My comparison of presidential candidate positions has generated some interesting comments from readers, so a few words about my methodology for comparing the presidential candidates are in order.
The topic rankings in the first table, "How the presidential candidates prioritize the issues", are in fact how they ranked their positions on their candidate websites on the day when I produced this article. I agree that an alphabetical listing wouldn't work so well, and their own rankings should be included, therefore the table. But I really wanted to try and get similar issues side by side. But once you get into comparing specific issues side by side, whose priorities should control the order of the list? I made it clear I decided to start with John [McCain]'s list.
I started this at a time when the media was allowing the battles between Hillary and Barack to entirely monopolize the the news, [McCain] was getting 5 minutes coverage for every two hours H&B were getting, I almost thought [McCain] had gone on vacation or something. Wondering if that was true was probably why I started with [McCains] website, just to see if he was even doing anything. When I found is was busy with a full schedule talking to various groups, I started reading his positions that I was hearing about in the news, and then I realized I wanted to compare the other websites.
The biggest challenge is how do you try to get similar issues as side by side as possible? Maybe it would be easy for a political science major, but I found as a layman that it was challenging. Rather than compare apples and thumbtacks, you'll see many blanks in the later tables, since some of the candidates were concerned about unique issues that didn't seem to register direct comment by the other candidates. Still I tried to group them by some broad categories.
I agree that a fresh list should be produced on the basis of J&B current lists as revealed on their campaign websites, as their sites and priorities may have changed during the election process. I would welcome anyone who would be willing to submit such a list. I'll consider whether I can do it in such a way as to allow the items to be sorted in whatever order the viewer may desire.
Thanks for the full names. Hillary frequently is refered to, without comment, as "Hillary Rodham Clinton". But lots of people are sensitive about Baracks fullname and comment when it is used. Interesting. Thanks for finding John Sidney [McCain] III's full name. I had no idea he is a "the third". Is there "the fourth" in his family tree?
And, apology to all the Ron Paul fans out there, and the Ralph Nader fans too. It didn't even occur to me to try and include them in the comparison of candidates..... Maybe in 2012, if the end of the Mayan calendar hasn't put an end to our elections, that is....
