The Presidential election is still far away, so it's understandable if you haven't yet taken notice of the various candidates and the issues at stake. So why are we bothering you about it now? Well, putting aside the whole "democracy requires an informed population" issue, a lot of smart and important people discuss this stuff in their spare time; though the trials and tribulations of Joey and Dawson's romance may to us seem sufficient fodder for conversation, there are some who are actually riveted by the debates over the McCain-Feingold bill. Moreover, politics are, dare we say it, actually pretty cool; in an era in which nuclear deterrents have taken all the fun out of war, the political arena is the closest thing we have to pure unadulterated competition.
For the November 2000 election, there is quite an interesting cast of crazies vying to run the country. Some of them will call themselves Republicans, and some of them will call themselves Democrats. The rest will call themselves Ross. Many are assuming that Veep Al Gore will be the Democratic candidate (though not if challenger Bill Bradley has anything to say about it), but most don't know the actual stances of the Republican candidates. We know that George Bush is rich, and John McCain was a POW in Nam, but what do we know about their beliefs? Without further ado, we give you the candidates for the Republican nomination, each with complete overviews, backgrounds, issues stances, and strengths and weaknesses. Just one last note: these candidates have said remarkably little about their stances. They don't want to give away their game plan too early – but that changes daily, and this SYW might be a little outdated a few short weeks after it's up.
1. MEET GEORGE W. BUSH
OverviewUnless you have been living in a box for the last six months, you are aware that this spitting image of his father seeks to follow in Daddy's footsteps by becoming our 44th President. Many political enthusiasts refer to him simply as "W" to avoid confusion. The catch-phrase of his campaign is "compassionate conservatism" which roughly translates to "I am a moderate Republican." Although his name is well-known, Bush's policies and history remain unfamiliar to most: on the plus-side for him, he is a fresh face and has relatively few enemies; on the negative side, no one really knows all that much about him.
Admittedly no intellectual, Bush projects that normal-guy image and tries to play it to perfection. He looks to capitalize on the backlash against Bill Clinton's scandal-plagued tenure in office by establishing himself as the Anti-Clinton: one who rejected the fast-life in favor of good old Christian values (he recently called Jesus his favorite philosopher).
Bush has created the most effective organization among the candidates, raising (as of December 1999) over $57 million in funding (more than all the other candidates combined) and securing the endorsements of most Republican Senators and Governors. Despite a few bumps in the road, (and, recently, a second-place finish to John McCain in the New Hampshire primary) Bush is the clear front-runner in this race and the nomination is his to lose.
Background
While Bush grew up in a rich, powerful and politically-oriented family, he lacks the experience of typical leading candidates. In 1968, Bush graduated from Yale with mediocre marks that he initially refused to release to the public. When his grades were leaked to the press earlier this year, they revealed that he had received no A's and got a "D" in astronomy (prompting the New Yorker headline: NASA Watch Out). Of course, we should remember that two of the last century's most beloved and successful Presidents -- Kennedy and F.D.R-- were themselves unimpressive students.
After college, Bush bounced around for several years, and although he picked up an M.B.A. from Harvard in 1975, he seemed temporarily content to coast on his family's wealth and prestige. In 1978, he lost his bid for Congress and next involved himself in politics as an advisor to his dad's 1988 and 1992 presidential campaigns. After serving as managing partner of the Texas Rangers from 1989-94, Bush defeated the popular incumbent Democrat Ann Richards in the competitive 1994 race for the Texas Governorship, the position he currently holds.
Like many governors who seek the presidency, Bush's weakest area is considered to be foreign policy (ironically, his father's strongest). After a reporter challenged him to name the leaders of Taiwan, India, Chechnya and Pakistan (all hot-spots recently in the news), Bush, looking like a deer caught in the headlights, blurted out that the only one he knew was "Lee Something" for Taiwan. When Bush asked the reporter if he could do any better, the man shot back, "I am not running for President." D'oh!
Issues
Bush has adopted a stance of moderate conservative views and (like any good front-runner) has been reasonably unspecific about proposals. An ardent supporter of the death penalty, Bush's Texas has executed more criminals during his tenure than any other state in the nation. Although he opposes abortion, he has not made the issue a central part of his campaign, refusing to rule out the possibility of a pro-choice running mate. In contrast to John McCain, Bush has not rushed into the endorsement of campaign finance reform (convenient given his overwhelming edge in financial support). Like most conservatives, Bush is wary of imposing environmental measures on businesses.
Strengths/Weaknesses
Most of the Republican leadership quickly rallied around Bush, unified in their desire to defeat the Democrats. The money Bush has raised is staggering; he does not need Federal subsidies for his campaign and therefore is exempt from spending limits. His name is familiar, as is his face, and Bush reflects the moderate values considered useful for a Presidential candidate. His biggest liabilities include questions about his intelligence, his past use of drugs (including cocaine), and his limited range of political experience.
