Issue date: 10/1/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Photo courtesy of Flickr user NHVictory

Media Credit: Photo by Ethan Long

Listen up America?it's campaign crunch time.
There are five weeks until we vote a new president into office. So start listening to news, read some papers and decided who you want to lead the nation. In case you've been living under a rock, this is where the country stands in the 2008 Presidential Campaign.
The Democratic nominee is Senator Barack Obama, junior Senator from Illinois. Senator John McCain of Arizona is the Republican nominee. Both Senators have participated in one debate, where no clear winner was announced.
Sen. McCain ran against President George Bush in 2000, obviously lost, and reemerged in 2007 to vie for the presidency again. McCain ran against former Mass. Governor Mitt Romney and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Republican primaries were heated for McCain, with Romney being his harshest critic. When Romney ended his campaign earlier this year, only McCain and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee were left. McCain eventually clinched the nomination.
Known in 2000 as the "Original Maverick," McCain has come under ridicule for his age and some misquotes. What has become the most controversial move of his campaign was his vice presidential pick, Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin. Gov. Palin added a boost to the McCain campaign, and clinched the crucial Evangelical vote. Palin has caused a huge media blitz, especially with her recent interviews and Saturday Night Live satires.
Getting to the issues, McCain is an advocate for small government, cutting federal spending, tax cuts, and victory in Iraq. Socially, McCain opposes gay-marriage and is leaving civil unions to the states. Gov. Palin has come under scrutiny for her social views. She is pro-life, even in cases of rape and incest.
Senator Barack Obama is running his campaign on the slogan of change. Obama's campaign became more than a grassroots organization when the competition between he and New York Senator Hillary Clinton escalated. There was some controversial media coverage about what would happen and who would eventually be awarded the nomination. The Democratic Primaries would be historical no matter the outcome. After the last of the states held their primaries, Sen. Obama became the first Black American to be a major party presidential candidate.
Obama came under the media microscope when controversial comments from reverend of his church in Chicago surfaced. Michelle Obama, his wife, also made some comments which caused unwanted press. The vice presidential pick for Obama is less controversial; he picked Senator Joe Biden of Delaware. Sen. Biden has the foreign policy experience that many voters think Obama lacks. On the issues, Obama is against old Washington politics, encourages more foreign diplomacy, and ending the War in Iraq. Socially, Obama is pro-choice and supports civil unions.
What voters should look out for are two more presidential debates and the much anticipated vice presidential debate tomorrow.
Last day to register to vote in Mass. is Oct. 15, and the general election in Tuesday, Nov. 4.

Make your choice. Get out and vote.

Jeff Fish, Journal Staff,
contributed to this report.

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