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A Historical Look at the Presidential Candidates [PICS]

boston.com — This 4th of July, America celebrates its 232nd year of Independence. Here are some historical and family photographs of each of the two major candidates (in alphabetical order), John McCain and Barack Obama

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  • sgtbutterscotch, on 07/04/2008, -4/+82See, this is why I don't want to turn off the 2008 U.S. elections topic in settings. This was pretty cool.
    On a random note, anyone else notice McCain's face gets chubbier and Obaba's face gets thinner? Not that it really matters.
    • PiGuy, on 07/05/2008, -12/+4Smoking will do that...
    • Ne007, on 07/05/2008, -12/+4It does matter in a presidential race. The better looking person always wins.
    • kmlove, on 07/05/2008, -6/+4Hello? McCain is what almost 40 years older then Obama, it's called getting old. And to what Ne007 said, "It does matter in a presidential race. The better looking person always wins." That is a horrible truth to the American people....
    • aquadoguk, on 07/05/2008, -2/+9also, John McCain's pictures document his "comb-over transitional period"

      something i've never understood why people do...
    • je12u, on 07/05/2008, -2/+6Not only that, but did you notice the terrorist alien necklace Obama was wearing in the 3rd pic?!?

      I hear the organization uses a fist pound as the secret handshake, sshhhh
  • monsterette, on 07/04/2008, -8/+10...interesting photos...
  • ShoggothDreams, on 07/05/2008, -17/+6But no, there was no political bias in those choices of photos. Honest....
    • Atheyst, on 07/05/2008, -3/+2There really was. Having Hussein put in his G-mas name wasn't necessary.. The PoW is a little more serious than being in Bumper cars. I am all for Obama but I think that made Mccain look better.

      Don't vote for Mccain unless you want nothing to change.
  • Aursquared, on 07/05/2008, -2/+132I question this man's bumper car driving skills.

    • danharlow, on 07/05/2008, -0/+28I don't question his Cuba Gooding Jr. impression in that photo though :)
    • ObamaWins08, on 07/05/2008, -3/+25I wouldn't. He has obviously come to the Unites States to take advantage of our extreme Bumper Car Instructional courses so that he may drive them into buildings and blow them up. Didn't you see the terrorist fist bump?


      /sarcasm (it's so sad that I need to do that)
    • unearth, on 07/06/2008, -0/+2http://lolwhitehouse.ytmnd.com/ [warning: loud music]

      You may question his skills, but you can't question his enthusiasm.
  • Ne007, on 07/05/2008, -28/+89I'll take a scholar over a military person any day.
    • IglooBurner, on 07/05/2008, -7/+20Who would you take over George Washington?
      • mooseontheloose, on 07/05/2008, -8/+16He'd take Bush. Harvard, Yale, now that man was a scholar. Don't want no stinkin' war general like Washington.
      • RubberChicken24, on 07/05/2008, -1/+46Benjamin Franklin.
      • Akairenn, on 07/05/2008, -1/+18The answer to that can only be Benjamin Franklin.
      • subterfuge, on 07/05/2008, -0/+21ben franklin
      • Lleu, on 07/05/2008, -5/+15@Moose

        Bush got in to ivy league schools on his daddies credentials. He had what? A "C" average at best? To call him a scholar is an insult to people that made it to those schools on their merit.
      • rapcrap187, on 07/05/2008, -2/+1The funny thing is a C is the lowest grade in yales book. If you dont show up for a single class your gpa will mimic that of good ole GW Bush. The president the world will never forget(right up their with Warren G Harding)

        ps Bush made the teapot dome scandal look like a tea party
      • akamurph, on 07/06/2008, -0/+2For you saying Benjamin Franklin, I don't know if you watching the HBO series "John Adams" and I don't know how historically correct it was (from what I've read it is pretty close), but I'd take George Washington.
    • NyteStarNyne, on 07/05/2008, -10/+10You'd think they would include the very first photo of McCain...
      http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg278/Nsaney/ca ...
    • PopASquatt, on 07/05/2008, -3/+11It's important for a leader to understand how wars are fought and how it can impact everyone in the process.

