Explore Pros & Cons of Controversial Issues

2008 Election

Which candidate would make the best US president?

Which candidate would make the best US president?

ProCon.org has researched the US Presidential candidates and their views on 75 issues ranging from abortion to global warming to the war in Iraq. Read our simple, nonpartisan, pro-con presentations and decide for yourself: "Which candidate would make the best US President?"

ARCHIVED WEBSITE: No new data posted since Jan. 19, 2009 because Barack Obama became US President the following day. The 2008 Election website was ProCon.org's most popular website ever with over 868,000 sessions between Dec. 12, 2007, when the site first launched, through Election Day on Nov. 4, 2008. We kept it active until Jan. 19, 2009, the day before President Elect Barack Obama became President of the United States. On Jan. 20, 2009 we archived the site - meaning we will no longer make any updates to it. The site will remain accessible in our "Archived Sites" section. Thanks to all our inquisitive readers, staff, and volunteers who made the project such a success.

2008 Election Results Here

2008 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES - BIOS AND VIEWS

Democratic Party

Republican Party

3rd Parties / Independents


Obama, Barack
&

&

Baldwin, Chuck (Cst.)

Barr, Bob (Lib.)

Biden, Joe

Palin, Sarah

McKinney, Cynthia (Grn.)

Nader, Ralph (Ind.)

Inactive Candidates

News and Notices

Candidate Summary Chart

CANDIDATE VIEWS BY ISSUE

Pros & Cons by Category

Abortion

1. Legal option

2. Parental Consent

Character

3. Honesty vs. competence

China

4. Threat to US?

5. Human Rights

Criminal Justice

6. Felon Voting

7. Rehab vs. incarceration

Cuba

Darfur

Death Penalty

10. Legal option

Defense

11. Missile defense shield

District of Columbia

Economy

13. Outsourcing jobs

14. Free trade regulations

17. Labor unions

Education

18. No Child Left Behind

19. Increasing costs

20. School vouchers

21. Abstinence only

Election Reform

22. Paper trails

23. Campaign contributions

24. Public financing

Eminent Domain

25. Non-public use

Energy

26. ANWR drilling

27. Price of US gasoline

28. Offshore drilling

29. Nuclear plants

30. Ethanol subsidies

Environment

31. International agreements

32. Fuel efficiency

33. Global climate change

Gun Control

34. Federal regulations

Health Care

35. Subsidized care

36. Prescription options

37. Fast food and obesity

Immigration

38. Net impact on economy

39. Rights and benefits

40. US-Mexico fence

Iran

41. US military force

42. Direct negotiations

Iraq War

43. Was the attack a mistake?

44. Is America safer?

45. Withdrawal timetable

Israel

46. Military and economic aid

Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Kosovo

49. Independence

Marriage

50. Constitutional amendment

Media

52. Protecting sources

Medical Marijuana

53. Legalization

National ID

55. National ID card

National Service

57. Gays in the military

58. Mandatory service

Presidential Power

59. Line item veto

60. Unitary executive theory

61. VP in Executive Branch

Religion

62. Faith-based funding

63. Importance to voters

Science

64. Funding NASA

65. Intelligent Design as science

Social Security

66. Privatizing

Stem Cells

67. Federal funding

Taxes

68. Bush tax cuts

69. Tax increase

Turkey

70. Entering Iraq

US Constitution

War on Terror

72. Waterboarding

73. Guantanamo Bay

74. PATRIOT Act

75. Warrantless wiretapping

Teacher Survey

Notices for 2008 Election and Other ProCon.org Information (archived after 30 days)

Archived Notices (archived after 30 days)

Last updated on 11/1/2010 11:29:46 AM PST

Which candidate would make the best US president?

Which candidate would make the best US president?

ProCon.org has researched the US Presidential candidates and their views on 75 issues ranging from abortion to global warming to the war in Iraq. Read our simple, nonpartisan, pro-con presentations and decide for yourself: "Which candidate would make the best US President?"

ARCHIVED WEBSITE: No new data posted since Jan. 19, 2009 because Barack Obama became US President the following day. The 2008 Election website was ProCon.org's most popular website ever with over 868,000 sessions between Dec. 12, 2007, when the site first launched, through Election Day on Nov. 4, 2008. We kept it active until Jan. 19, 2009, the day before President Elect Barack Obama became President of the United States. On Jan. 20, 2009 we archived the site - meaning we will no longer make any updates to it. The site will remain accessible in our "Archived Sites" section. Thanks to all our inquisitive readers, staff, and volunteers who made the project such a success.

2008 Election Results Here

2008 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES - BIOS AND VIEWS

Democratic Party

Republican Party

3rd Parties / Independents


Obama, Barack
&

&

Baldwin, Chuck (Cst.)

Barr, Bob (Lib.)

Biden, Joe

Palin, Sarah

McKinney, Cynthia (Grn.)

Nader, Ralph (Ind.)

Inactive Candidates

News and Notices

Candidate Summary Chart

CANDIDATE VIEWS BY ISSUE

Pros & Cons by Category

Abortion

1. Legal option

2. Parental Consent

Character

3. Honesty vs. competence

China

4. Threat to US?

5. Human Rights

Criminal Justice

6. Felon Voting

7. Rehab vs. incarceration

Cuba

Darfur

Death Penalty

10. Legal option

Defense

11. Missile defense shield

District of Columbia

Economy

13. Outsourcing jobs

14. Free trade regulations

17. Labor unions

Education

18. No Child Left Behind

19. Increasing costs

20. School vouchers

21. Abstinence only

Election Reform

22. Paper trails

23. Campaign contributions

24. Public financing

Eminent Domain

25. Non-public use

Energy

26. ANWR drilling

27. Price of US gasoline

28. Offshore drilling

29. Nuclear plants

30. Ethanol subsidies

Environment

31. International agreements

32. Fuel efficiency

33. Global climate change

Gun Control

34. Federal regulations

Health Care

35. Subsidized care

36. Prescription options

37. Fast food and obesity

Immigration

38. Net impact on economy

39. Rights and benefits

40. US-Mexico fence

Iran

41. US military force

42. Direct negotiations

Iraq War

43. Was the attack a mistake?

44. Is America safer?

45. Withdrawal timetable

Israel

46. Military and economic aid

Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Kosovo

49. Independence

Marriage

50. Constitutional amendment

Media

52. Protecting sources

Medical Marijuana

53. Legalization

National ID

55. National ID card

National Service

57. Gays in the military

58. Mandatory service

Presidential Power

59. Line item veto

60. Unitary executive theory

61. VP in Executive Branch

Religion

62. Faith-based funding

63. Importance to voters

Science

64. Funding NASA

65. Intelligent Design as science

Social Security

66. Privatizing

Stem Cells

67. Federal funding

Taxes

68. Bush tax cuts

69. Tax increase

Turkey

70. Entering Iraq

US Constitution

War on Terror

72. Waterboarding

73. Guantanamo Bay

74. PATRIOT Act

75. Warrantless wiretapping

Teacher Survey

Notices for 2008 Election and Other ProCon.org Information (archived after 30 days)

Archived Notices (archived after 30 days)

Last updated on 11/1/2010 11:29:46 AM PST

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