# Cornucopia of election websites. Recommend me one. (Not a political debate thread) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 7, 2008, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cornucopia-of-election-websites-recommend-me-one-not-a-political-debate-thread/462422 "2008-09-07T00:23:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cornucopia-of-election-websites-recommend-me-one-not-a-political-debate-thread/462422/1 "2008-09-07T00:23:16Z")
There was a great post on the SDMB a few months back, in the multitude of political threads, that listed a handful of seemingly independent Election websites. These sites gave an apparently neutral view of candidates, their issues, their responses, their backgrounds, etc. For the life of me, _I cannot find that thread or post_. Thus, I ask your help: Would you post a link to a site you’d recommend to me? Sure, I have a clear perspective of the issues on the media’s mind, however, I don’t give a darn about a potential VP’s pick of underwear for her brother’s daughter’s babymama who might be pregnant with a Soviet spy’s unborn child. The media is obviously biased, and I don’t trust CNN, Fox, CBS, NBC, etc. I prefer to choose a candidate based on their past track records–well, to be fair, I’d like to choose based on the Cabinet the incumbent would assemble, but they haven’t invented the perfect crystal ball yet–and have seen a few sites that summarize candidate’s stances on past issues. Can y’all help me out? Tripler Now that the conventions are over, I can start studying up. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cornucopia-of-election-websites-recommend-me-one-not-a-political-debate-thread/462422/2 "2008-09-07T01:48:28Z")
[http://www.ontheissues.org/default.htm](http://www.ontheissues.org/default.htm) > **[FactCheck.org](https://www.factcheck.org/)** [http://www.realclearpolitics.com/](http://www.realclearpolitics.com/) (Has links to lots and lots of stuff) ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cornucopia-of-election-websites-recommend-me-one-not-a-political-debate-thread/462422/3 "2008-09-07T01:54:37Z")
Forgot one I was just looking at earlier today: [http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/](http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/) ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cornucopia-of-election-websites-recommend-me-one-not-a-political-debate-thread/462422/4 "2008-09-07T02:51:30Z")
And how can you forget, from the man who literally wrote the book on computer operating systems, the one, the only… > **[ElectoralVote](https://electoral-vote.com/)** > > Track the election with a red/blue map of the US updated daily using the latest state polls. ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cornucopia-of-election-websites-recommend-me-one-not-a-political-debate-thread/462422/5 "2008-09-07T03:38:57Z")
And don’t forget [Project Vote Smart](http://www.votesmart.org/). ---
**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cornucopia-of-election-websites-recommend-me-one-not-a-political-debate-thread/462422/6 "2008-09-07T03:46:17Z")
Absolutely biased sites, but absolutely useful as well, if for nothing else than the facts they bring with their analysis: > **[Daily Kos](https://www.dailykos.com/)** > > Daily Kos is a progressive news site that fights for democracy by giving our audience information and resources to win elections and impact government. Our coverage is assiduously factual, ethical, and unapologetically liberal. We amplify what we... [talkingpointsmemo.com](http://talkingpointsmemo.com) Of particular interest to you, I’d expect, will be the daily House/Senate roundup posts at Daily Kos. Here’s the most recent: [http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/9/5/144833/7976/813/588048](http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/9/5/144833/7976/813/588048) ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cornucopia-of-election-websites-recommend-me-one-not-a-political-debate-thread/462422/7 "2008-09-07T03:58:50Z")
> [@Morgyn](#): > > And don’t forget [Project Vote Smart](http://www.votesmart.org/). Holy cow. Did you see this page? [http://www.votesmart.org/issue\_rating\_detail.php?r\_id=3439](http://www.votesmart.org/issue_rating_detail.php?r_id=3439) It’s showing congressional ratings for “Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.” If you click on “rating” things get very ugly for Republicans. Is anyone familiar with this group? (I know I should ask on a new thread.) ---