      But on the other hand, it's even more important in today's society to have an educated leader that understands human relations and has a sense of reality for Christ sake!
    • ObamaWins08, on 07/05/2008, -8/+3Except, you know, if you were actually in battle.

      I'd take Gengis Khan over a combo of Newton, Pasteur and Stephen Hawking.
      • PopASquatt, on 07/05/2008, -0/+5That's only if you wanted to take over the world.
      • Ne007, on 07/05/2008, -0/+3An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and there's too many people handing out cures these days.
    • dnw5032, on 07/05/2008, -6/+27Any man can shoot a gun. Very few can graduate from harvard
      • BearMtn61, on 07/05/2008, -15/+4Any man can read a book. Very few can defend their country.
      • KDX200rider, on 07/05/2008, -12/+2Harvard graduates plenty of nitwits every year.

        I'll take the man who survived a hostile prisoner of war camp.
      • Ne007, on 07/05/2008, -1/+13Any man can read a book, but only a minority of those people can actually understand them.
    • BearMtn61, on 07/05/2008, -8/+0Great. Where's your house? I'll break in, and you can try to convince me not to rob you instead of shooting me.
      • Ne007, on 07/05/2008, -0/+2How about being the person that inspires people and brings them up before they have to rob.

        That's the kind of person we need to be President. Not somebody that plays "whack a mole".
      • wwbass, on 07/05/2008, -0/+1It seems eloquence has become THE issue of the '08 election
      • BearMtn61, on 07/05/2008, -1/+1@Ne007:

        Who says you have to have graduated from Harvard to inspire people? Are you saying military leaders don't inspire those under them? That Semper Fi (Always Faithful) is just a saying?
      • WebCester, on 07/06/2008, -0/+2The semper fi is to the country and its ideals, not to the superiors or the commander in chief.

        Most members of the armed forces couldn't care less about those above them. It's the ones you fight with that count.
    • KDX200rider, on 07/05/2008, -11/+2Yes, because so many scholars have given so much for their country.
    • dakbonsa, on 07/05/2008, -4/+7Why do media/ pictures/ websites say that John McCain was a fighter pilot?

      My grandfather was a fighter pilot during the Korean War and he went through at least 7 dog fights before getting shot down. A fighter pilot is someone "trained to engage other aircraft and typically pilots a fighter aircraft. Fighter pilots undergo specialized training in aerial warfare and dogfighting."

      John McCain just dropped bombs from high up in the sky, and you call that a "bomber pilot" not a fighter pilot. Throughout his entire career, he piloted A-4 Skyhawk, which is a bomber. He was never a fighter pilot.
      • BearMtn61, on 07/05/2008, -2/+3Well, technically the A-4 is an "attack" aircraft, with both air-to-ground and air-to-air weapons. When you say he dropped bombs from high up in the sky, that's not really true - that would be a B-52 pilot. A-4's in Vietnam often flew at extremely low level over enemy territory to avoid radar.

        I guess "fighter pilot" is just cooler to say than "attack aircraft pilot".
      • akamurph, on 07/06/2008, -2/+1Do you think they chose which aircraft to fly? Or the military told them which one they would be flying? deuchebag
    • knumbknuts, on 07/06/2008, -1/+1I suspect you have been neither.
    • opiniastrous, on 07/06/2008, -0/+1Have you ever heard of a Warrior Scholar?

      I'd take a warrior-scholar over a warrior or a scholar...
      • Ne007, on 07/06/2008, -0/+1I'd rather have a peaceful mentality and a peaceful nation.

