Lifestyles of the 2008 Presidential Candidates
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Getty Images | AP
How Our Potential
Leaders Live in Real LifeAs the presidential and vice-presidential candidates tour the country trying to inform Americans about their political beliefs and policy agendas, we take a look at how these public figures lead their private lives.
Click through our gallery as we round up information from the Associated Press 'personal sides' series, Web sites, like Votesmart.org, and writers, like freelance author Jonathan Berr, to take a peek at the White House hopefuls' homes, cars, families, churches, favorite foods and more.
First Up: Their Favorite Foods -
Their Favorite Food
Barack Obama: (to cook) Chili
John McCain: Chocolate ice cream, pizza with pepperoni and onions, baby-back ribs
Joseph Biden: Pasta
Sarah Palin: Moose stew
(Source: Votesmart.org, Slate.com)
Next: Astrological Signs -
Jerry Lai, AP
Barack Obama, Democrat
Obama has a large, stately brick home on Chicago's South Side with an estimated value of $1.9 million. The Chicago Tribune describes it as a "96-year-old Georgian revival home that has four fireplaces, glass-door bookcases fashioned from Honduran mahogany, and a 1,000-bottle wine cellar."
Next: Biden's Home -
Getty Images
Joseph Biden, Democrat
Long-standing allegations have dogged Delaware Senator Joe Biden regarding whether or not he unduly profited from the sale of his previous home in 1996. Today the vice-presidential candidate lives in Greenville, Del. Pictured to the left are both his main home and the smaller carriage house where his mother lives.
Next: McCain's Home -
Stephan Savoia, AP
John McCain, Republican
According to Architectural Digest, Senator John McCain and his wife, Cindy, live with their family in a southwestern-style residence in Phoenix. "My husband's favorite part about the house is probably the casual style of it," remarks Cindy McCain. "The feel is very comfortable, and he enjoys that, because he’s not a formal person." McCain has taken heat for not knowing how many houses he owns.
Next: Palin's Home -
Al Grillo, AP | Anchorage Daily News | MCT
Sarah Palin, Republican
According to ZillowBlog.com, a real estate Web site, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's house in Wasilla, Alaska is a two-story framed structure on a couple of acres, built in 2002 with a poured concrete foundation and no basement. According to Alaska magazine, the home was designed and built by her husband, Todd. The home has an appraised value of $552,100, according to the Matanuska-Susitana Borough real property land details. The single-family home is located on Lake Lucille.
Next: What Obama Drives -
Ford/Daimler Chrysler
What Obama Drives
Obama drives a Ford Escape hybrid. He also used to own the Chrysler 300C, but in May 2007, CarandDriver.com criticized Obama, saying: "(Obama) comes to Detroit and blasts automakers about the need to build more-fuel-efficient cars and then drives off in his personal Chrysler 300C?" Since then, Obama has reportedly gotten rid of the Chrysler.
Next: What Biden Drives -
Keith Srakocic, AP | J.D. Pooley, AP
What Biden Drives
According to the Washington Post, Biden rides Amtrak back and forth to Delaware every day when Congress is in session. But Biden isn't just one of the passenger rail system's most famous commuters, he is also one of its biggest supporters in the Senate. He also reportedly owns a 1967 Corvette, which was a wedding gift from his dad in 1967 when he married his first wife, Neilia.
Next: What McCain Drives -
General Motors
What McCain Drives
John McCain drives the popular Cadillac CTS.
In a Washington Post article from 2004, Mark Leibovich says, "John McCain drives like he lives: with conviction, impatience and a willingness to cross dividing lines."
Next: What Palin Drives -
Al Grillo, AP | Volkswagen
What Palin Drives
Palin was driving in her Chevy Suburban sport-utility vehicle when she was rear-ended in a four-vehicle chain-reaction collision at an interesection in Anchorage in July. She also owns a VW Jetta TDI and an Artic Cat F6 snowmobile.
Next: Obama's Family -
Jennifer Midberry, AOL
Obama's Family
Obama and his wife Michelle have daughters Malia (9) and Sasha (6).
