2008 Election ProCon.org
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Which candidate would make the best U.S. President?

Learn about the 2008 U.S. Presidential candidates and their views on today's important issues. We've spent over 2,000 hours researching the candidates and getting their perspectives on issues ranging from abortion to global warming to the war in Iraq. Read our simple, nonpartisan, pro-con presentation and decide for yourself: "Which candidate would make the best President?"

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KEY RESOURCES
2008 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES - BIOS AND VIEWS
(alphabetical order by party; black & white photos indicate candidate has withdrawn or no longer meets our criteria.)
CANDIDATE VIEWS BY ISSUE (alphabetical order)
1-Minute Overview - Read a quick summary of the 2008 presidential election and why we selected this topic

Candidate Summary Chart - Compare all the candidates and their views.
(PDF version also available.)

Did You Know? - Little-known facts related to U.S. presidential elections

2008 State Primary and Caucus Results - Votes and delegates the candidates have received so far

2008 Candidate Survey - Compare your views to the 2008 presidential candidates' views by taking our 52 question survey

Candidate Finances - Track the money raised and spent for each candidate in the 2008 election.

Presidential Election History from 1789 to 2004 - View the results of all U.S. presidential elections from George Washington to George W. Bush

How to Become U.S. President: A Step-by-Step Guide - Learn about the official role, the entry process, primaries and delegates, conventions, and the electoral college in our basic tutorial

Candidate Videos - See over 80 videos of the candidates addressing key issues and announcing their campaign

Candidate Speeches - Read over 300 transcripts of 2008 U.S. presidential candidate speeches.

Candidate Debates - Transcripts of 2007-2008 presidential candidate debates

U.S. Political Parties - See the history, mission statements, and platforms for the current major U.S. political parties

Contact the Candidates - Phone, email, fax, and website information
Content in Development
See what we have coming soon
Site Map
Interactive guide to the site
Readers' Comments
Opinions, suggestions, and criticisms regarding this website and the 2008 candidates
User Survey
Please take the 1-2 minute survey on your experience at ProCon.org.
  What do you think?

Democratic Party Republican Party 3rd Parties / Independents

  Clinton, Hillary   McCain, John
Gravel, Mike
(Lib.)
  Obama, Barack   Paul, Ron
Keyes, Alan
(Ind.)
   
McKinney, Cynthia
(Grn.)
   
Nader, Ralph
(Ind.)

Candidates who have withdrawn or who no longer meet our criteria.
Democratic Party Republican Party 3rd Parties / Independents

Biden, Joe
(Withdrew on
Jan. 3, 2008)
Brownback, Sam
(Withdrew on
Oct. 19, 2007)
Imperato, Daniel (Ind)
(No longer met criteria
on Mar. 21, 2008)
Dodd, Chris
(Withdrew on
Jan. 3, 2008)
Gilmore, Jim
(Withdrew on
July 14, 2007)
Kubby, Steve (Lib)
(No longer met criteria
on Mar. 21, 2008)
Edwards, John
(Withdrew on
Jan. 30, 2008)
Giuliani, Rudy
(Withdrew on
Jan. 30, 2008)
McEnulty, Frank (Ind)
(No longer met criteria
on Mar. 21, 2008)
Kucinich, Dennis
(Withdrew on
Jan. 25, 2008)
Huckabee, Mike
(Withdrew on
Mar. 4, 2008)
Smith, Christine (Lib)
(No longer met criteria
on Mar. 21, 2008)
Richardson, Bill
(Withdrew on
Jan. 10, 2008)
Hunter, Duncan
(Withdrew on
Jan. 19, 2008)
Vilsack, Tom
(Withdrew on
Feb. 23, 2007)
Romney, Mitt
(Withdrew on
Feb. 7, 2008)
Tancredo, Tom
(Withdrew on
Dec. 20, 2007)
Thompson, Fred
(Withdrew on
Jan. 22, 2008)
Thompson,
Tommy
(Withdrew on
Aug. 12, 2007)
2008ELECTIONNEWS AND NOTICES (archived after 30 days)
5/7/08 - UPDATED: 2008 State Primary and Caucus Results - Clinton wins Indiana by 2%, and Obama wins North Carolina by 14%. See which 10 primaries and caucuses remain.

5/6/08 - NEW: Candidate Finances - Track how much money has been raised and spent to date in the 2008 election and view the candidates' financial disclosure reports.

4/23/08 - UPDATED: 2008 State Primary and Caucus Results - Clinton and McCain win the Pennsylvania primaries. See the state and national results so far as well as which state primaries are up next.

4/21/08 - NEW: 2008 Candidate Survey - Compare your views to the 2008 presidential candidates' views by taking our 52 question survey.

4/17/08 - NEW: User Survey - Please help us by taking our 1-2 minute survey on your experience at ProCon.org. Your feedback will help us to improve.

4/16/08 - Alan Keyes leaves the Republican Party, considers Constitution Party bid.

4/11/08 - NEW: Responses for candidates Alan Keyes, Cynthia McKinney, and Ralph Nader on our 52 questions. The Candidates Summary Chart has also been updated to compare their positions to the other presidential candidates.

4/11/08 - UPDATED: U.S. History of Waterboarding Prosecutions: Historic photos and summaries of court cases involving waterboarding prosecutions in the United States. This document provides additional context for the question we asked the candidates about whether or not waterboarding should be legal.

Archived News and Notices (generally archived after 30 days)

Abortion
1. Legal option
2. Parental consent
Character
3. Honesty vs. competence
China
4. Threat to U.S.?
5. Human rights

 Criminal Justice
6. Felon voting
7. Rehab vs. incarceration
Cuba
8. Embargo
Darfur
9. Genocide

 Death Penalty
10. Legal option

 Defense
11. Missile defense shield

 District of Columbia
12. Statehood

 Economy
13. Outsourcing jobs
14. Free trade regulations
15. NAFTA

 Education
16. No Child Left Behind
17. Increasing costs
18. School vouchers
19. Abstinence only

 Election Reform
20. Paper trails
21. Campaign contributions
22. Public financing

 Eminent Domain
23. Non-government use

 Energy
24. ANWR drilling
25. Price of U.S. gasoline

 Environment
26. International agreements
27. Fuel efficiency
28. Global climate change

 Gun Control
29. Federal regulations

 Health Care
30. Subsidized care
31. Prescription options
32. Fast food and obesity

 Immigration
33. Net impact on economy
34. Rights and benefits
35. U.S.-Mexico fence

Iran
36. U.S. military force
Iraq War
37. Was the attack a mistake?
38. Is America safer?
39. Withdrawal timetable

 Israel
40. Military and economic aid

Israeli-Palestinian conflict
41. Hamas
42. Palestine

 Kosovo
43. Independence

 Marriage
44. Constitutional amendment
45. Infidelity

 Media
46. Protecting sources

 Medical Marijuana
47. Legalization
48. Raids

 National I.D.
49. National I.D. card

 National Service
50. Draft
51. Gays in the military
52. Mandatory service

 Presidential Power
53. Line item veto
54. Unitary executive theory

 Religion
55. Faith-based funding
56. Importance to voters

 Social Security
57. Privatizing

 Stem Cells
58. Federal funding

 Taxes
59. Bush tax cuts

 Turkey
60. Entering Iraq

 U.S. Constitution
61. Alteration

 War on Terror
62. Waterboarding
63. Guantanamo Bay
64. PATRIOT Act
65. Warrantless wiretapping
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