        Warriors are always looking for war.
      • opiniastrous, on 07/06/2008, -0/+1@Ne007

        In my opinion, nothing could be further from the truth. Not only do I distinguish a warrior from a simple soldier and a ruthless killer, I consider a warrior scholar to be just as learned as a scholar, but with the leadership skills, self-discipline, confidence, practical knowledge and mental fortitude to carry out difficult tasks.
    • Noods, on 07/11/2008, -0/+2How about someone who has principles over two arbitrary labels?
  • Crazymaniacc, on 07/05/2008, -27/+4n/o but Obama looks like a monkey in that last picture :)
    • Stevethegreat, on 07/05/2008, -2/+13We ALL look like apes, because, well, we ARE apes. You know it's not so hard to make the connection especially after seeing our genetic makeup (we're -like- 98.5% chimps). So I don't see why the fact that Obama looks like ape is commentworthy, you do too, everyone does.....
  • AlexWiggy, on 07/05/2008, -5/+102Bumper car picture = Win.
    • plhearn, on 07/05/2008, -12/+4hahaha you said Win thats funny so I digg u up lol!
    • CarStan, on 07/05/2008, -1/+10I can foresee this pic being shopped to death on 4chan
      • WebCester, on 07/06/2008, -0/+1Only apply during a raid you moron. Now shut up.
  • GiveM3aBJ, on 07/05/2008, -18/+2all the presidential candidates? i think there are more than 2.
    • subterfuge, on 07/05/2008, -2/+13this is america. there's only 2.
    • masonexcell, on 07/05/2008, -1/+10Hey the Revolution is over.

      I was a RP supporter too but it's time to get real.

      If you still think anyone else has a chance you are sadly mistaken.

      Each of the parties have chosen.
  • blanketfury, on 07/05/2008, -9/+2Any presidential candidate that knows how to pop his collar got my vote
  • Displace, on 07/05/2008, -5/+58How'd that photo of Steve Martin get in there?
    Oh wait...
    • ObamaWins08, on 07/05/2008, -0/+6King Tut........ Funky Tut....
    • Tooch07, on 07/06/2008, -0/+1Born in Arizona, moved to Babylonia, King Tut.
  • homah, on 07/05/2008, -8/+2(in alphabetical order)
  • Starshope, on 07/05/2008, -8/+81was it really needed to point out the only black kid in the elementary school picture? We figured it was him.
    • felman87, on 07/05/2008, -2/+31I was thinking the same thing. Reminds me of my old elementary school photos. I was like a black dot in a sea of whiteness.
    • masonexcell, on 07/05/2008, -2/+4lmfao!!!

      so true.

    • Lutremi, on 07/05/2008, -2/+3I don't see color
  • toxicityj, on 07/05/2008, -12/+3that one with nixon shaking mccain's hand gave me the chills
  • Phox, on 07/05/2008, -17/+3That is an incredible leather jacket - That picture makes me think he is going to do two things: a) mug me b) sing that song - United States of Whatever - "i'm on the corner wearing my leatha, some guy is like "hey punk!" i'm like yeah whateva."
  • racytracy79, on 07/05/2008, -15/+17I'm an Australian and don't have much interest as to who becomes America's new president (prefer Obama) but I love these pictures.
    • DuffyDirect, on 07/05/2008, -4/+9so then why'd you go "(prefer Obama)"?
      • blanketfury, on 07/05/2008, -3/+8What she really meant was Russel Crowe
    • Myztry, on 07/05/2008, -2/+4Well I'm Australian too, but as America is seeking a replacement for a War Monger, the military pictures don't sit too well. As terrible as war is, it absorbs the mind of veterans till the day they day.
      War isn't just a terrible experience. It's a way of life for those afflicted... SHUDDER!
    • BSeffrood, on 07/05/2008, -2/+2then why are you looking at these
    • Smills, on 07/05/2008, -1/+3I'm Australian and have a definite interest in who will become their next president. I can't honestly believe that McCain is even a candidate, but then again, after they elected Bush... twice, it isn't quite so surprising. Come on guys, don't vote for a war-monger this time, it effects the rest of the world as well you know.
  • Jenadae, on 07/05/2008, -27/+1"In this Sept. 14, 1973, file photo John McCain is greeted by President Richard Nixon, left, in Washington, after McCain spent more than five years in a Vietnamese prisoner of war camp, know as the "Hanoi Hilton", before being released in March 1973. (AP file photo)"

