Economic Policy: Obama vs. McCain

Denver, 25 Aug. The tightly-contested presidential race between Barack Obama and John McCain may ultimately boil down to one issue: Economic policy. The subprime mortgage crisis and the increasing cost of gasoline have contributed to the widespread escalating economic worry and fears of recession. How does each candidate address the most pressing economic issues? Each candidate is approaching the economy differently. Obama made a strong entry into the race largely due to his Iraq policy, and is only now gathering steam with economic issues. On 22 August, 2008, CNN reported that Obama needed to become an “economic populist” if he wanted to win the race. Whether this is true or not remains to be seen, but with McCain trailing by only one point, Obama will have to do something to garner more support. McCain’s entry to the race was also based on overseas policy – but now with domestic concerns on the rise, he is being forced to address economics at home. “The issue of economics is not something I’ve understood as well as I should,” the Arizona senator once admitted. It’s no secret that McCain is uncomfortable discussing the economy – he’s more adept at defending his war or immigration policy. So if Obama continues to embrace an economic agenda, he may well overshadow McCain as the candidate that can best create change for the country.More