Next: Biden's Family -
Jennifer Midberry, AOL | AP
Biden's Family
Joe Biden is married to Dr. Jill Biden, the former Jill Jacobs, an educator in Delaware's schools. She currently is a professor teaching at Delaware Technical Community College. Senator Biden is the father of three children: Beau, Hunter and Ashley. Beau serves as Delaware's Attorney General, Ashley is a social worker and Hunter is a lawyer. The Bidens also have five grandchildren: Naomi, Finnegan, Roberta Mabel, Natalie, and Robert Hunter.
Next: McCain's Family -
McCain's Family
McCain comes from a military family where both his father and grandfather were U.S. Navy admirals. He has been married twice. His current wife Cindy is 17 years his junior. McCain has seven children including a 15-year-old adopted daughter from Bangladesh.
Next: Palin's Family -
Fredy Perojo, AOL
Palin's Family
Sarah Palin and her husband Todd have five children -- Track (19), Bristol (17), Willow (13), Piper (7) and Trig (5 months). Track is in the U.S. Army and is set to deploy to Iraq. The Palins were forced to publicly acknowledge Bristol's teen pregnancy amid false rumors that baby Trig, who has Down's syndrome, was Bristol's son.
Next: Obama's Church -
Obama's Former Church
On Saturday, May 31, Barack Obama resigned from the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. The resignation came days after a visiting Catholic priest mocked Hillary Clinton there, and after his minister of about 20 years, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, drew unwanted attention as videos of his fiery and controversial sermons surfaced.
Next: Biden's Church -
Biden's Church
U.S. Sen. Joe Biden, is a Roman Catholic who would become, if elected, the first Catholic vice-president of the U.S. A devout Catholic, Biden attends Mass at St. Patrick's Church or St. Joseph on the Brandywine Church, both parishes in the Diocese of Wilmington.
Next: McCain's Church -
North Phoenix Baptist Church
McCain's Church
According to an article in the Associated Baptist Press, "John McCain has a deep and personal Christian commitment despite his reluctance to speak publicly about it, according to the man McCain calls his pastor. Dan Yeary, pastor of North Phoenix Baptist Church, described the Arizona senator and his wife, Cindy, as 'very unobtrusive' people who don't seek special attention when they are able to come to worship. McCain, a lifelong Episcopalian, has been attending the Southern Baptist-affiliated church in Phoenix for at least 17 years. But [he] has neither officially joined the congregation nor been baptized."
Next: Palin's Church -
Al Grillo, AP
Palin's Church
Palin was baptized a Roman Catholic as an infant. She began attending Wasilla Assembly of God, a church affiliated with a pentecostal denomination, as a teenager. A spokeswoman for the McCain-Palin campaign has said Palin attends different churches and does not consider herself a pentecostal. The Palin's youngest son was recently dedicated at Wasilla Bible Church, a nondenominational, evangelical church.
Next: Obama's Parents -
Obama for America | AP
Obama's Parents
Barack Obama Sr. was born and raised in a small village in Kenya, where he grew up herding goats with his own father, who was a domestic servant to the British. Barack's mother, Ann Dunham, grew up in small-town Kansas. Barack's parents met at the University of Hawaii. His mother was a student there, and his father had won a scholarship there. Barack's father eventually returned to Kenya, and Barack grew up with his mother in Hawaii, and for a few years in Indonesia.
Next: Biden's Parents -
AP | David Rogowski, AOL
Biden's Parents
When Biden was a child, his father Joseph R. Biden, Sr. (1915-2002) prospered as a car salesman in suburban New Castle, Delaware. At the Democratic National Convention, Biden told a story about how his mother, Eugenia "Jean" Biden, told him that when he got knocked down by guys bigger than him, he should go back out and "bloody their nose" so he can walk down the street the next day. His mother is now 90 years old.
Next: McCain's Parents -
McCain's Parents
John McCain was born in 1936 at Coco Solo Naval Air Station in the Panama Canal Zone, Panama, to naval officer John S. McCain, Jr. (1911–1981) and Roberta (Wright) McCain (b. 1912). At that time, the Panama Canal was under American control.
