Issues '08: Education

Nothing is ultimately more bedrock than the education of our children — the readiness of our citizens and coming generations to compete and lead in a global economy. To carry the responsibilities of democracy.

Where do McCain and Obama stand? This hour, we’ll ask their top advisers where McCain and Obama would lead on a basic issue for America — education.

You can join the conversation. Can we dig out of the economic mess and win without better schools? Who do you want steering federal policy on education? McCain or Obama? And why?Guests:

Joining us from Florissant, Missouri, is Jay Mathews, education columnist at The Washington Post and a guiding light among reporters on the education beat. His forthcoming book is, “Work Hard, Be Nice: How Two Inspired Teachers Created America’s Best Schools."

Joining us from Washington is Linda Darling-Hammond, professor of education at Stanford University and a member of Barack Obama’s education advisory team. She was the founding executive director of the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future, the blue-ribbon panel which produced the 1996 report "What Matters Most: Teaching for America's Future" (pdf).

Also from Washington, we're joined by Lisa Graham Keegan. She is the senior policy advisor to the McCain 2008 campaign on education issues. At the National Republican Convention earlier this month, she was vice chair of the GOP political platform committee and was instrumental in developing the party’s education policy.

More links:

You can read Barack Obama's and John McCain's education policies, as spelled out on their official campaign sites.