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Published online 24 September 2008 | Nature 455, 442-445 (2008) | doi:10.1038/455442a
News Feature
US election: The home stretch
The leading US presidential candidates are not trying to woo voters with science issues. But the senator who wins will help shape the world's most influential research agenda. Alexandra Witze looks at how John McCain and Barack Obama have developed their thoughts on science and technology, and where each of them might take the country if elected.
The United States' scientific establishment has been doing its best to get this year's presidential contenders to pay attention to it. In April, a group of supporters calling itself Science Debate 2008 reserved a large hall at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, hoping the whole field of candidates would show up to take questions.
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George W. Bush during his previous campaign positioned himself as a moderate and when elected acted as a conservative. With the economy failing, pure disregard for the environment, lack of energy planning under the current administration, why should we trust what Mccain says about stem cell research?
The effect of a McCain/Palin administration on the future of science in the USA, and on the already fragile morale of the scientific community, could be truly devastating. I urge all scientific colleagues, particularly in those states where a difference can be made, to do everything in their power to help Obama become the next president of the USA. There are numerous mechanisms to help in this campaign, found in the official www.barackobama.com website. Its now or never.