Next: Palin's Parents -
Palin's Parents
Palin was born in Sandpoint, Idaho, the third of four children of Sarah Heath (Sheeran), a school secretary, and Charles R. Heath, a science teacher and track coach.
Next: Obama's Youth -
Obama's Childhood
Barack Obama was born in Hawaii on August 4, 1961. His father was an economist from Kenya and his mother was an anthropologist from Kansas. In a third-grade essay Obama said he wanted to become president. The Illinois senator, graduated from Harvard Law where he was the first African-American editor of the Harvard Law Review.
(Source: NYTimes.com, ChicagoTribune.com)
Next: Biden's Youth -
Sen. Biden | AP
Biden's Childhood
Biden is the oldest of four siblings and suffered from stuttering through much of his childhood and into his twenties; he overcame it via long hours spent reciting poetry in front of a mirror. Biden attended the Archmere Academy in Claymont, Delaware where he was reportedly athletically, not academically, oriented and a natural leader among the students.
Next: McCain's Youth -
Time Life Pictures / Getty Images
McCain's Childhood
The son and grandson of distinguished Navy admirals, John McCain was born in Panama in 1936. At that time, the Panama Canal was under American control and his father was stationed there. In 1951, the family settled in Northern Virginia, and McCain attended Episcopal High School, a private preparatory boarding school in Alexandria. In high school, he excelled at wrestling. When asked his best and worst grades or subjects at school, he has said, "I never got good grades."
Next: Palin's Youth -
Heath Family | AP
Palin's Childhood
Palin was the third of four children. Her family moved to Alaska when she was an infant. As a child, she would sometimes go moose hunting with her father before school, and the family regularly ran 5 km and 10 km races. Palin was the head of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter at the school and the point guard and captain of her high school's girls' basketball team. She earned the nickname "Sarah Barracuda" because of her intense play.
Next: First Jobs -
Presidential Candidates:
First Jobs
John McCain: Naval Aviator, U.S. Navy
Barack Obama: Community organizer with a church-based group seeking to improve living conditions in poor neighborhoods
(Source: Votesmart.org, U.S. News & World Report, Barackobama.com)
Next: V-P Candidates' Jobs -
Vice-Presidential Candidates: First Jobs
Joseph Biden: Lifeguard
Sarah Palin: Sports reporter for KTUU-TV
(Source: Votesmart.org; Wikipedia)
Next: Their Birthplaces -
AP | Jennifer Midberry, AOL
Their Birthplaces
Barack Obama: Honolulu, Hawaii
John McCain: Panama Canal Zone, Panama
Joseph Biden: Scranton, Penn.
Sarah Palin: Sandpoint, Idaho
(Source: Votesmart.org; Wikipedia)
Next: Their Hobbies -
AP
Their Hobbies
John McCain: Hiking, fishing, boxing, basketball, football, history and spending time as a barbecue grill chef
Barack Obama: Basketball
Sarah Palin: Fishing
Joseph Biden: Designing homes, sketching
Next: Their Favorite Foods -
Their Astrological Signs
John McCain: Virgo
Barack Obama: Leo
Sarah Palin: Aquarius
Joseph Biden: Scorpio
Next: Personal Heroes -
Personal Hereos
John McCain: Theodore Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan, Barry Goldwater
Barack Obama: Martin Luther King Jr., Mohandas Gandhi, Pablo Picasso, and John Coltrane
(Source: Votesmart.org)
Next: Favorite TV Shows -
Getty Images
Favorite TV Shows
John McCain: '24,' 'Seinfeld'
Barack Obama: 'SportsCenter,' C-SPAN
(Source: Votesmart.org)
Next: Favorite Books -
Amazon
Favorite Books
John McCain: 'For Whom the Bell Tolls' (Photo courtesy of Amazon.com)
Barack Obama: 'The Autobiography of Malcolm X'; 'Song of Solomon' by Toni Morrison; 'Moby Dick'; Shakespeare's tragedies; 'Parting the Waters'; 'Gilead' by Robinson; 'Self-Reliance' by Emerson; The Bible, Lincoln's collected writings
(Source: Votesmart.org)
Next: Favorite Movies -
AP
Favorite Movies
John McCain: 'Viva Zapata,' 'Letters From Iwo Jima,' 'Some Like It Hot'
Barack Obama: 'Casablanca,' 'Godfather I and II,' 'Lawrence of Arabia,' 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'
(Source: Votesmart.org)
Next: Favorite Musicians -
AP
Favorite Musicians
John McCain: Chuck Berry, Roy Orbison
Barack Obama: Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder, Johann Sebastian Bach (cello suites), and The Fugees
(Source: Votesmart.org, Facebook.com
Next: Education -
Harvard University
Collegiate Education
Barack Obama: JD, Harvard Law School, 1991 BA, Columbia University, 1983 Attended, Occidental College.
