Affirmative action

About 15 percent of blacks and 11 percent of Hispanics aged 25-29 have graduated from college, compared with 29 percent of whites. In an example of federal affirmative action, large contractors supplying the government must have programs encouraging them to rectify imbalances if they employ "fewer minorities or women in a particular job group than would reasonably be expected by their availability."
Bill Bradley
   Bill Bradley (Democrat)
Favors.
Al Gore
   Al Gore (Democrat)
Criticized efforts to roll back affirmative action.
Gary Bauer
   Gary Bauer (Republican)
Opposes racial preferences.
George W. Bush
   George W. Bush (Republican)
Opposes racial preferences. Supports Texas law requiring public universities to admit the top 10 percent of every high school's graduating class.
Steve Forbes
   Steve Forbes (Republican)
Opposes set-asides and racial preferences.
Orrin Hatch
   Orrin Hatch (Republican)
Sponsored bill to end preferences based on race and sex in more than 150 federal programs.
Alan Keyes
   Alan Keyes (Republican)
Opposes. Sole black candidate says any preferential treatment is "patronizing."
John McCain
   John McCain (Republican)
Favors in limited cases. Voted to maintain program that encourages the awarding of 10 percent of federal highway construction spending to women and minorities.

  Pat Buchanan (Reform Party)
Opposes. "No set asides, no forced busing, no mandatory hiring, no affirmative action."