2008 Campaign.com Presidential Candidate Super Matrix
From Primary Season
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|
Hillary Clinton
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Barack Obama
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John McCain
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Mike Huckabee
|
Ron Paul
|
Mitt
Romney* |
| Abortion | ||||||
|
Pro life or Choice |
Choice
|
Choice
|
Life
|
Life
|
Life
|
Life
|
|
Supports Repeal of Roe v. Wade |
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes1
|
|
Late Term Abortions |
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
| Education | ||||||
|
Education (vouchers or no vouchers) |
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
National Testing Standards |
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
|
School Choice using Vouchers |
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
| Energy | ||||||
|
Increase fuel standards to 50mpg by what year? |
2020
|
2023
|
?5
|
2020
|
2030
|
NA2
|
|
Energy Independence by what year? |
2020 |
20% 2020
|
2013
|
2016
|
Opposed3
|
Yes
|
|
Decrease Carbon Emissons (Amount/ By) |
80% 2050
|
80% 2050
|
65% 2050
|
15% 2020
|
80% 2050
|
0%4
|
|
Increase Domestic Fossil Fuel Production |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
Support Carbon Cap and Trade Legislation |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
???
|
| Gay Rights | ||||||
|
Same Sex Marriage |
Against
|
Against
|
Against
|
Against
|
Against
|
Against
|
|
Same Sex Domestic Partnership Benefits |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
Legal Adoption |
Yes
|
Yes
|
?6
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
|
Classify attacks Gay/Lesbians as Hate Crime |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Mixed
|
No
|
Mixed
|
No
|
| Health Care | ||||||
|
Gov't Mandated Universal Coverage |
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
|
Expand Stem Cell Research |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
|
Decriminalize Marijuana |
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
|
Expanded Federal Funding of Stem Cell Research |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
| Homeland Security | ||||||
|
Supports Physical Border Fence |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
National ID Card |
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
|
Increase inspection of cargo containers at Ports |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
| Immigration | ||||||
|
Immigration (Amnesty or Not) |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
|
Driver's License for Undocumented immigrants |
No7
|
Yes
|
?
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
|
Allow Illegals to participate in Social Security? |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
|
Guest Worker Program |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
|
Allow Undocumented Aliens to Participate in Social Services i.e Public Schools, Health Care, Etc. |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
| Iraq (Length of Commitment) | ||||||
|
Immediate Withdrawl 0-6 months |
Yes
|
|
|
|
Yes
|
|
|
Short Term Goal for Withdrawal 6-12 months |
Yes
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Long Term Commitment with No exact Timelines |
|
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
Yes
|
| Social Security | ||||||
|
Social Security (Fed or Private) (Keep system but bolster, partial priviation within, individual accounts or outside.) |
Federal
|
Federal
|
Private
|
Federal
|
Private
|
Private
|
|
Current System Needs Some Repair |
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
Current System needs Major Overhaul |
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
|
Partial Privatization |
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
Total Privatization |
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
| Tax Policy | ||||||
|
Tax Increases (For or Against) |
For
|
For
|
Against
|
Against
|
Against
|
Against
|
|
Current System Working Fine |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current System Needs Minor Changes (AMT revisions, bracket changes) |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
|
Yes
|
|
Current System Needs Major Overhaul (nat'l sales tax, flat tax) |
|
|
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
| 2nd Amendment | ||||||
|
Supports Right to Bear Arms + (NRA Rating) |
Yes (F)
|
Yes (F)
|
Yes (C+)
|
Yes (A)
|
Yes (B)
|
Yes (B)
|
|
Stricter Gun Control Laws |
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
|
Waiting Period |
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Notes:
* Mitt Romney announced February 7, 2008 that he will suspend his presidential campaign for the Republican presidential nomination.
1 Romney in 1994 supported Roe vs. Wade, but now does not.
2 Romney will not commit to a hard stance. Says will discuss with automakers. Wants to make sure not to hurt US auto industry
3Ron Paul is opposed to Energy Independence because he does not think it is possible.
4Romney will not commit to direct answer other than to say it's more of a Chinese problem than US. Source: Romney Campaign.
5Unknown Stance. Directly asked McCain Campaign.
6 Unknown Stance. Directly asked McCain Campaign.
7Hillary Clinton initially supported driver's licenses for illegals, but has changed her opinion and now does not
Questions/Comments/Revisions:
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