2008 Elections  For more information: Inauguration Introduction l Transition l Election Process l Presidential Candidates l Campaign Finance Issues l Congressional Elections l Polls l Election Results & Analysis l Media l Statistics

What kind of information materials are available?

Background • America.gov: Candidates on the Issues - A quick look at the candidates' views on key international issues • New York Times: The Candidates on the Issues - Abortion * Climate Change * Economy * Health Care * Immigration * Iran * Iraq • Washington Post: Issue Coverage Tracker - Review of press coverage and opinion writing on the presidential candidates and the major issues of the 2008 campaign. • CNN: Issues, U.S. Elections Foreign Policy Explainer • LA Times: American Values and the Next President - Editorial series on the values and issues that will shape the 2008 election. • Council on Foreign Relations (CFR): Candidate Positions on Foreign Policy, The Candidates on Immigration • Foreign Press Center Briefing: Foreign Relations and Its Impact on the American Voter • The Harris Poll: Democrats and Independents Feel the Economy Will Get Worse in 2008 (#3, Jan. 7, 2008)   The Candidates on the Issues Please note: This page has not been updated after the Elections on November 4, to better illustrate the election cycle that lead to the election of President Barack Obama. This year’s top issues — Iraq, economy, immigration and health care —will heavily influence the election. Immigration is one of the most common topics discussed on the 2008 presidential campaign trail. While presidential candidates debate how to make U.S. borders more secure and how to improve federal immigration guidelines, state and local governments are reviewing their own immigration policies. More (America.gov) In 2008, 'family values' are lower on the agenda compared to previous years. Voters and candidates alike have more immediate concerns: the on going U.S. action in Iraq and Afghanistan, nuclear programs in Iran and North Korea, the threat of terrorism, immigration issues and the state of the U.S. economy. Recent polls show that 82 percent of American voters consider economic issues very important. For a discussion of which economic concerns will affect voters' choices in 2008 download the USINFO Podcast (2MB MP3). Exit polling of Republican and Democratic voters after Democratic and Republican primaries in most states shows the economy far outweighs any other single issue (CQPolitics). However, the challenge for Americans voting in the caucuses, primaries and the general election is to select with care, acknowledging that electing the next U.S. President is not as simple as merely laying out a laundry list of issues and seeing who matches up best. See also: About the USA > Government About the USA > Government > Elections About the USA > Regierung About the USA > Regierung > Wahlen

Candidate Matching Sites Find out which candidate best aligns with your views and opinions. The "Choose Your Candidate" quizzes help you decide which candidates you agree with on the issues. • The Washington Post: Choose Your Candidate • ABC News: Match-o-Matic • USA Today Candidate Match Game • Glassboth – Quiz to help you choose the best 2008 presidential candidate • 2008 SelectSmart.com Presidential Candidate Selector • Vote Chooser

Texts are abridged from U.S. State Department IIP publications and other U.S. government materials.

What kind of information materials are available? CD: These documents are available in fulltext format on the About the USA CD-ROM. Teachers: Request a copy for classroom use. L: Selected documents are available in German as well as other languages, including Arabic, Chinese, French, Spanish, Persian and Turkish.

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U.S. Diplomatic Mission to Germany /Public Affairs/ Information Resource Centers  Updated: March 10, 2009