• Ken Klanicki, Age 65, left-of-center registered Dem.; voted in all elections — except ’84 — since 1968 for Democrat. (Didn’t vote in ’84)

Why are you undecided at this stage of the 2008 campaign? Do you expect to make up your mind before Nov. 4? Are you leaning to one ticket or the other at this juncture?

KK: “Am undecided because of 1) Obama’s scant track record; question-mark past, and 2) McCain’s age; weakness on economic issues; choice of running mate. Will vote on Nov. 4, yes, but dunno who for yet. Was leaning toward McCain till he flubbed the bailout fiasco. Am concerned by his age. May go for Bob Barr. Hey, another Ga. prez?!”



Where do you get your information about the candidates and where they stand on the issues?

KK: “Get info from TV, Internet news/blogs, VDT!!, CNN & FNC.”



What are the three most important issues — in order of priority — that matter to you in this election?

KK: “State of economy; foreign affairs experience; integrity/judgment.”



Have the candidates addressed these issues to your satisfaction yet? If not, what would you like to know about these issues from them?

KK: “Neither seems versed in current economic meltdown or remedies. Obama’s resume is thin on foreign affairs. McCain’s integrity seems intact but his selection of Gov. Palin gives me pause.”



What character traits are important to you in a presidential candidate?

KK: “Honesty, knowledge, integrity, communication skills.”



Has the U.S. come far enough in race relations to elect an African-American to the presidency?

KK: “Cannot be sure if America has gotten past race. Ask me Nov. 5. or in Jan. ’09, if election goes to The House.”



Are age and gender factors in the election? Will they have any influence on how you vote?

KK: “Age a factor in McCain’s case; gender not a factor.”



How important are the running mates in this election? How will they influence your decision?

KK: McCain’s choice of Gov. Palin a deterrent; may write-in Dan Quayle if I vote for McCain. But maybe not. Is Jon Stewart available? General Sherman?



Can the next president actually do something about the higher cost of everyday essentials like food, clothing, gasoline and energy? If so, what are your expectations?

KK: “No president can affect the cost of everyday items, in my opinion.”



How significant are the debates to your choice for president? The first presidential debate was Sept. 26 and the vice presidential debate was Oct. 2. A second presidential debate was held on Oct. 7, and another on Oct. 15.

KK: “Debates seem to be window dressing. Appear to be a venue for aging news anchors to flex their flagging testosterone levels.



Please give your reaction to the first presidential debate and the vice presidential debate.

KK: First and second debates have been ho-hum performances, by both men, marked by repetitions of previously stated positions already known by the voters. McCain was more aggressive in first debate but seemed almost docile in the second. The moderators played too large a role. Obama, like a football team ahead by two TDs in the fourth quarter, is playing not to lose. McCain’s flippant use of “this one” was a painful moment for both sides and likely will cost him votes.



• Daniel Dorsett, 29, moderate, registered as independent; voted in presidential elections twice, once as a Republican, once as an independent.



Why are you undecided at this stage of the 2008 campaign? Do you expect to make up your mind before Nov. 4? Are you leaning to one ticket or the other at this juncture?

DD: “At this point in the campaign I am still undecided because I just don’t trust either candidate. I fully expect to have made up my mind by Nov. 4, and at this point I am leaning toward McCain/Palin.”



Where do you get your information about the candidates and where they stand on the issues?

DD: “Local news, national news, online, as well as listening to radio shows on e.i.b. and g.p.r.”



What are the three most important issues — in order of priority — that matter to you in this election?

DD: “The economy, war in Iraq, energy independence.”



Have the candidates addressed these issues to your satisfaction yet? If not, what would you like to know about these issues from them?

DD: “No they have not addressed these issues to my satisfaction. What I would like to know is: a. what they are going to do about these issues, and b., how they are going to do it. No one is being very forthcoming about how they plan on implementing their ‘solutions.’”



What character traits are important to you in a presidential candidate?

DD: “Integrity, character, honesty, and a willingness to make the tough decisions that need to be made despite special interests or political games.”



Has the U.S. come far enough in race relations to elect an African-American to the presidency?

DD: “I believe we have, yes. I think America has grown incredibly the last 40 years in this respect. I feel it is very possible for Obama to be the first African-American in the White House. However, I do feel that if Obama loses this election, then race will be a scapegoat used to describe why he lost.”



Are age and gender factors in the election? Will they have any influence on how you vote?

DD: “Yes they are factors, no they will not play a factor in how I vote.”



How important are the running mates in this election? How will they influence your decision?

DD: “I think they are very important, look at Cheney. They will influence my decision in that I will want to see who I feel will be the best representative of America for the role of the V.P.”



Can the next president actually do something about the higher cost of everyday essentials like food, clothing, gasoline and energy? If so, what are your expectations?

