It’s hard to believe that the first presidential primaries of the 2008 election cycle are less than two weeks away.

 

The war, economy, healthcare, blah, blah, blah…we all know those are important issues. But let’s face it – what the country really needs to know is how the leading candidates feel about bacon.

 

Hillary Clinton
Hillary was not afraid to order pork products for breakfast on a recent campaign stop in Iowa.

 

“Mrs. Clinton ordered the “Good Ol Iowa” omelette, a house specialty that includes cured ham, applewood bacon and shredded cheddar cheese. ‘Do you have any hot tea?’ she asked. Ms. Clinton (Chelsea) opted for an egg white omelette, with Mrs. Rodham (Hillary’s mother) having pancakes with a side of bacon.”

 

Ham and bacon in an omelette? Aggressive. No wonder Hillary is the Democratic front-runner and a force to be reckoned with.

 

Barack Obama
Finding information about Obama’s bacon-eating habits was not easy. There are a lot of rumors on the Interweb about him being a vegetarian, and since I’ve always been a bit skeptical of vegetarians, I was starting to wonder about the Senator from Illinois. But that was before I ran across this article about a recent breakfast meeting between Obama and NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

 

“The two political titans ate at the New York Luncheonette at 135 East 50th St. in midtown Manhattan, where they talked for more than 30 minutes…Obama munched his bacon, eggs over easy and toast and Bloomberg his scrambled eggs and potatoes…”

 

So in terms of bacon, I guess Obama’s still giving Hillary a run for her money, even on her home turf.

 

John Edwards
I have no idea whether or not Edwards likes bacon, but he does have the support of one of the most famous people to ever carry the Bacon namesake.

 

“John will be joined by Golden Globe-nominated actor Kevin Bacon and Academy Award winner Tim Robbins for a few days – we’re organizing a “Six Degrees of John Edwards” drive to encourage our supporters to reach out to undecided caucus goers and help bring them one degree closer to John and his bold ideas for real change.”

 

Edwards’ chances at the White House may be a slim, but at least he can kick off his Sunday shoes and cut footloose on the campaign trail.

 

Rudy Giuliani
Rudy appears to be eating his way through the campaign. And through his stomach he is letting everyone know that he thinks America is #1.

 

“At Peter’s Grill in Minneapolis, he spoke darkly of “a Democratic plan to get us as close to socialized medicine as they can,” but he passed up the menu’s “President Clinton Special” — Canadian bacon with egg sandwich on pumpernickel with vegetable soup, apple pie and a Diet Coke, commemorating a 1995 visit by then-President Bill Clinton.”

 

Nope, Mr. Giuliani will have none of that Canadian stuff – only American bacon will do for the Nation’s Mayor. On another recent campaign stop in New Hampshire:

 

“Along with the omelets and Diet Cokes, Giuliani added a side order of extra crispy bacon.”

 

Shrewd moves, Rudy.

 

Mitt Romney
Some people are having a hard time supporting Romney because they don’t understand his religion. Others are having a hard time understanding his flip-flopping on certain issues over the years. But what I have a hard time understanding is how someone can eat the same thing every day:

 

“Mitt Romney is so vigilant about nutrition that he eats the same thing every day: his wife’s granola for breakfast, a chicken or turkey sandwich for lunch, and pasta, fish or chicken for dinner.”

 

There’s clearly not a lot of room for bacon in that diet. I’m sorry, but Romney’s eating habits creep me out more than vegetarianism.

 

Fred Thompson
Thompson’s campaign may have gotten off to a slow and late start, but his straight-shooting approach to politics – and food – have gained him a loyal following.

 

“Gazing across plates with the remnants of grits, sausage, bacon, biscuits and pancakes, Thompson said in his trademark drawl, “mighty good to be back in God’s country.”

 

John McCain
I couldn’t find much of anything about McCain’s eating habits, other than he apparently eats like a college student:

 

“Apart from this morning’s fritter and coffee, he’s had a handful of potato chips and a can of Red Bull…There are trays of chilled Chinese food stashed up front, fallout-shelter eats that are now dug out and served in plastic boxes on plastic trays. McCain picks at a bit of fruit, chokes back a cold egg roll. “I really don’t eat well,” he says. “I eat junk. I kinda get pumped up at these things and don’t have much of an appetite.” He consents to filling the last corner of his stomach with a fortune cookie. “

 

With a diet like that, I can’t imagine McCain would be opposed to the occasional strip of bacon.

 

Mike Huckabee
Huckabee recently had to make a lot of changes to his diet and lifestyle to lose over 100 pounds. But he didn’t sacrifice bacon in the process.

 

“(Huckabee) eats breakfast every day–bacon and eggs, or oatmeal with a banana.”

 

A man of principles? Perhaps. Voters will decide in a couple weeks.