Financial Woes Crucial Issue in '08 Election

A new poll of AARP members shows that financial security will be a big factor in how 90% will vote in early 2008 presidential primaries, the Politico reports. Though many of the 5,000 potential voters aren't familiar with candidates' positions on financial and health issues, one pollster says, more than half are willing to base decisions on the candidates' stances.

With crises in the mortgage and credit markets making headlines and feeding potential voter unease, the leading Democratic candidates are calling for tougher federal regulation of lenders. John Edwards, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama all have such planks in their current platforms, and Chuck Schumer yesterday complained to Federal Reserve and Treasury officials on the subject. (More subprime mortgages stories.)