TIME.com: Election 2004: The Candidates on the Issues

The Senator and Vietnam vet is from Massachusetts, but is not as liberal as his colleague Ted Kennedy. He's liberal on social issues, more moderate on economics and foreign policy.

George W. Bush’s first term has shown he takes strong stands on the issues. On foreign policy, in the aftermath of 9/11, he’s a hawk who believes the U.S. needs to promote freedom and tackle threats. On domestic issues, he stands firmly on the right, with a few notable exceptions. And on fiscal matters, supply-side economics come first.