The Democrats
Barack Obama
Date of birth: August 4 1961
Professional background: A community organiser and later a lawyer.
Political experience: Junior Senator from Illinois since 2005, Obama served in
the Illinois State Senate for the previous seven years.
Political positions: To the left of the Democratic Party, Obama advocates
withdrawal from Iraq (a war which he opposed from the outset) and dialogue
with states such as Iran, Cuba and North Korea while taking a tougher line
on US allies such as Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. He is campaigning on
universal healthcare and an expansion of social security. Strong on the
environment, he proposes a carbon trading system for business. He also plans
to introduce tax cuts for poor and rescind those granted by Bush to the
wealthiest Americans.
Religion: United Church of Christ, a mainstream Protestant grouping. Obama
believes the Democrats must reach out more to religious groupings.
You might not know that: In 1990, Obama was elected as the first black
president of the Harvard Law Review in its 104 year history. He is also the
only African-American currently in the Senate. However he is careful not to
campaign on colour, promising to be a leader for all Americans rather than
one community.
Hillary Clinton
Date of birth: October 26 1947
Professional background: Lawyer
Political experience: Junior Senator of New York since 2001, before which she
spent 8 years as First Lady to husband and President Bill Clinton. She was
an openly empowered First Lady, the first ever to keep an office in the West
Wing of the White House.
Political positions: A relatively centrist Democrat, Clinton is a leading
proponent of universal healthcare, public education and social security as
well as efforts against climate change. Advocates the free market but does
not believe it should be completely unrestricted. Though she has criticised
the Bush administration’s handling of the Iraq War (which she initially
supported) she strikes a hawkish note on foreign policy, supporting
sanctions and possible military action against Iran, advocating an
interventionist approach. She is pro-choice, supports gun control but is in
favour of the death penalty and opposes gay marriage.
Religion: A member of the United Methodist Church, Clinton does not tend to
bring her faith into her politics.
You might not know that: She used to be a Republican, but switched affiliation
in 1968 in disgust at the messages put forward by Richard Nixon’s
re-election campaign.
John Edwards
Date of birth: June 10 1953
Professional background: Personal injury lawyer
Political experience: Senator from North Carolina from 1999-2005
Political positions: Edwards is running on a more progressive agenda than
during his 2004 presidential bid, campaigning on universal healthcare and
fighting global warming and poverty. Despite defending his vote in favour of
the Iraq invasion in 2004, he now expresses regret for that decision and is
a vocal opponent of the war and the administration’s handling of it. He is
pro-choice and supports same sex civil unions, believing it should be up to
individual states to decide on gay marriage.
Religion: United Methodist
You might not know that: His clean-cut good looks led him to be named “sexiest
politician alive” by People Magazine in 2000.
Joe Biden
Date of birth: November 20 1942
Professional background: Lawyer
Political experience: Senior Senator from Delaware since 1973, chair of the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee
Political positions: Co-authored a “third way” strategy to end sectarian
violence in Iraq - creating federal regions for Sunnis, Shia, and Kurds -
passed by the Senate in September, and proposes a five step plan towards
withdrawal. He advocates intervention in Sudan and sees Iran, Russia and
North Korea as greatest threats to world. Pro-choice but opposed to federal
funding for abortion, Biden supports same-sex civil unions but not marriage.
He is opposed to the death penalty, taking a pro-rehab approach to crime and
supporting gun control. He promotes efforts to tackle global warming
including renewables and carbon trading and supports welfare reform.
Religion: Roman Catholic
You might not know that: He ran for President in 1988 but his campaign
collapsed after he was accused of plagiarising a speech by then British
Labour Leader Neil Kinnock, which referred to his ancestors playing football
after a long day in the coal mines.
Bill Richardson
Date of birth: November 15 1947
Professional background: A career politician, he was a civil servant before
entering Congress.
Political background: Governor of New Mexico since 2003, Richardson was
previously the US Ambassador to the United Nations and then US Secretary of
Energy under Bill Clinton. Prior to that he was a Representative for New
Mexico for 14 years.
Political positions: Pro-choice but in favour of the death penalty and gun
rights, Richardson also opposes gay marriage but supports other LGBT rights.
He originally supported the invasion of Iraq but has called for withdrawal
by the end of 2007 and says he would leave “zero” troops in the country. He
has pledged more funding for the education system.
Religion: Roman Catholic
You might not know that: Richardson gained recognition for successfully
negotiating the release of American hostages in Sudan, North Korea and Iraq
during the Clinton years.
Dennis Kucinich
Date of birth: October 8 1946
Professional background: Civil servant, career politician
Political experience: A Representative from Ohio since 1997, he also served as
Mayor of Cleveland from 1977-79.
