Summary of the Presidential Candidates

I found an article from a summer issue of New Man Magazine, a decidedly Christian worldview mag online that had already at that time come out in support of Mike Huckabee for president, and in the article is a summary of each of the candidates on both the Republican and Democratic side of the race. I found it interesting and a great "quick facts" reference when discussing the candidates, though I was disappointed that Tom Tancredo was not included.

Here are the summaries below, but if you want to read the entire article, you can find it here.

Our View on the Other Candidates

We know you haven't had time to research all the candidates. So instead of just presenting Mike Huckabee, we evaluated the main ones using three simple criteria:

1. Must be a social conservative committed to pro-life, pro-family, pro-marriage issues.
2. Must have strong moral character and good judgment exhibited by executive experience.
3. Must have excellent communication skills and ability to cast a vision.

In the past 30 years only one president had all three qualifications�Ronald Reagan. This year, of all the candidates only Mike Huckabee meets all three criteria.

Sam Brownback (R)

Sam Brownback, 50, is strongly pro-life and the most avid supporter of the Federal Marriage Amendment in the Senate. When he arrived in Washington in 1995 he was one of several freshman members of the House of Representatives who fought hard for tax cuts and a smaller government. In 1996 he won a special election to enter the Senate. As a senator, he has defended the right to life, monitored bioengineering research for the danger it poses to the unborn, worked to combat religious persecution abroad and sought to preserve human rights internationally. Brownback is a conservative and an outspoken Christian who embraces political issues that transcend partisan differences. He is known for partnering successfully with Democrats such as Edward Kennedy and Barbara Boxer to pass legislation related to immigration, women's rights and sex trafficking. He is an average communicator and not viewed as a candidate with charisma.

Fred Thompson (R)

Fred Thompson, 64, a lawyer and actor, was an assistant U.S. attorney before serving as a U.S. senator from 1994-2003, representing Tennessee. He has been compared to Ronald Reagan for his folksy tone and actor's ease before an audience. Thompson's career as a film and TV actor began in 1985, and he recently resigned his role as a Manhattan district attorney on NBC's Law & Order. He sides with current public cynicism toward the president and the Democrat-controlled Congress. He has voted consistently in the Senate against abortion. His campaign themes are tighter borders, smaller government and lower taxes. He argues that Republicans lost control of Congress because of out-of-�control spending and heavy-handed partisanship. In April, Thompson revealed he has a slow-growing form of lymphoma but said his doctors believe he could well live a normal lifespan.

Duncan Hunter (R)

Duncan Hunter, 59, is a lawyer and has been a member of the U.S. House since 1981, representing California. He is a two-year veteran of the Vietnam War and the current chair of the House Committee on Armed Services, a post he has held for the last four years. He is married with two adult sons, one of whom is a U.S. Marine who has served two tours in Iraq. He is pro-life, supports the Federal Marriage Amendment and a balanced federal budget, and favors peace through strength. He recognizes Israel as America's most important ally in the Middle East and strongly supports Israel's right to exist and defend itself.

John McCain (R)

John McCain, 70, served in Vietnam and was a prisoner of war there from 1967-1973. He opposes the Federal Marriage Amendment, saying gay marriage is a states-rights issue. Though he supported the Arizona marriage amendment, he has shown indifference toward socially conservative Christian leaders. He has a pro-life voting record despite previous pro-choice statements he made while running for president in 2004. He is not known for supporting the role of government to restrain immorality, unless evidence of direct harm to citizenry can be shown. His odds are good for beating a Democratic candidate.

Newt Gingrich (R)

Newt Gingrich, 64, is a former Speaker of the House and congressman from Georgia. He is perhaps best known as the architect of The Contract With America, which supported issues with broad popular appeal that ranged from welfare reform, term limits, tougher crime laws and a balanced budget law to more specialized legislation such as restrictions on American military participation in U.N. missions. He is the smartest and brightest policy mind in the race. Gingrich is very strong on national security issues and espouses a strong conservative philosophy, for the most part. However, he has the highest negative ratings of any candidate in either race and is considered a polarizing figure and personality. He has exhibited a history of poor judgment in personal matters, having been married three times. His third wife is 23 years his junior. Current polling suggests that Gingrich is the candidate most likely to lose in the general election.

Mitt Romney (R)

A Mormon who advocated pro-choice and pro-gay values for nearly a decade, Romney, 60, now espouses the opposite. The former Republican governor of Massachusetts is polished, but the critical issue of trust currently eludes him. Romney's religious views could hinder his chances. In a recent poll, more Americans said they would vote for another candidate before they would vote for the first Mormon president. Similarly, Christian leaders who support Romney for his ability to articulate the conservative message have been criticized by fellow believers for endorsing a Mormon.

Rudy Giuliani (R)

Rudy Giuliani, 63, an ex-U.S. attorney and mayor, showed confident leadership as mayor of New York after September 11. He has made personal donations to Planned Parenthood, the leading performer of abortions in the U.S., and has abandoned his party's policies on social issues. He is the only Republican candidate who openly supports abortion, gay marriage and gun control. He decided not to run against Hillary Clinton for U.S. senator in New York several years ago, citing serious health issues. He has been critical of conservative Christians and has made little effort to reach out to social conservatives, though early on he did attempt to meet with pastors. It is believed that Giuliani could silence the voice of many Christians on key moral issues if elected. Recent Gallup polls show two-thirds of GOP voters and even evangelical Christians erroneously think Giuliani is pro-life and pro-marriage.

Barack Obama (D)

The well-spoken Democrat from Illinois has only two years' service in the U.S. Senate. Adding to his lack of experience is the question of how Obama, 45, would handle the U.S. policy on terrorists. He was stumped in a recent debate on what he would do in the event of another attack. Obama vigorously supports the teaching of the church he attends in Chicago, Trinity United Church of Christ, that homosexuals should be able to marry and have special privileges.

Hillary Clinton (D)

Sen. Clinton, 59, is currently co-sponsoring S. 1173, legislation that would undermine the latest U.S. Supreme Court decision that outlaws partial-birth abortion. The bill not only would overturn the ban but also would prohibit any future congressional attempts to protect the life of the unborn. Clinton also consistently supports homosexual special interests. Her husband signed the Defense of Marriage Act while president, but she isn't expected to exhibit the same kind of moderation.

John Edwards (D)

The former U.S. senator and Democratic vice presidential hopeful has, like Barack Obama, two years of Senate service. He promises to eliminate poverty, but he is a closet tax-and-spend politician whose plans for universal health care are similar to Sen. Clinton's same goal almost 15 years ago. Edwards, 54, talks often of reform but has yet to reveal plans for stemming frivolous litigation, holding government responsible for spending and stopping special-interest politics.