    McCain ***** stayed at a Hilton while a POW... ***** pansy...
  • hellsing47, on 07/05/2008, -7/+98Seeing John McCain as a youth compared to how he looks now makes me afraid of aging.
    • zippy757, on 07/05/2008, -1/+14Don't be afraid. Contrary to that you might think, your mind really doesn't age. You may slow down, and you may look different, but life remains good.

      Besides, the alternative sucks.
    • CarStan, on 07/05/2008, -2/+14Yeah, don't be afraid. Your abillity to deliver bottled hot water to dehydrated babies will remain the same.
  • KnightWhoSaysNi, on 07/05/2008, -7/+2@hellsing47

    Nixon was the last one.
    • Jenadae, on 07/05/2008, -0/+11@KnightWhoSaysNi

      Oh wait i hit the reply button...
  • Jenadae, on 07/05/2008, -5/+30"This 1972 photo provided by Na Opio, the yearbook of Punahou School, shows Barack Obama, in back row, third from left, posing with his 5th grade class at the Punahou Elementary School in Honolulu, Hawaii. (AP file photo)"

    Just incase.. you know... you some how mistook him for the rest of, completely white, the class....
    • paulringo, on 07/05/2008, -1/+3Beat me to the comment!
    • kukurio, on 07/05/2008, -0/+5This may be nitpicky, but there were a lot of Asians / Hawaiians in his class. So it's not completely white.
  • kukurio, on 07/05/2008, -9/+27I dare anyone to look at that first picture of Barack and call him un-American.
    • ObamaWins08, on 07/05/2008, -1/+9Fine then, he's a black Irishman come to our country to take care of things "Gangs of New York"-style.
    • vdogg89, on 07/05/2008, -11/+5hes un-american
    • brad3378, on 07/05/2008, -6/+3His photos don't show his policies.
  • thelastwarrior, on 07/05/2008, -5/+24Where is the picture of his 1st wife?
    • masonexcell, on 07/05/2008, -1/+10they were unfortunatly burn in a bonefire accident.
    • pintomp3, on 07/05/2008, -0/+6i was wondering about that. they show him holding the daughter he had with carol shepp, but she's been scrubbed clean out of the pages of the media.
  • arbouler, on 07/05/2008, -5/+33oh wow. mccain actually looked really hot back then.
    i wonder what happened to him.

    ok something happened after 1973
    • blanketfury, on 07/05/2008, -2/+26Being tortured does that to ya
      • kerracked, on 07/05/2008, -2/+8He was still hot after he came back from Vietnam. It's becoming a fatcat politician that does it to ya.
    • plhearn, on 07/05/2008, -16/+1*****!
    • masonexcell, on 07/05/2008, -0/+8nice plhearn. =/

      what a way to show your age, kid.
    • LemonChicken, on 07/05/2008, -1/+3James Blunt.
    • akamurph, on 07/06/2008, -0/+2I was thinking the same... he goes from decent looking guy, to, fat faced guy.
      But still, if you think of the ***** he's gone through and seen in his life... I feel small.
    • Sererena, on 07/06/2008, -0/+1I'm glad I'm not the only one to notice that >.>
  • Charlesbian, on 07/05/2008, -7/+17these photo's display how both are incredible people with superhuman accomplishments, but i still will not vote for mccain
  • DoctorGumbo, on 07/05/2008, -4/+43My favorite is the one of Obama in his 5th grade class photo. I couldn't imagine looking at my class picture and predicting that one of these cheeto eating 10 year olds would become the next president...
  • plhearn, on 07/05/2008, -19/+14I wish they wouldn't humanize McCain by showing those patriotic pictures. It really gets in the way of my hating him for being a republican.
    • mjw2025, on 07/05/2008, -6/+1A weak mind allows reality to change thoughts.
      • plhearn, on 07/05/2008, -0/+8that doesn't make any sense
      • Lutremi, on 07/05/2008, -0/+3Oh I get it, a strong mind allows deliriousness to change thoughts
    • masonexcell, on 07/05/2008, -4/+3ok this was a good comment, plhearn.

