator (1987-present)	US Senator (2005-present)	None
Senate committee memberships	None	Armed Services Committee; (Chairman of the) Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee; (Chairman of the) Indian Affairs Committee; Committee on POW/MIA Affairs	Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Foreign Relations; Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs; Veterans' Affairs	Advised auto safety subcommittee (1964)
Other political experience	Region 4 Representative for the Libertarian National Committee (2006-2008)	US Congressman (1982-1986)	Illinois State Senator (1996-2004)	Consultant to Department of Labor (1964)
Congressional committee memberships	Committee on the Judiciary, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Committee on Financial Services	Committee on Interior Affairs	None	None
Management/Corporate experience	President of the Southeastern Legal Foundation	Vice President of Public Relations for Hensley & Co.	Business International Corporation in New York, NY (1984-1985); Attorney at Davis, Miner, Barnhill & Galland (1993-2002)	None
Teaching experience	None	None	Lecturer in Constitutional Law at the University of Chicago Law School (1993-2004)	Professor of History and Government (Harvard University)
Armed Forces experience	None	(1958-1981) Midshipman, US Naval Academy; Naval Aviator; Prisoner of War; Commander; Commanding Officer, VA-174 "Hellrazors"	None	US Army (1959)
Armed Force awards	None	Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, Navy Commendation Medal and the National Order of Vietnam from South Vietnam	None	None
Net worth (with spouse)		$23–36 million (USD)	$1-3 million (USD)	$4 million (USD)
Spouse	Jeri Barr (m. 1986)	Cindy Hensley McCain (m. 1980)	Michelle Obama (m. 1992)	None
Spouse’s undergraduate education	None	University of Southern California	Princeton University	n/a
Spouse's graduate education	None	None	Harvard Law School	n/a
Spouse’s profession	Numerous positions in Cobb, Georgia	Philanthropist and Businessperson	Attorney, Executive	n/a

Economic Issues

	John McCain	Barack Obama	Ralph Nader
Free Trade	McCain is a strong proponent of free trade. He supports the NAFTA agreement, the existing GATT agreements, and U.S. participation in the World Trade Organization. He opposes including labor and environmental conditions to trade agreements.		Nader views NAFTA and the World Trade Organization as subverting national regulatory agencies. He blames them for diminishing standards of living (i.e. race to the bottom). Nader supports a constitutional amendment asserting the "sovereignty of people over the power of corporations."
Health Care	McCain favors tax credits of up to $5,000 for families that get health insurance. "We do not believe in coercion and the use of state power to mandate care, coverage or costs."	Obama's health care plan includes implementing guaranteed eligibility for affordable health care for all Americans. He would provide mandatory health care insurance for children.	Nader supports a universal single-payer health care system and full Medicare for everyone.
NASA		"The early education plan will be paid for by delaying the NASA Constellation Program for five years.""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."
Taxation and Budget Deficit	While McCain has historically opposed tax cuts in favor of deficit reduction, he now favors tax cuts. He says that he would reduce government spending to make up for the tax cuts, but analysts say that his numbers don't add up and that the deficit would grow under his proposal.	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. According to the National Taxpayers Union, Obama's proposed budget is estimated to increase spending by over $300 billion.	Nader opposes corporate welfare and seeks to end corporate loopholes, exemptions, credits, accelerated depreciation schedules, deductions, and targeted exceptions. He would balance the national budget by cutting military spending by $100 billion, or about a third, and instituting progressive taxation. "I’d really put meat in the process of progressive taxation," he says. "The richer people are, the more the percentage you pay."
