Caught In Decision: Personal facts about John McCain and Barack Obama

JOHN McCAIN

1. Was not born in continental U.S.: His birthplace is the Panama Canal Zone, Panama

2. His astrological sign is Virgo (Aug. 29, 1936)

3. President when McCain was born: Franklin D. Roosevelt

4. Is married to Cindy Lou Hensley (since 1980) (previously married to Carol Shepp, divorced in 1980) and has seven children

5. McCain is left-handed.

6. His favorite book is "For Whom the Bell Tolls," by Ernest Hemingway.

7. His favorite movies are "Viva Zapata," "Letters From Iwo Jima" and "Some Like It Hot."

8. His favorite musicians are Chuck Berry and Roy Orbison.

9. His favorite TV shows are "24" and "Seinfeld."

10. His favorite superhero is Batman.

11. His favorite movie/TV president is Dennis Haysbert in "24."

12. His favorite foods are chocolate ice cream, pizza with pepperoni and onions and baby-back ribs

13. Lists his hobbies/special talents as hiking, fishing, boxing, basketball, football, baseball, history, barbecue grill chef

14. His personal heroes are Theodore Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan and Barry Goldwater

15. McCain's pets include two dogs, two turtles, a cat, a ferret, three parakeets and 13 saltwater fish.

16. McCain's books include "Faith of My Fathers" (1999); "Worth the Fighting For: A Memoir" (2002); "Why Courage Matters" (2004); and "Character Is Destiny" (2005).

17. Is a Christian, with his church being Southern Baptist

18. His alma mater is the United States Naval Academy.

19. Some of his celebrity backers: Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Curt Schilling, Steve Forbes.

20. His official Web sites are his campaign 2008 site and his senate Web site.

BARACK OBAMA

1. Was not born in continental U.S.: His birthplace is Honolulu, Hawaii.

2. His astrological sign is Leo (Aug. 4, 1961).

3. President when Obama was born: John F. Kennedy.

4. Is married to Michelle (since 1992) and has two daughters.

5. Obama is left-handed.

6. His favorite books are "Song of Solomon," by Toni Morrison; "Moby Dick," by Herman Melville; Shakespeare's tragedies; Taylor Branch's biography of Martin Luther King Jr.; "Parting the Waters, Gilead," by Marilynne Robinson; "Self-Reliance," by Ralph Waldo Emerson; The Bible; Lincoln's Collected Writings.

7. His favorite movies are "Casablanca," "Godfather" (I and II), "Lawrence of Arabia" and "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest."

8. His favorite musicians are Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder, Johann Sebastian Bach (cello suites) and The Fugees.

9. His favorite TV shows are "M.A.S.H." and "The Wire."

10. His favorite superhero is Spider-Man.

11. His favorite movie/TV president is Jeff Bridges in "The Contender."

12. His favorite food is chili.

13. Lists his hobbies/special talents as basketball, writing and loafing with his kids.

14. His personal heroes are Martin Luther King Jr., Mohandas Gandhi, Pablo Picasso and John Coltrane.

15. Obama doesn't have any pets right now.

16. Obama's books include "Dreams From My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance" (1995); "The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream" (2006); and "It Takes a Nation: How Strangers Became Family in the Wake of Hurricane Katrina" (2006).

17. Is a Christian, with his church being the United Church of Christ.

18. His alma maters are Harvard Law School, Columbia University and Occidental College.

19. Some of his celebrity backers: Oprah Winfrey, Hulk Hogan, Larry David, Scarlett Johansson, Toni Morrison.

20. His official Web sites are his campaign 2008 Web site and his senate Web site.