      i second that thought.

      it's nuts the guy was a POW and he still managed to become a modern-era republican aka - crazy old bastard.

      did you know that republicans in the early day would be considered a democrate by todays standards.
    • Dartos, on 07/05/2008, -0/+3There's nothing wrong with not hating him.
      Just because you don't hate him doesn't mean you have to vote for him.
  • hansolo, on 07/05/2008, -3/+6Makes you realize they are human like us. Now if they would show pics of them picking their noses.
    • jameshales, on 07/05/2008, -2/+2Or eating their ear wax (Australians will understand...)
  • orgazmo, on 07/05/2008, -2/+5The presidency is well known to take a toll on presidents and make them age prematurely. I wonder what McCain would look like after 2 terms :D
  • zippy757, on 07/05/2008, -2/+10....this entire election reminds me of the 60's in which two cultures ( older, WWII era vs basically their children, who had grown into young adults ) clashed over virtually every issue.

    Sadly, one will win the election (and 50% of US will remain disillusioned...and the current divide will only harden ) , while the right answer for America is a blend of the two.

    I've been here before several times. We need to be 1 nation, not 2.
    • CBRoberts, on 07/05/2008, -1/+3But wouldn't an Obama victory be a way of getting ahead of the generational curve? Wasn't the problem with the 60's that all the young, progressive, forward-looking politicians kept getting shot? So you ended up with a youth culture isolated from the conservative political power structure. Wasn't that the central problem of the 60s?
  • felman87, on 07/05/2008, -5/+8No pics of McCain with his first wife? Guess the campaign doesn't want that to get out...for some odd reason.

    @class pic
    could you imagine, the guy standing next to you in a class photo being president or something with high prestige?
  • shaka776, on 07/05/2008, -6/+28What a nice, non-partisan, non-flaming way to look at the lives of both candidates.
    But...

    Bumper cars FTW!
  • Crosbie, on 07/05/2008, -8/+8McCain's pictures paint him as a square-jawed American hero. I was a bit worried that this might be the point.

    But Obama's the one who is always surrounded by smiling people he's in a team with, he has organised, he is helping, and/or loves.

    Who do you want to be your leader?
    • cygnus2112, on 07/05/2008, -1/+8Either. Both have earned my respect and both are a better choice than what we have currently.
    • Manguskahn, on 07/05/2008, -1/+6I think we could use both right about now. I think this country needs a hero, and we also need someone who is a team player. Can't we just have a Bajohn McBama?
  • krumplicukor, on 07/05/2008, -5/+40Look at the package of Obama's grandpa!
  • DavidThaGnome, on 07/05/2008, -4/+3So what platforms are our vastly different candidates who all belong to the CFR running on??
    I'm kind of curious since buzz words don't really suffice and the fact that Hillary weaseled her way into this race despite losing I find disappointing. I heard somewhere that every single candidate other than Ron Paul has close ties to non electable corporate entities that really dont look out for the well being of.....ooooooh bumper cars and nostalgia, mmm heartwarming....what was I talking about???
  • mwaleed86, on 07/05/2008, -5/+0do the mccains have to name their kids john mccain?..this guy is the third!,,fourth is already out!>..thick the fifth ones of the way!
  • knumbknuts, on 07/05/2008, -5/+8For those grousing that McCain didn't show his first wife, he also did not show his two sons in uniform. There is some honor in these pics: he won't politicize his sons' service for his gain.
  • meggibrit, on 07/05/2008, -1/+10mmmm...Young McCain. I'd totally hit that.
  • ATLien74, on 07/05/2008, -3/+5Man, that pic of McCain being captured is pretty intense. Can you imagine what's going through his head at that moment? There's no way in hell I'm voting for him, but that is a pretty cool picture.
  • aftern9ne, on 07/05/2008, -2/+17Dugg for Obama's face in bumper cars.
  • acegi, on 07/05/2008, -6/+1omg these people are so human!



