Republican vs. Democrat: How Does John McCain Match Up Against Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama?

Now that the Republican Presidential nominee has been all but solidified, the Republican party is trying to unite. What cannot be forgotten, however, is that John McCain does have his own views and policies. While the Democratic candidates have been whittled down to two, those two look like they are in for a dogfight. How do both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama match up against McCain on the important issues? The two parties have drastic differences, and it is important to note these differences to give everyone a more intelligent decision. All information on these candidates was found through the election center at www.cnn.com.

Iraq

If you're looking for a divisive issue, the war in Iraq is easily the most talked about. John McCain heavily supports many of the basic Republican ideas as far as the war is concerned. He has no issue with keeping the troops over seas. He also supported the idea of sending more troops to Iraq. This is an easily conservative idea that clashes harshly with the Democratic view of the war. Both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama believe that the removal of troops is the answer. Both Clinton and Obama oppose the current stance on the war. Where the Democrats and McCain clash heavily can be easily defined by one singular quote by McCain that mentioned a 100 year war in Iraq. The Democrats easily disagree with this stance.

Immigration

While the war in Iraq may be an incredibly divisive issue, Immigration could be considered the least divisive. McCain, Clinton, and Obama all supported the Bush-backed legislation on immigration reform. They all also voted to authorize a 700-mile long wall on the border. According to immigrationusa.us, McCain has recently stated that he would make the immigrants go back home before they applied for US citizenship. Both Democrats believe that the best way to go about the immigration issue is to fix the system before any further action is taken, in terms of sending people home.

Same-Sex Marriage

This once large issue has been left alone as of late, but could easily be considered a hot-button issue. Many conservatives are very against same-sex marriage. Some are also against the idea of civil unions (which is hilarious considering the fact that many have given speeches that argue that all individuals in the US are "equal" and should be treated as such). John McCain has taken the middle ground on this conservative issue, as he is against same-sex marriages, but refuses to make it something constitutional and would support rights for gay couples. Both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama oppose same-sex marriage, but heavily support civil unions. Both oppose a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage.

What is obvious through these hot-button issues is that while McCain may have differences from the eventual Democratic Nominee, he also has some differences with the Republican party. The argument that he is "not a conservative" could be debated, but the fact that he has similarities with the Democrats could be an issue when it comes to attempting to unite the Republican party against the Democrats. Whether it be Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama, McCain will face similar issue disparities, and a strong, united Democratic Party.