Kerry, Bush at near-opposite extremes on death penalty
/Should Sen. John F. Kerry be elected in November, the United
States would have as president its strongest opponent of the death
penalty in at least the last half-century, capital punishment opponents
believe. Kerry would be "the most anti-death penalty president elected
in the modern era," according to David Elliot of the National Coalition
to Abolish the Death Penalty. Between the Massachusetts Democrat and
his Republican opponent, President George W. Bush, there are clear
distinctions when it comes to capital punishment. The topic is among a
series of issues addressed by the U.S. Catholic bishops in their
election-year publication, "Faithful Citizenship: A Catholic Call to
Political Responsibility." As governor of Texas, Bush signed off on 152
executions. As president, he has maintained his support for the death
penalty. Three men have been executed under federal law while he has
been in office, the first federal executions since 1963.. [more 
]
]
