14—12, for now.

For a while I've held that the general election will come down to a small handful of issues (more so than it will come down to certain swing states): Iraq, energy policy, and McCain's perceived "ethics."

Looking at my results from American Public Media's candidate quiz, my match with Obama would have jumped significantly if I agreed with him on Iraq, and McCain's score would be a lot lower if I no longer believed McCain put country over politics.


I may score a 14-12 now, but August could bring a 10-16, and November a 20-6.

I said back in early April: "It's unfortunate and hard for many people to realize that when you force your politics down someone's throat, they'll never say something that could potentially weaken their own position. Being more civil, however, you notice that the distinctions between Obama and Clinton, for example, are more nuanced. Furthermore, you're more comfortable admitting that your side isn't perfect."

I still believe that dynamic exists between Barack Obama and John McCain, and I'm curious to see which issues are guiding voters' decisions.

Take the quiz below and let me know what your result is by leaving a comment on this post or sending me an email at lukevargas2040@gmail.com.

Happy quizzing!