DD: “Yes they can, and I expect them to. If we bring down the rising cost of energy, the rising cost of all the other essentials will take care of themselves. As such, I expect the next president to rein in the rising cost of all forms of energy, as well as put America on a path to being energy self-sufficient.”



How significant are the debates to your choice for president? The first presidential debate was Sept. 26 and the vice presidential debate was Oct. 2. A second presidential debate was held Oct. 7, and another on Oct. 15. Please give your reaction to the first presidential debate and the vice presidential debate.

DD: “I thought the first presidential debate was boring and largely uninformative, I feel the same way about the second. In neither presidential debate did we really hear how either candidate plans on doing anything. All we really got was what either candidate thought was wrong with the other. As for the VP debate, I was much more impressed with how they presented themselves. I believe they spoke eloquently and elaborately on their plans and implementation. I do think Biden towed the party line a little bit much, but I expected no less. Palin was more forthcoming with the details of plans she and McCain have for the country, which I appreciated.”



• Lance Lichtenwalter, 65, voted in every presidential election since 1968; registered Democrat because the majority of local races use this label, socially liberal, fiscally conservative, in past presidential elections I have voted for independents, Democrats and Republicans.



Why are you undecided at this stage of the 2008 campaign? Do you expect to make up your mind before Nov. 4? Are you leaning to one ticket or the other at this juncture?

LL: “Both candidates have strong positives and negatives for example: Obama’s life story is impressive; McCain’s long service and war record is equally so; Obama and McCain seem to be in a bidding war to see who can give away the most government dollars and do for citizens what citizens should do for themselves; both are running ads with significant misrepresentations of their opponent’s position; both have made missteps with religious figures: Obama embraced Rev. Wright and McCain sought out and received the endorsement of Rev. Hagee ...



Where do you get your information about the candidates and where they stand on the issues?

LL: “News magazines: Time, Newsweek, Business Week, New Yorker, & occasionally The Economist. Newspapers: Sunday NY Times, USA Today, VDT. Internet sites: Huffington Post, BBC, et. al.; NPR; less so cable & network news programs; never talk radio



What are the three most important issues — in order of priority — that matter to you in this election?

LL: “The economy is clearly the #1 issue; extricating ourselves from the war in Iraq; control of government spending; the decline of the United States’ standing and credibility in the world; health care ... oops that’s four.”



Have the candidates addressed these issues to your satisfaction yet? If not, what would you like to know about these issues from them?

LL: “I believe that I understand their positions ... less clear is how we are going to pay for the promises made.”



What character traits are important to you in a presidential candidate?

LL: “Personal integrity and intelligence; the ability to articulate a clear vision as to what’s wrong and what’s right with the country; the ability to manage an impossibly complex enterprise; the ability to unify people of differing political ideologies.”



Has the U.S. come far enough in race relations to elect an African-American to the presidency?

LL: “Probably ... we’ll know that race is not an issue when we stop referring to some Americans as a hyphenated variant.”



Are age and gender factors in the election? Will they have any influence on how you vote?

LL: “Without question Sarah Palin’s nomination served political expediencies, and it was not carefully vetted. No one can honestly say that she was the best possible choice. I expected better. ... John McCain’s age is not so much of a negative issue. If elected, I believe that he would be a one-term president (he would be 76 at its end). ... Obama’s inexperience and youth may be more of an issue. I think, however, that experience is not necessarily a limiting factor. Cheney and Rumsfeld were both highly experienced and their impact has been less than stellar.”



How important are the running mates in this election? How will they influence your decision?

LL: “The law of unintended consequences will yield, should McCain/Palin prevail, a country that becomes increasingly spiritual ... millions will pray for John McCain’s continued good health. ... Joe Biden, I think, is clearly a better, more carefully, considered choice.”



Can the next president actually do something about the higher cost of everyday essentials like food, clothing, gasoline and energy? If so, what are your expectations?

LL: “The President commands the ‘bully pulpit’ and if used effectively it can effect change, unify the country ,and bring dissimilar interests together. Can the president impact the costs of everyday essentials? No, of course, not at the micro-economic level.”



How significant are the debates to your choice for president? The first presidential debate was Sept. 26 and the vice presidential debate was Oct. 2. A second presidential debate was Oct. 7, and another on Oct. 15. Please give your reaction to the first presidential debate and the vice presidential debate.

LL: “The debates are far from what I would like to see. I would eliminate all references to ‘my opponent.’ Tell me what you would do, what you believe, what you think is important, why you are who you are and what kind of leader you would be. Let the monitor challenge answers, interrupt scripted talking points, make the candidates answer the questions asked.

“In the VP debate it was clear that Gov. Palin was going to talk about what she thought was important and not necessarily what was asked. Sen. Biden’s mission was to go after McCain, again irrespective of the question.

“The second debate still yielded talking point answers to questions not asked. At one point I think McCain trotted out a portion of an often given stump speech which contained a pause for applause; the audience was admonished not to do so; this provided an awkward moment.”