Al Gore, the Democratic Party's nominee, is hoping the voters will give him a promotion. Since 1993, he has served as vice president, but now he wants to be the leader of the free world. This former senator says he will protect the environment and support affirmative action. »

Bush, the governor of Texas and the son of a former U.S. president, is familiar with politics and elections. He bills himself as a compassionate Republican. If elected, he vows to increase funding for character education and oppose expanding the lists of acts considered to be hate crimes. »

This consumer advocate was a few years beyond 30 when he took on the American automobile industry in a crusade for safer cars. Nader, the Green Party candidate, believes there should be a ban on standardized tests that determine school promotion because the exams exhibit racial and gender bias. »

Buchanan favors a constitutional amendment allowing voluntary prayer in schools. He is the Reform Party candidate and supports promoting charter and magnet schools. The federal Department of Education should be abolished, he says, with states and local governments assuming its duties. »