Social Security	In June 1999, McCain said "The only way to increase the yield on Social Security dollars is by allowing workers to make investment decisions for themselves; by empowering American families to invest, in most robust portfolios, a portion of their earnings for Social Security that they would otherwise pay in taxes to Social Security." In January 2000, he repeated his strong support for creating private Social Security accounts.		Nader views Social Security as "government as it should work -- a coming together of society to ensure that we, as a community, take care of each other as we age or suffer from disabilities." Nader opposes a privatized system that would replace "systemic tranquility with an enforced anxiety". He says people are already able to take risk in the stock market through IRAs, 401Ks and other tax-subsidized private retirement devices.
Network Neutrality	McCain is against government regulation of network neutrality unless evidence of abuse exists. 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".	In a June 2006 podcast, Obama expressed support for telecommunications legislation to protect network neutrality on the Internet, saying: "It is because the Internet is a neutral platform that I can put out this podcast and transmit it over the Internet without having to go through any corporate media middleman. I can say what I want without censorship or without having to pay a special charge. But the big telephone and cable companies want to change the Internet as we know it." Obama reaffirmed his commitment to net neutrality at a meeting with Google employees in November 2007, at which he said, "once providers start to privilege some applications or web sites over others, then the smaller voices get squeezed out, and we all lose." At the same event, Obama pledged to appoint a Chief Technology Officer to oversee the U.S. government's management of IT resources and promote wider access to government information and decision making.
Lobbying		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.	At the beginning of his campaign, Nader stated that he "will receive no money from commercial interests, no money from political action committees, only from individuals." He sees Washington D.C. as "corporate-occupied territory, every department agency controlled by overwhelming presence of corporate lobbyists, corporate executives in high government positions." He supports public financing of campaigns and free TV and radio time for ballot qualified candidates.
Transportation	McCain is opposed to federal funding of Amtrak. He considers it to be a "pork barrel project", particularly as far as longer distance trains are concerned. He has also argued for more stringent safety standards with respect to cars.		Nader was instrumental in the unanimous passage of the 1966 National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.
Labor			Nader promises to repeal the Taft-Hartley Act. He supports an increase in the minimum wage to $10 an hour to give low-wage workers "a fair return for their work". Nader supports family farms and opposes large agribusiness. He is credited with helping pass the Mine Health and Safety Act (1977), Whistleblower Protection Act (1989), and OSHA (1970) - all three are fundamental to modern labor protection.

