2004 Election

Every four years our nation gathers at polling places across the country to elect a president promising a "new" and "better" America. For the months that lead to the election, politicians travel the United States in search of votes and political support from other key officials on the local level. Candidates can spend as much time and energy degrading their opponents as focusing on their own issues. The Presidential election of 2004 has been no exception. The issues and campaigns of President Bush and Senator Kerry been widespread and complicated while their overall goal was the same, to gain the trust of the American people and gain control of the White House for the next four years.

The similarities and differences between the two candidates and their respective running mates was apparent long before the campaigns ever began. President Bush was an accomplished scholar of history at Yale and later received an MBA at Harvard in 1975 ( source 1).

English: Official photograph portrait of former U....

Congressional portrait with U.S. flag in the backg...

Headshot of John Kerry with the U.S. flag in the b...

From 1968-1973 he served as a pilot in the Texas Air National Guard ( source 4).The highlight of his political career before becoming president was his time spent as the Governor of Georgia from 1994-2000 (source 1). Vice President Richard Cheney received a college education at the University of Wyoming. With a political campaign spanning several decades Cheney has served as Secretary of Defense, Chief of Staff and has held a seat in the House of Representatives (source 3).

Senator Kerry also a graduate of Yale but in the field of Political Science, later attended Boston College graduating in 1976 with a law degree ( source 2). Kerry served in Vietnam earning three purple hearts as well as the silver and bronze stars (source 5). Upon returning he became an anti war activist and spokesperson for Vietnam Veterans Against the...