By John Whitesides, Political Correspondent
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A general-election race for theWhite House between Democrat Barack Obama and Republican JohnMcCain would feature vastly different approaches on thethorniest political issues, from Iraq and diplomacy to taxesand health care.
Their recent sparring over Obama's willingness to speak tohostile foreign leaders was a warm-up for what could be arancorous five-month run-up to November's election.
"It will be as clear a choice as there has been in ageneration," said Doug Schoen, a Democratic consultant andformer adviser to President Bill Clinton. "You've got two verydifferent views of the world presented in stark relief."
Obama has almost clinched the Democratic presidentialnomination over rival Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York andMcCain has wrapped up the Republican nod. Both have focused oneach other in recent weeks.
The contrasts between McCain, 71, a white former Navy pilotand Vietnam prisoner of war, and Obama, 46, a black Harvard LawSchool graduate and former community organizer, go far beyondthe personal.
Their ideological gulf is most evident on two issuesusually ranked in opinion polls as the top concerns of Americanvoters -- the Iraq war and the faltering economy.
"On the two big-ticket issues, they couldn't be fartherapart," said Dan Schnur, a California-based Republicanconsultant and a McCain aide during his 2000 presidential bid.
McCain was a prominent and ardent supporter of the decisionto invade Iraq and vows to keep U.S. troops there until the waris won. He recently said 2013 was a reasonable date forachieving that goal and ending U.S. involvement.
Obama, an Illinois senator, was an early opponent of thewar who has promised to remove U.S. combat troops from Iraqwithin 16 months of taking office.
The chasm is similar on taxes. McCain supports extendingPresident George W. Bush's cuts and reducing corporate taxrates, while Obama would let Bush's cuts expire for wealthyAmericans -- those making more than $250,000 (126,315 pounds)annually -- and let the rate reductions on capital gains taxesexpire, another item that normally affects primarilyhigh-income earners.
McCain, an Arizona senator, opposed Bush's cuts when theywere passed in 2001 and 2003 because he said they wouldincrease the budget deficit and disproportionately favour thewealthy. He supports extending them now, saying they wouldoffer help to a struggling economy.
The two already have clashed over Obama's opposition toMcCain's idea of a summer holiday from the federal gasolinetax. Obama called it a political stunt that would providelittle help, while McCain said the idea could give a slightboost to struggling families seeking a vacation.
Obama also would renegotiate the North American Free TradeAgreement, blamed by some Democrats and labour unions forcosting U.S. jobs. McCain opposes amending the pact and says ithas been beneficial.
HEALTH CARE SPLIT
The two candidates also have sharply different approachesto health-care reform, which consistently ranks as the secondmost important domestic issue after the economy in nationalopinion polls.
McCain would use tax credits to help shift fromemployer-based insurance coverage to an open market systemwhere people can choose from competing policies.
Obama would keep the existing job-based system and expandgovernment involvement. He supports universal health coveragefor the 47 million Americans without insurance, although hewould only require coverage for children.
Health care, however, has not been a key factor in apresidential election since the collapse of the HillaryClinton-led reform effort in 1994 when she was first lady, andboth candidates have emphasized other items.
McCain has repeatedly hammered Obama's lack of nationalsecurity experience, criticizing his willingness to talk toleaders of hostile nations without preconditions as a sign ofnaivet.
Obama blasts McCain's economic leadership and his ties toWashington lobbyists, saying the Republican's presidency wouldamount to Bush's third term. Obama, who says McCain wouldprolong Bush's failed diplomatic approach, portrays theelection as a choice between the future and the past.
Pollster John Zogby said every link drawn between theunpopular Bush and McCain would be a plus for Obama.
"Anything that reminds people of Bush hurts McCain, atleast until he decides to step away from him and become amaverick again," Zogby said.
McCain has taken stances that put him at odds with manymembers of his party. His support for an overhaul ofimmigration laws angered some conservatives, although hesoftened his approach during the battle for the nomination.
Unlike Bush, McCain has addressed global warming as alegitimate problem and supports federal spending on stem-cellresearch.
"McCain has a chance to muddy up the differences on a fewissues that have been politically helpful to Democrats inrecent election cycles," Schnur said.
(Editing by Jackie Frank)
(To read more about the U.S. political campaign, visitReuters "Tales from the Trail: 2008" online athttp://blogs.reuters.com/trail08/)
