Why have Clinton & Obama repeatedly refused any responses to the '08 Political Courage Test?

[Breeze54]

http://www.vote-smart.org/npat_about.php">What is the Political Courage Test?

The Political Courage Test is a key component of Project Vote Smart's Voter Self-Defense system.
Major leaders of the media, major parties and Project Vote Smart repetitiously ask candidates
one central question: "Are you willing to tell citizens your positions on the issues you will
most likely face on their behalf?" The Political Courage Test is administered to all candidates
for presidential, congressional, gubernatorial, and state legislative offices.

The Political Courage Test asks candidates which items they will support if elected. It does not
ask them to indicate which items they will oppose. Through extensive research of public polling
data, we discovered that voters are more concerned with what candidates would support when
elected to office, not what they oppose. If a candidate does not select a response to any part
or all of any question, it does not necessarily indicate that the candidate is opposed to that particular item.

http://www.vote-smart.org/election_president_search.php?party=Democratic&go.x=13&go.y=10">2008 Democratic Party Presidential Candidates

http://www.vote-smart.org/npat.php?can_id=55463">Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (NY)
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton repeatedly refused to provide any responses to citizens on the issues through the 2008 Political Courage Test when asked to do so by national leaders of the political parties, prominent members of the media, Project Vote Smart President Richard Kimball, and Project Vote Smart Vote Smart staff.


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http://www.vote-smart.org/bio.php?can_id=9490">Senator Barack H. Obama Jr. (IL)
Senator Barack H. Obama Jr. repeatedly refused to provide any responses to citizens on the issues through the 2008 Political Courage Test when asked to do so by national leaders of the political parties, prominent members of the media, Project Vote Smart President Richard Kimball, and Project Vote Smart Vote Smart staff.

http://www.vote-smart.org/index.htm

[Skinner]

1. Probably because they realize...

...they have very little to gain from taking the test, and much to lose.

[Breeze54]

2. Which concerns me.... I would think they'd want

all their constituents and potential voters to know their positions.

I'm pretty sure HRC did submit one test in 2006, maybe a year or so before that.

Representative Barney Frank (MA) has submitted his answers.
Senator Edward M. 'Ted' Kennedy Sr. (MA) has submitted his answers.
Governor Deval L. Patrick (MA) has submitted his answers.


Senator John Forbes Kerry (MA) has refused since 2004 (ugh!)