Now that Al Gore has thrown his support behind Howard Dean, I feel compelled to try to sort out where I stand on the various Democrats running for the nomination. I’ve decided to sort by issue category. For the purposes of this sorting, I am not considering who seems most likely to be successful. I’m just going by what they say and what they have done, and relying largely on their official websites. I will blog on the issues in no particular order of importance.

It is worth noting, perhaps, that Carol Mosely-Braun’s and Al Sharpton’s official websites seem to be dead.

Today’s issue: the Death Penalty

Clark: supports it, but has expressed concerns with the way in which it is applied and would support a review of all cases.

Dean: supports it for “extreme and heinous” crimes, but has expressed concerns with the way in which it is applied and would support a review of all cases.

Edwards: supports it, I think (although his website doesn’t say anything in particular about it)

Gephardt: supports it, I think (although his website doesn’t say anything in particular about it)

Kerry: supports it, but has expressed concerns with the way in which it is applied and would support a review of all cases.

Kucinich: opposes it as racist, classist, and immoral.

Lieberman: supports it, but has expressed concerns with the way in which it is applied

Mosley-Braun: opposes it as racist, classist, and immoral.

Sharpton: opposes it as racist, classist, and immoral.


On this issue, KUCINICH, MOSLEY-BRAUN, and SHARPTON could get my vote.