    .../casm
  • ShaoKahn, on 07/05/2008, -7/+2"All is going as planned, the population still thinks we are from opposing parties."
    http://thesituationist.files.wordpress.com/2008/03 ...
    http://bp2.blogger.com/__1nn2kem-98/R7uQFccUk4I/AA ...
  • cgbspender, on 07/05/2008, -8/+1Better go to goatse ... just one big ***** there.
  • SidiousX3, on 07/05/2008, -12/+5lol obama's pictures were boring. Not to mention he looked gay in that leather jacket.
  • Skurt, on 07/05/2008, -4/+5Not to throw anything from the pics. But the caption under the one where McCain is in his academy garb says;
    John McCain, left, stands in his United States Naval Academy uniform, next to his father, Admiral John S. McCain, Jr., in this undated file photo.

    however in the navy, 4 stripes on your sleeve means you are a Captain not an Admiral as stated several pics below where it shows Captain McCain with his 4 striped sleeve.


    • LessThan3, on 07/05/2008, -0/+2Captains have 4 equal stripes. Admirals have 3 thin stripes and a thick stripe. So, both have 4.

      EDIT: Those are for the modern Navy uniform. I don't know what the insignias were in the 50s / 70s, so you may be right.
      • Skurt, on 07/09/2008, -0/+0Wikipedia has this on the O6 rank of the Navy

        http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://uplo ...

        wow, long URL (at least you know it's not a rick roll ;) )

        Anyway, my dad was in the navy and I had to learn the ranks to be sure I didn't piss off anyone of higher rank so my dad didn't get in trouble by us brat kids. The picture clearly shows 4 identical stripes and not a mixture of 'Normal' and 'Double' (not thick)

        Perhaps the picture shows his father in an older pic as a Captain but as he is/was an Admiral *now* they refer to him at his proper rank ?
  • thrasher9898, on 07/05/2008, -1/+4This is pretty cool, normally the political stories are boring, i really enjoyed this one.
  • connectfive, on 07/05/2008, -2/+10not gonna lie, mccain looked like he could have kicked some ass.
  • unclebuck, on 07/05/2008, -9/+4Funny, if that was George Bush making a face like that last one in the bumper car, they'd say he looks like a monkey.
  • Reaktor5, on 07/05/2008, -5/+6Obama has barely aged a day since he was in college.
  • ZephyrNinety, on 07/05/2008, -2/+2Cool, just remember, it's about who they are now and what they're going to do now, not what they did when they were younger.
  • bovox, on 07/05/2008, -9/+4I think these photos show the stark contrast between McCain's Epic lifetime achievements -- decorated war hero, meetings with presidents, etc., ... and Obama's mundane achievements -- family photos from vacations, etc.
    • acroyear2, on 07/05/2008, -1/+6Yeah, that Harvard law review thing. 4 year vacation I'm sure.


      Seriously though, McCain's experience deserves our respect and its simply very different from Obama's and visa versa. You don't see Obama at war or in service but you also don't see McCain teaching or in the streets helping communities.
  • phogasmic, on 07/05/2008, -2/+10Damn... they just made it that much harder for me to hate Mccain, he seems like a real person now rather then Bush III
    • gcsmit6, on 08/01/2008, -0/+1Not me. I bet Hitler had some nice pictures through the years too. It sucks I used to like McCain. I wonder if there is a picture of the exact moment when he turned to the dark side. Used to be a stand up guy now he's a scumbag. Its too bad all that work to build a great reputation ruined.
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