Political positions: Considerably to the left of many Democrats on foreign
policy, Kucinich is regarded as something of a peacenik. Also liberal on
domestic issues, he supports universal healthcare and is pro-choice and
supports gay marriage. He does not always tow the Democratic line, for
example, he voted in favour of the impeachment of Bill Clinton. He opposes
the death penalty, supports gun control promotes environmental action and
animal rights and the decriminalisation of marijuana. He has consistently
opposed Iraq war and all funding for it and spoken against the infringement
of civil liberties in the name of security.. He advocates the normalisation
of relations with Cuba and dialogue with states such as Syria and Iran,
opposing any military action against the latter.
Religion: Roman Catholic
You might not know that: He has pledged to make a Cabinet level Department of
Peace
Chris Dodd
Date of birth: May 27 1944
Professional background: Lawyer
Political experience: Senior Senator from Connecticut since 1981, currently
chairman of the Senate Banking Committee. Formerly served as Representative
from Connecticut from 1975-81.
Political positions: Further to the left than most Democrats on foreign
policy, Dodd opposes the Iraq War – despite having initially voted for it –
and advocates withdrawal. He also propounds the normalisation of relations
between the United States and socialist Latin American countries such as
Venezuela and Cuba.
He proposes a carbon tax, improvements to healthcare access, particularly for
children, decriminalisation of marijuana, and has consistently opposed the
erosion of civil liberties and human rights in the name of the war on
terror.
Religion: Roman Catholic
You might not know that: In 1998, Dodd was awarded the Golden Leash Award by
NGO Public Campaign “for being the leading advocate in the Senate on behalf
of the accounting industry.” It claimed he had received $910,304 in campaign
cash from industry players in return for his help in pushing through
legislation favourable to them, allegations he denied.
Mike Gravel
Date of birth: May 13 1930
Professional background: Real estate developer, policy wonk
Political experience: Served two terms as Senator for Alaska, 1969-1981, later
founded and headed thinktank The Democracy Foundation
Political positions: Advocates universal healthcare, increased benefits for
veterans, the legalisation and regulation of all drugs, direct democracy,
tax reform and carbon taxation. He is pro-choice and pro-gun control. On
foreign policy, he believes the US should withdraw from Iraq and is opposed
to any military action against Iran. He is a strong supporter of Palestinian
statehood, propounds dialogue rather than isolation of states such as Iran,
Syria and North Korea and believes the US nuclear arsenal should be
dramatically reduced. He is an outspoken opponent of abusive interrogation
techniques and extraordinary rendition.
Religion: Unitarian
You might not know that: Gravel played a significant part in ending the
military draft during the Vietnam War, when in 1971 he embarked on a one-man
filibuster to block the bill renewing the draft for five months. President
Nixon eventually agreed to let the draft expire.
The Republicans
Mike Huckabee
Date of birth: August 24 1955
Professional background: Southern Baptist minister
Political experience: Governor of Arkansas 1996-2007; Lieutenant Governor of
Arkansas 1993-1996.
Political positions: A strong social conservative, he opposes abortion, same
sex marriage and civil unions. He is pro-gun and pro-death penalty and
supports the teaching of creationism in schools. Though he believes
America’s no 1 priority should be to secure its borders, Huckabee also
advocates rights for the children of illegal immigrants. He supports the
Iraq War and the Administration’s handling of it.
Religion: Southern Baptist
You might not know that: After being diagnosed with adult-onset diabetes in
2003, an overweight Huckabee lost 110 pounds in an astonishingly short space
of time. He drew criticism from Jewish groups when he likened this
experience to being in a “concentration camp.” He later wrote a self-help
guide for the overweight called “Quit Digging Your Grave with a Knife and
Fork.”
Rudolph Giuliani
Date of birth: May 28 1944
Professional background: Lawyer and businessman
Political experience: Mayor of New York from 1994 to 2001
Political positions: Formerly a Democrat and later an Independent, Giuliani
became a Republican one month after Ronald Reagan took the party to power in
1980. Tax-cutting and tough on crime but socially moderate, he has drawn
criticism from some Republicans for his support for abortion rights, civil
unions, immigration and gun control. Hawkish on foreign policy, he has
consistently backed the Iraq War and Bush’s approach to the fight against
terrorism.
Religion: A Roman Catholic, Giuliani has been criticised by Catholics for his
relatively liberal stance on social issues such as homosexuality and
abortion. He has tried to keep his religion largely out of his campaign.
You might not know that: He has a penchant for cross-dressing, and has done so
at several galas and other functions. A video of Giuliani in drag kissing
Donald Trump is available on YouTube.