John McCain: National War College, 1973-1974, BS, U.S. Naval Academy, 1958.
Joseph Biden: University of Delaware in 1965, and from the Syracuse University College of Law in 1968.
Sarah Palin: BA, Communications/ Journalism, University of Idaho, 1987
(Source: Votesmart.org)
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Recent Comments
Writersarefun 06:23:41 PM Nov 16 2008
To Hi Horse 1Very appropriate pseudonym for you. Obama wrote the bill The AntiPoverty Act of 2007 and it was signed by almost everyone in the senate except you know who, McCain. This was only one of the things that made McCain worried about him, worried enough to create fictional accounts to create fear in the voters. At least Obama has magna cum laude degree from Harvard and degree from Columbia Law school. Compare his resume with the other candidates and what do YOU come up with? No education for McCain and a drop out journalism student for Palin. She plannned to do it all with her looks, I suppose or the fact that you MUST be able to publish a book to graduate (it's a form of a term paper) from the School of Jouralism stood in her way because she never even tried for a MA in Journalism. The highest Supreme Court Justices are all Republicans. They are the ones responsible to keep or deny the pro-life bill. Harp on them a while and by the way there are about 10 different groups of
Hi Horse 1 04:27:10 AM Nov 04 2008
Why would you vote for someone who only promises everything you want to hear?? Obama does not even have any accomplishments in public office, and you are going to let him start at the top job?? Do you watch what kind of friends your kids spend time with? What about the kind of friends Obama hangs with?e. Better keep your eyes open. Keep an eye on your kids' friends and on Obama's "friends".You are all believing his promises, yet he has never delivered anything in his current job as Senator. He was told to hurry up and run now before his voting record can be investigated.
SHAWNEE36 03:11:28 AM Nov 04 2008
When are you and the rest of the Republicans going to stop trying to insight fear in the American people? It worked after 9\11 to get us to go to war, but not this time we get it!!!!!!
SHAWNEE36 03:08:11 AM Nov 04 2008
When are you and the other Republicans going to stop trying to insight fear in the American people? It worked after 9\11 for us to go to war.But no more!!! We have cought on to your tricks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Pocohantas418 01:51:19 AM Nov 04 2008
In case anyone thought the media was fair and unbiased, check out the Obama picture for this article. The other 3 candidates look normal, but Obama's pic looks like he has a halo around him. Coincidence? Don't let the media influence you; vote for what you believe in.
sitiekil2 01:04:13 AM Nov 04 2008
ARAB MUSLIM WORLD PREPARING FOR OBAMA VICTORY CELEBRATIONS SIMILAR TO THE ECSTATIC CELEBRATIONS THEY STAGED WHEN THE TWIN TOWERS FELL ON 9/11/01.STOP THE EVIL! -- LOSING IS NOT AN OPTION! -- GET OUT AND VOTE!!!!!!!MCCAIN/PALIN 2008
Lsdblbe 12:17:17 AM Nov 04 2008
The story about palins house is so old. Alaska is not cheap because of cost to transport good etc. How much is bidens estate(has more tan one house on the property). Also what cars does he hop in after he gets off the train. Alot of people take trains if they are available.Even very wealthy people. bullsit