**Author:** ![Invisible\_Chimp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f05b48/32.png) [@Invisible\_Chimp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Invisible_Chimp)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cornucopia-of-election-websites-recommend-me-one-not-a-political-debate-thread/462422/8 "2008-09-07T04:09:49Z")
> [@E-Sabbath](#): > > And how can you forget, from the man who literally wrote the book on computer operating systems, the one, the only… > > [www.electoral-vote.com](http://www.electoral-vote.com) Similar and created by a sabremetrician, [http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/](http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cornucopia-of-election-websites-recommend-me-one-not-a-political-debate-thread/462422/9 "2008-09-07T04:11:15Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > Holy cow. Did you see this page? > > [http://www.votesmart.org/issue\_rating\_detail.php?r\_id=3439](http://www.votesmart.org/issue_rating_detail.php?r_id=3439) > > It’s showing congressional ratings for “Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.” If you click on “rating” things get very ugly for Republicans. Is anyone familiar with this group? (I know I should ask on a new thread.) Paul Rieckhoff, their founder, is a semi-regular guest on Olberman. He’s been highly critical of the President’s treatment of soldiers and veterans. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cornucopia-of-election-websites-recommend-me-one-not-a-political-debate-thread/462422/10 "2008-09-07T04:15:56Z")
> [@Morgyn](#): > > Paul Rieckhoff, their founder, is a semi-regular guest on Olberman. He’s been highly critical of the President’s treatment of soldiers and veterans. Thanks for the information. Is his disdain a chicken or egg? (Meaning, is he highly critical because of the treatment or is he critical of the treatment because he already didn’t like the Bushies?) ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cornucopia-of-election-websites-recommend-me-one-not-a-political-debate-thread/462422/11 "2008-09-07T04:33:28Z")
Oh man, I’m glad I asked. This is good stuff. Please, keep 'em coming! Tripler Too bad I can’t vote for Pat Paulsen anymore. . . ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cornucopia-of-election-websites-recommend-me-one-not-a-political-debate-thread/462422/12 "2008-09-07T04:35:59Z")
[Slacktivist](http://slacktivist.typepad.com/slacktivist/) is often political and very readable; it’s written by a very liberal Evangelical Christian, which provides an interesting viewpoint. ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cornucopia-of-election-websites-recommend-me-one-not-a-political-debate-thread/462422/13 "2008-09-07T05:57:00Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > Thanks for the information. Is his disdain a chicken or egg? (Meaning, is he highly critical because of the treatment or is he critical of the treatment because he already didn’t like the Bushies?) The impression I get is that it’s the treatment of soldiers and veterans that has caused him to become highly critical of the Bush administration. He also doesn’t think much of the policy decisions that took us into Iraq at the expense of Afghanistan. ---
**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cornucopia-of-election-websites-recommend-me-one-not-a-political-debate-thread/462422/14 "2008-09-07T06:27:02Z")
> [@Morgyn](#): > > a semi-regular guest on Olberman [who has been] highly critical of the President’s treatment of soldiers and veterans. Boy, what’re the odds, eh?😉 (I love KO, but identifying a regular on his show as “someone who’s been highly critical of Bush” on anything is right up there with “a human who has breathed many times.”) ---
**Author:** ![gardentraveler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gardentraveler/32/3576_2.png) [@gardentraveler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gardentraveler)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cornucopia-of-election-websites-recommend-me-one-not-a-political-debate-thread/462422/15 "2008-09-07T12:24:01Z")
The Council on Foreign Relations has a [Campaign 2008](http://www.cfr.org/campaign2008/) page that compiles lots of information, including [candidate positions](http://www.cfr.org/campaign2008/candidates.html) on foreign relations matters. There’s also [this WBUR site](http://www.votebyissue.org/election2008/) that gives you the opportunity to identify stands you agree with and then reveals which candidate you agree with the most. If you don’t want to take the quiz, just hit start quiz and you’ll see an “Election Issues” link among the links directly under the banner. It still lists the positions of all of the Democratic and Republican candidates who were originally vying for the nominations. This site was put together a while back. I think it would be interesting to compare the quoted statements to statements being made by the candidates today.