Mitt Romney
Date of birth: March 12 1947
Professional background: A businessman, he was also the President and CEO of
the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City
Political experience: Governor of Massachussetts from 2002-2007
Political positions: A family values candidate, Romney is socially
conservative and emphasises his own abstinence from cigarettes and alcohol
and sex before marriage. He is opposed to gay marriage and is both pro-death
penalty and pro-life, but believes states should determine their own
abortion laws. However, he supports increased legal immigration and the
possibility of citizenship for illegal immigrants. Romney is also a
consistent backer of the Iraq War.
Religion: A Mormon (non-polygamous), he is a former bishop in his church.
You might not know that: Romney has voiced concerns that the notoriously
louche French now get married on seven year contracts. Don’t worry Mitt,
they don’t.
John McCain
Date of birth: August 29 1936
Professional background: Naval aviator and businessman
Political experience: The Senior Senator from Arizona since 1987, McCain
previously served four years in the House of Representatives
Political positions: Regarded as a moderate Republican and well-respected on
both sides of the political divide, McCain has sponsored gun control
legislation and supports an amnesty for illegal aliens as well as increases
in legal immigration. He is however strongly pro-life and anti-gay marriage.
McCain supported the invasion of Iraq but believes mistakes have been made by
the Bush administration. He would not withdraw troops and believes the US
may eventually have to take military action against Iran, but is an
outspoken opponent of the use of torture or abusive interrogation techniques
in the name of security. A deficit hawk, he has opposed many of Bush’s tax
cuts.
Religion: Baptist
You might not know that: John McCain was a famous prisoner of war for 5 and a
half years during the Vietnam war, incarcerated for most of that time at the
notorious “Hanoi Hilton”. The torture he suffered has left him permanently
unable to raise his arms above his head.
Ron Paul
Date of birth: 20 August 1935
Professional background: A medical doctor, Paul is nicknamed “Dr No” for this
and his refusal to vote on any legislation unless the measure is
specifically authorised by the Constitution.Political experience: The
Representative from Texas has 17 years experience in Congress.
Political positions: Variously described as a conservative, Constitutionalist,
libertarian and liberal economist, Paul advocates smaller government with
minimal federal interference, low public spending and tax cuts. He is
pro-life and pro-gun and is opposed to the infringement of civil liberties
in the name of security. He propounds a non-interventionist on foreign
policy, having voted against the Iraq war and calling for immediate
withdrawal.
Religion: Baptist
You might not know that: Ron Paul stood as the Libertarian Party candidate –
despite remaining a registered Republican - in the 1988 presidential
election, gaining 0.5 percent of the vote.
Fred Thompson
Date of birth: August 19 1942
Professional background: Lawyer, lobbyist and actor
Political experience: As a Senator from Tennessee from 1994-2003, Thompson was
the only serving congressman ever to simultaneously star in a TV programme –
as District Attorney Arthur Branch in popular US series Law and Order.
Political positions: A dedicated federalist who, though pro-life, also
believes women should not be criminalised for early term abortions, and that
states should generally decide from themselves on matters such as abortion
and gay marriage. A pro-gun global warming skeptic, he supported the
invasion of Iraq and opposes withdrawal, but believes mistakes have been
made in its handling. A tax cutting enthusiast, he is a strong supporter of
globalisation and free trade.
Religion: A member of the Church of Christ, a non-denominational group that
identifies with the church as established by Christ in the 1st century.
You might not know that: Thompson was minority counsel for the Watergate
hearings, and is allegedly responsible for the question said to have led to
Nixon’s downfall - "What did the President know, and when did he
know it?
Tom Tancredo
Date of birth: December 20 1945
Professional background: Teacher
Political experience: A Representative from Colorado since 1999, he served a
previous stint in Congress from 1977-81.
Political position: Strongly pro-life and anti-gay marriage, Tancredo has also
been criticised for centring his campaign on his opposition to immigration.
Though he backed the Iraq War, he now wants to see a timetable for
disengagement. Advocates limited government and low taxes.
Religion: A former Roman Catholic, now a member of the Evangelical
Presbyterian Church
You might not know that: Tancredo does not believe in the theory of evolution.
Duncan Hunter
Date of birth: May 31 1948
Professional background: Lawyer
Political experience: Representative from California since 1981
Political positions: A staunchly pro-life, family values conservative. A
protectionist, he is anti-free trade and has promised to build a security
fence along the Mexico-US border. Hawkish on foreign policy, Duncan supports
the Iraq war and continued deployment of US troops.
Religion: Baptist
You might not know that – He lost his San Diego home in the wildfires of
Oct 2003. It has only recently been rebuilt
John McCain is an Episcopalian (Anglican).
Richard Bates, Athens, Georgia, USA
God's Truth will ring out. I support Christian values.
Jessica Machmueller, Oshkosh, Wisconsin
I say Barack Obama might just save America,
Suzie Sheehan, Cairo, Egypt