Presidential Campaigns Heat Up Two Years Before 2008 Election

With the 2008 presidential election more than two years away, both Democratic and Republican parties' nominal front-runners, John McCain and Hillary Clinton, respectively, are already engaging in campaign-like activities. Senator McCain is touring the key primary states, while Senator Clinton is delivering speeches criticizing the economic record of President George W. Bush. Although neither has officially declared their candidacy, they are increasingly targeting their messages at their respective party bases.

Key Takeaways:

• John McCain, a Republican senator and Vietnam war hero, is engaging in a seven-day tour of key primary states, including Iowa, New Hampshire, Florida, Minnesota, and Ohio, which were closely fought in the 2004 presidential election.
• McCain has made his reputation as a maverick willing to speak his mind, but has also praised President Bush's leadership and voted to extend some of his tax cuts.
• He has agreed to deliver the commencement address at Liberty University, headed by Reverend Jerry Falwell, which may be seen as a move to win over conservative votes.
• Hillary Clinton, the Democratic front-runner, has assembled a huge staff through her political action committee and has raised $17m.
• Clinton has been increasingly outspoken on issues important to the Democratic liberal base, including soaring healthcare costs and growing trade and budget deficits.
• Clinton has also denounced reports of the administration considering the use of tactical nuclear weapons to prevent Iran from acquiring a bomb.

Statistics:

• $17m: The amount raised by Hillary Clinton's political action committee
• 7 days: The duration of John McCain's tour of key primary states
• 2: The number of Republican senators who voted against the $1,135bn tax reduction in 2001, including John McCain
• 17m: The approximate number of dollars raised by Hillary Clinton's political action committee
• 946bn: European equivalent of the $1,135bn tax reduction in 2001

Sources:

• "Byline: EDWARD ALDEN WASHINGTON -- With more than two years to go before the 2008 presidential elections, the nominal frontrunners for both the Democratic and Republican parties are already in what looks like campaign mode." (Source: unknown publication)
• "Republican senator John McCain was in Ohio yesterday in the middle of a seven-day tour that is taking him to the key primary states of Iowa and New Hampshire, as well as critical states such as Florida, Minnesota and Ohio that were closely fought in the 2004 presidential election." (Source: unknown publication)
• "Democratic senator Hillary Clinton was set to deliver a speech to the Chicago Economic Club last night blasting the economic record of President George W. Bush." (Source: unknown publication)
• "He also voted in favour of extending some of Mr Bush's tax cuts, after having been one of only two Republican senators to vote against the Dollars 1,135bn (Euros 946bn, Pounds 652bn) tax reduction in 2001." (Source: unknown publication)
• "In television interviews over the past week, Mr McCain - who once denounced Mr Falwell as an 'agent of intolerance' - has insisted he can speak at the university without embracing all of its values." (Source: unknown publication)
• "She said that soaring healthcare costs and growing trade and budget deficits were threatening economic stability. 'The rich are getting richer, everybody else is marching in place,' she said. 'I don't think that's good for us.'" (Source: unknown publication)
• "She was also quick to denounce reports that the administration might be considering the use of tactical nuclear weapons to prevent Iran from acquiring a bomb, saying that Mr Bush should take the nuclear option 'off the table'." (Source: unknown publication)