John Harwood of the New York Times compares the current presidential candidates' different ideas of government and how they reflect the divergent ideologies and core constituencies of the two parties.

The economy will likely be the most contested issue of the 2012 presidential campaign, with Republican candidates determined to demonstrate that President Obama's economic policies failed and that less government, not more, is needed to stimulate growth and create jobs.

Dozens of subtle position papers flow through Mitt Romney's policy shop, but they seem to have little influence on his hawkish-sounding and content-thin pronouncements, writes David E. Sanger for the New York Times.

In 64 BC, the great Roman lawyer and orator Marcus Tullius Cicero ran for consul. His younger brother, Quintus, wrote a detailed strategy memo laying out just what Marcus needed to do to win. It's the best guide to electioneering you'll ever read, presented here with a commentary by the legendary political consultant James Carville.

With the U.S.-India relationship in solid shape, India will be watching the U.S. presidential race for how the outcome will affect policies on China, Pakistan, and other issues crucial to Delhi.

Julia E. Sweig discusses U.S. senator Marco Rubio's foreign policy positions and their significance if he is chosen as Republican Mitt Romney's vice presidential running mate.

President Obama gave this speech on employment and Congress' 'To-Do' list on May 8, 2012 in Albany, New York.

Republican presidental candidate Mitt Romney gave these remarks on 'A New Course for America' on May 8, 2012 at Lansing Community College in Michigan.

Leslie H. Gelb says Mitt Romney's foreign policy strategy is an attempt to blend all Republican viewpoints.

President Obama gave this campaign speech on May 5, 2012 in Richmond, Virginia.

President Obama gave this speech, the first of his official 2012 campaign speeches, in Columbus, Ohio on May 5, 2012.

This Chatham House paper lays out the likely China policy of either a second-term Barack Obama administration or an incoming Mitt Romney administration, and the international implications of these two alternatives.

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney published this letter to President Obama regarding unemployment in Ohio and beyond in the Cleveland Plain Dealer on May 4, 2012.

The next president should keep after al-Qaeda but mend relations with Congress on terrorism, reports this Brookings Institution campaign briefing.

From both the right and left, there has been a dramatic disconnect between President Obama's record and the public perception of his leadership: despite his demonstrated willingness to use force, neither side regards him as the warrior president he is, writes Peter L. Bergen.

Sebastian Mallaby explains how post-election gridlock could either send the U.S. economy over the edge of a "fiscal cliff" into recession or lead it down a risky road of more debt and downgrades.

Civil liberties will present the winner of the 2012 U.S. presidential elections with challenges related to counterterrorism powers and practices, as well as challenges related to privacy rights, says CFR's Matthew C. Waxman.

U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden gave these remarks on foreign policy in New York on April 26, 2012.

The Chinese leadership is following the U.S. presidential campaign very closely, says Jia Qingguo, a leading American studies scholar, but he notes that a new president is not expected to significantly change U.S. policy toward China.

Peter Orszag works through various approaches U.S. policymakers could take to head off fiscal catastrophe as a storm of tax increases, spending cuts, and a debt ceiling standoff looms at the end of the year.