Foreign Policy

	John McCain	Barack Obama	Ralph Nader
Arab-Israeli Conflict	In a speech to AIPAC on April 23, 2002, McCain said that "no American leader should be expected to sell a false peace to our ally, consider Israel's right to self-defense less legitimate than ours, or insist that Israel negotiate a political settlement while terrorism remains the Palestinians' preferred bargaining tool."	Referring to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in January 2006, Obama denounced Hamas while praising former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. At a meeting with then Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom on the eve of Hamas' sweeping election victory, Obama stated that Sharon's role in the conflict had always been "absolutely important and constructive."	Nader supports the Israeli peace movement and views resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as central to national security. As a Lebanese-American, Nader was critical of the US-supported bombing of Lebanon in 2006, seeing it as collective punishment. Nader wants enforcement of UN resolutions concerning Israel and a peaceful two-state solution.
Iraq	McCain has stated that he would keep troops in Iraq for as long as needed, dependent on agreement from the Iraqi government. "As long as Americans aren't being injured or harmed or wounded or killed... we maintain a presence in a very volatile part of the world where al Qaeda is training, recruiting, equipping and motivating people every single day."	In an interview with BBC's HARDtalk on March 6, 2008, Obama foreign policy adviser Samantha Power stated that Obama's pledge to "have all [US] combat brigades out of Iraq within 16 months" was a "best case scenario" that "he will revisit when he becomes president." She continued, saying that "what we can take seriously is that he will try to get US forces out of Iraq as quickly and responsibly as possible."	Nader opposes the US occupation of Iraq on the grounds that “it’s the occupation that is breeding the resistance.” He supports a “responsible, orderly withdrawal” within six months. Following withdrawal, he supports inclusion of an international peacekeeping force under UN auspices, promotion of Iraqi self-rule through independent elections, and the providing of humanitarian aid to stabilize the country.
Iran		Speaking to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee on 2 March, 2007, Obama stated that he regards Iran's government as "a threat to all of us," stating that the US "should take no option, including military action, off the table. Sustained and aggressive diplomacy combined with tough sanctions should be our primary means to prevent Iran from building nuclear weapons."	Nader believes the US must stop “saber rattling” with Iran and take up Iran's proposal in 2003 to negotiate all outstanding issues between the US and Iran.
Darfur		In a December 2005 Washington Post opinion column, and at the Save Darfur rally in April 2006, Obama called for more assertive action to oppose genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan. He has divested $180,000 in personal holdings of Sudan-related stock, and has urged divestment from companies doing business in Iran.	Nader believes the US could do more to end the genocide in Darfur. He would refuse normalized relations with the Government of Sudan “until the Sudanese government removes all obstacles to the full deployment of the multilateral UNAMID, fully implements the CPA, and engages in good faith in a comprehensive, open and inclusive peace process.”
Nuclear Weapons	McCain voted in favor of the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction in 1991. He voted to ratify the START II strategic arms limitation treaty in 1996. McCain voted against the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty in 1999. In March 2008, McCain said that United States should reduce its nuclear arsenal to encourage other nations to reduce their arsenals.	Obama has spoken out against nuclear proliferation. According to his campaign website, Obama will "crack down on nuclear proliferation by strengthening the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty." Obama has also vowed to stop the development of new American nuclear arms, pursuing an ultimate goal of "a world without nuclear weapons."	Nader describes nuclear weapons as “horrifying” and supports the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. He would adopt a no-first use policy, take all nuclear missiles off “hair-trigger” alert, and push for ratification of the START II and Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.
North Korea	In October 2006, McCain said the he believed the former President Bill Clinton and his administration were to blame for the North Korea's weapons of mass destruction. He said that the U.S. had "concluded an unenforceable and untransparent agreement", allowing North Korea to keep plutonium rods in a reactor.
Pakistan	McCain maintains a relatively moderate stance concerning Pakistan, although he has recognized the South Asian nation as an important part of US Foreign Policy. In the aftermath of Pakistan's former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's assassination (in December 2007) McCain appeared to rule out the option of US forces entering Pakistan, saying that it was not an appropriate time to "threaten" Pakistan.	On August 1, 2007 Obama declared in a foreign policy speech that the United States must be willing to strike al Qaeda targets inside Pakistan, with or without the consent of the Pakistani government. He claimed that if elected, "If we have actionable intelligence about high value terrorist targets and President Musharraf won't act, we will".
Extrajudical Prisioners	In October 2005, McCain, a former POW, introduced the McCain Detainee Amendment to the Defense Appropriations bill for 2005. That month, the U.S. Senate voted 90-9 to support the amendment.In October 2007, McCain said of waterboarding that, "They [other presidential candidates] should know what it is. It is not a complicated procedure. It is torture." However, in February 2008 he voted against HR 2082, the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008, which included provisions that would have prevented the CIA from waterboarding prisoners.		Nader views CIA kidnapping and extraordinary rendition as leading to diminished respect around the world. "Constitutional crimes against due process, probable cause, habeas corpus, together with torture and indefinite imprisonment... will worsen and erode American jurisprudence with serious consequences for both the nation's security and its liberties."
Armenian Genocide	At a town hall meeting January 6, 2008 McCain was reported to have answered a question on the Armenian Genocide by noting that he recognizes the Armenian Genocide, but opposes the Armenian Genocide Resolution due to the Turkish government's sensitivities.	On January 19, 2008 Obama announced that as a U.S. Senator, he has stood with the Armenian American community in calling for Turkey's acknowledgement of the Armenian Genocide, and supports its recognition. In 2006, Obama criticized Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice for firing United States Ambassador to Armenia, John Evans, after he used the term "genocide" to describe Turkey's killing of hundreds of thousands of Armenians. On June, 2008 Obama restated his commitment to U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide in a letter to ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian..

