It's done to the crunch. US Americans are watching the presidential candidates closely to decide who should be next in the White House.

Incumbent Republican President George W. Bush is being challenged primarily by Democrat John Kerry, as well as by independent candidate Ralf Nader. The men will face off on November 2, 2004 to become the 44th president.

With the party conventions behind them, the presidential candidates are touring through the country drumming up support and explaining their platform for how they would run the country as of January 2005. They are spending millions on political advertisements.

DW Radio has set up this dossier featuring all the latest interviews, stories and background pieces from the current affairs program Newslink.

From left to right: George W. Bush, independent Ralph Nader, Senator John Edwards, Senator John Kerry