UPDATE - Arts Positions of Presidential Candidates

I first blogged about the Arts Policies of the 2008 presidential candidates on June 3, 2008. At that time only one candidate felt it was an important enough issue to be concerned about. However, both campaigns now have official positions. Judge them for yourself.

Arts Positions of the

2008 Presidential Candidates

Source: Americans for the Arts Action Fund, as of 10/03/08

Campaign has met with Americans for the Arts Action Fund to discuss policy issues:

Senator Barack Obama
YES - Meeting held 4/1/08

Senator John McCain
YES - Meeting held 4/1/08
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Campaign has published policy proposals on the arts and/or arts education:

Senator Barack Obama
YES - Read policy proposal 2/28/08

Senator John McCain
NO
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Candidate has made statement on federal support of the arts:

Senator Barack Obama
YES - View Pennsylvania speech on 4/2/08

Senator John McCain
NO
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Candidate has made statement on federal support of arts education:

Senator Barack Obama
YES - View Texas speech on 2/28/08

Senator John McCain
YES - Read Statement 10/03/08
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National party platform includes statement on the arts and/or arts education:

Senator Barack Obama
YES - Read platform statement on page 49

Senator John McCain
NO
___________________________

Candidate has pro-arts Congressional record:

Senator Barack Obama
YES - Co-sponsored S. 548, Artist-Museum Partnership Act, 2/25/08

Senator John McCain
NO - Voted to cut funding or terminate the National Endowment for the Arts ( in 9 different Roll Call Votes)
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This information can be viewed in a side-by-side comparison table: http://www.artsactionfund.org/pdf/press/McCain_Obama_record_final.pdf

Americans for the Arts Action Fund is the bipartisan advocacy arm of Americans for the Arts, engaging citizens in ensuring that all Americans have the opportunity to appreciate, value, and participate in the arts. Arts Action Fund members are citizen activists who are committed to helping make certain that arts-friendly public policies are adopted at every level of government and in the private sector. ArtsVote2008, a program of the Arts Action Fund, was created to secure bold, new policy proposals in support of the arts and arts education in America from candidates in the 2008 presidential campaign.