Social Issues

	John McCain	Barack Obama	Ralph Nader
Environment	McCain's stances on global warming and other environmental issues have often put him at odds with the Bush administration and other Republicans. For example, he has generally opposed drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.	Obama has pledged to cut greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050 by creating a market-based cap-and-trade system.[broken footnote] Obama also has plans for improving air and water quality through reduced carbon emissions.[broken footnote] Obama worked as a member of the US Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works during the 109th Congress.	Nader is credited with helping the Clean Air Act (1970) and Safe Drinking Water Act (1974). He was one of the first public figures to advocate renewable energy during the 1970s. Nader supports mandatory standards for recycling and precycling, especially in areas of government control.
Energy	McCain gave a major speech on his energy policy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He connected energy independence with national security, climate change, and the environment. 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, and is seen as a bipartisan leader on the issue.	Obama proposes to reduce overall U.S. oil consumption by at least 35%, or 10 million barrels per day, by 2030 to offset imports from OPEC nations. Obama and other Senators introduced the BioFuels Security Act in 2006. Regarding the domestic use of nuclear power, Obama has expressed support: "...it is reasonable – and realistic – for nuclear power to remain on the table for consideration." During the same Senate Committee statement, he cautioned that keeping nuclear power on the table is only possible "if the Nuclear Regulatory Commission is vigilant in its mission." He then went on to state that "We need better long-term strategies for storing and securing nuclear waste and for ensuring the safe operation of nuclear power plants. How we develop these strategies is a major priority for me." Obama and other Senators introduced a bill in 2007 to promote the development of commercially viable plug-in hybrids and other electric-drive vehicles in order to shift away from petroleum fuels and "toward much cleaner – and cheaper – electricity for transportation".	Nader is a strong supporter of solar energy and wants to end government subsidies for the fossil fuel and nuclear energy industries. He says "technologies are way ahead of the political framework" and envisions a "massive conversion from a hydrocarbon-based economy to a carbohydrate-based economy" within 20 to 25 years. He opposes corn ethanol "which has a very poor net energy and water-usage characteristic" in favor of cellulosic ethanol. He says that cap-and-trade programs "can be easily manipulated" and wants to tax inefficient technology and pollution at the production source.
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. He supported the failed 2006 Arizona initiative to ban gay marriage.	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. He has called for the repeal of the federal Defense of Marriage Act.	Nader supports "full equal rights for gays and lesbians", saying, "the only way to ensure full equal rights is to recognize same-sex marriage." Nader opposes DOMA and the miltary's Don't Ask Don't Tell policy. He says, "We've got to get rid of this discrimination, this chilling, this bigotry toward gays and lesbians that are reflected in literally hundreds and hundreds of statutes and regulations in this country."
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."	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." While serving in the Illinois Senate, Obama received a 100 percent rating from the Illinois Planned Parenthood Council for his support of abortion rights, family planning services, and requiring health insurance coverage for female contraceptives.	Nader is pro-choice, "I don't think government has the proper role in forcing a woman to have a child or forcing a woman not to have a child... This is something that should be privately decided with the family, woman, all the other private factors of it, but we should work toward preventing the necessity of abortion."
Gun Control	McCain has received fair to poor ratings on gun issues from the National Rifle Association, garnering a C+. 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. McCain's GOA rating is F-.	Obama is rated F by the National Rifle Association. The NRA describes the recipient of its F grade as a "true enemy of gun owners’ rights." He is also rated F by Gun Owners of America who stated that Obama will "Get the Dems 'Barack' into the Business of Gun Control".	When asked about gun control, Nader has responded: "First of all, make sure the weapons are designed safely with trigger locks... Two, strong law enforcement so that they're not falling into the hands of the criminal element. Three, you look at a weapon the way you look at a car. You've got to know how to handle it. You should be licensed... And four, there are certain weapons that should be banned."
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. In 2005, he co-sponsored a bill with Ted Kennedy that would expand use of guest worker visas.	Obama supports a guest worker program.	Nader does not support open-borders, which he says will create a "cheap-wage policy" for businesses. He supports giving illegal workers, who have their taxes withheld, the same labor standards and benefits as American workers. He says the government should "crack down" on employers and stop "brain draining" Thid World countries with H-1B visas.
Stem Cell Research	McCain is a member of The Republican Main Street Partnership and supports embryonic stem cell research despite his earlier opposition. 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 of the 2005 Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act which was passed by both houses of Congress but vetoed by President George W. Bush.	Nader supports stem cell research. Through his Consumer Project on Technology, he seeks to ensure that research conducted with public money is freely available to the public, and not held back by corporate and university patents.
Education	McCain supports the use of school vouchers. In 2006 he said, "Should [intelligent design] be taught as a science class? Probably not."On July 29, 2007, McCain voted against increasing federal student loans and Pell grants and expanding eligibility for financial aid.	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. 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." Obama also called for higher pay for teachers.
Patriot Act	McCain voted to extend the wiretap provision in the Patriot Act. He also voted to reauthorize the Patriot Act in 2006.	Obama called for the repeal of the Patriot Act in 2003. He voted for the reauthorization of the Patriot Act in 2006.	Nader has called for the repeal of the Patriot Act. He has stated that it has eroded civil liberties and due process of law, particularly for Muslims and Arab Americans.
War on Drugs		Barack Obama opposes legalization of marijuana, but supports easing the punishments for possession of small amounts of marijuana.

See also

• List of candidates in the United States presidential election, 2008