We citizens are hiring for the most important job in the nation.

In little more than two months, we will elect the next president of the United States. The major candidates are Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill.

The basis for our decision should not be which candidate does better on Letterman, which one says something that a special interest group  twist into an insult or which one hits us with the most campaign ads in the last two weeks of the campaign.

Our responsibility is to elect the person who is best suited to lead and defend the United States of America. That candidate must be a person of great character; someone who has demonstrated and will demonstrate courage, leadership, wisdom and calm under fire.

In our view, the most important issues facing the next president include:

• The War on Terror, including hostilities in Iraq and Afghanistan, domestic policies that ensure our homeland safety and international diplomacy with countries that may pose risks to our safety and security.

• The economy, including job growth and stability, inflation, housing and regulation of the markets.

• Energy policy, including reliance on foreign suppliers of petroleum, policy on domestic supplies and use of alternative energy technologies.

• Upholding the Constitution, including appointments to the Supreme Court and policies on civil rights, criminal justice and privacy.

• Education and health care, including costs and coverage for hundreds of millions of Americans.

For the next six Sundays, the Register editorial board will address these subjects, as well as the backgrounds of the candidates, on this page.

After careful consideration of these subjects, we will publish our endorsement for president on Oct. 5.

We encourage readers to use our editorials as a tool in their own decision-making process. We also encourage readers to take advantage of the many other reliable sources of information available on these two men and their candidacies.

Finally, we warn readers to be cautious about the information they utilize. Between unreliable Internet sites, special-interest-driven attack ads and the tabloid-style distractions, there are many sources of disinformation out there these days.

We are on the verge of making a decision that will profoundly affect our lives, the lives of our family members and friends, the communities where we live, and people around the world. We are the hiring committee, and we must take our responsibility seriously.

Barack Obama

Born: Aug. 4, 1961, Honolulu, Hawaii

Home: Chicago, Ill.

College: Columbia University, 1983; Harvard Law School, 1991

Family: Wife, Michelle, two daughters

Non-political career: Civil rights attorney, political organizer, constitutional law instructor, University of Chicago.

Political career: Elected to Illinois State Senate, 1996. Elected to the U.S. Senate, 2004.

More on Obama

His father, Barack Obama Sr., was from Kenya. His mother is from Kansas. His parents met in school in Hawaii, where his father was an exchange student and his mother lived after her father served at Pearl Harbor.

Obama was raised and educated in Indonesia and Hawaii.

President of Harvard Law Review. Got his start in Chicago ward politics, working with a church group to address inner city issues. Author of two best-selling books, “The Audacity of Hope” and “Dreams from My Father.”

His keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention in 2004 catapulted him to national recognition.

Announced his campaign for the presidency at the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Ill., where Abraham Lincoln gave his famous “house divided” speech in 1858.

If elected, Obama, who is of mixed race, would be considered the first African-American president of the United States.

He has promised his daughters, Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, a dog this fall — win or lose.

John McCain

Born: August 29, 1936, Panama Canal Zone, Panama

Home: Phoenix, Ariz.

College: U.S. Naval Academy, 1958; National War College, 1973.

Family: Wife Cindy, seven children, four grandchildren

Non-political career: Pilot, U.S. Navy, 1958-1981.

Political career: Elected to U.S. House of Representatives, 1982. Elected to U.S. Senate in 1986.

More on McCain

His parents and grandparents were Navy admirals. Both his father and grandfather served in World War II and earned Naval honors.

Raised in northern Virginia.

Author of best-selling memoir, “Faith of My Fathers.”

One of his children was adopted from Mother Teresa’s orphanage in Bangladesh. One son is serving in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Spent six years as a military prisoner during Vietnam War. In October, 1967, during his 23rd bombing mission, his plane was hit by a missile and he ejected. Spent time in brutal prison known as Hanoi Hilton. Naval honors include the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart and the Distinguished Flying Cross.

First ran for GOP nomination for president in 2000. If elected, McCain would be the oldest person to assume the presidency. He will be 72 on Inauguration Day.

He talks to fellow prisoners of war, those with whom he shared a cell in Vietnam, almost daily.