As mentioned in my last post on this subject, the McCain campaign did indeed answer the 14 questions from ScienceDebate 2008.  My views on the effort have been aired here before (and have not changed), so I will dispense with repeating those criticisms and focus on the answers the candidates have provided (though I will ask for what, exactly, are they shaking people down for donations – it’s not explained at all, which leaves a bad taste in my mouth and suggests the project is being hijacked by other, perhaps less successful, advocacy groups).  You can read the candidate responses responses side by side, see Senator McCain’s from the link above, or read only Senator Obama’s responses.

Your reaction to the answers from the candidates will no doubt be influenced by your particular political leanings, and whether or not you consider responses to questionnaires like this one (just one of many) to be substantive policy statements or small one-acts of political theater.  Those who have read the candidates’ websites or heard their campaign surrogates will see much from there repeated in their answers.

Keeping in mind that these are responses from the Presidential candidates (and that subsequent statements may well conflict with their answers), neither candidate appears particularly anti-science, at least in the way that has been framed by Chris Mooney and others who have fought against the so-called “War on Science.”  A review of the candidates’ answers suggest that the differences between the two are more in terms of methods and tools they would use to achieve their goals than in the goals themselves.  Senator McCain manages to insert references to his personal biography in several of the questions, while Senator Obama sticks to his proposed policies.  Both candidates are nearly silent with specific numbers or significant details on how many of their policies would be achieved.

The differences between the two candidates often reflect their respective parties’ ideological preferences about the functions of government and the private sector.  Senator Obama is more willing to use government to achieve his policy goals, and Senator McCain prefers to remove obstacles from the private sector, confident that the markets will correct the problems if government gets out of the way.  While I distrust the promises of Congress and the President to truly focus on the issues related to science and technology highlighted here, the declines in private sector research and development – including the recent shuttering of Bell Labs – suggest that market failures are at least as much the cause of recent struggles as any government obstacles.

A noted area of difference, at least within the statements, concerns space policy.  Senator Obama emphasizes the civilian aspects of NASA’s work and the need for balance.  Senator McCain’s language is consistent with the Cold War, national security and prestige arguments that propelled NASA in the 1960s.  As someone who studied the organization (Technology in Society 24:4 (November 2002) 415-431), I understand that those arguments were ultimately counterproductive for the long-term health of the agency, and regret that he doesn’t.

All this discussion may well be an academic exercise, since the plethora of other issues with more immediacy (or at least more effective advocates) will likely take the bulk of the candidates’ attention, regardless of whoever becomes President.  As ScienceDebate 2008 appears to be gearing for a post-election existence (doing exactly what is unclear), it would be nice if they would be in a position to become a noticeable thorn in the side of the next Administration.  I won’t hold my breath.