Chris Van Hollen
You know him because: He is a U.S. representative from Maryland, the ranking Democrat on the House Budget Committee, and the former chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
He would like you to forget: A letter he wrote to then Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice about U.S. and Israeli military involvement in Lebanon brought Van Hollen criticism from the Jewish community, including the creation of an Israeli activist group called the "Van Hollen Watch."
Democrats like him because: He is known as GOP vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan's Democratic counterpart—literally standing in for Ryan in debate prep with Vice President Joe Biden—for his fiscal know-how and his criticisms of Ryan's "Path to Prosperity" budget plan.
Republicans don't like him because: Van Hollen is a sponsor of the DISCLOSE Act, which would require more transparency in campaign finance and is opposed by many Republicans including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
[See a collection of political cartoons on the 2012 campaign.]
Sandra Fluke
You know her because: As a Georgetown University Law student, Fluke advocated for the Affordable Care Act provision requiring that religious-affiliated organizations cover contraceptives in their insurance plans.
Democrats love her because: When Rush Limbaugh called her a "slut" for her views, Democrats hailed her as proof of the so called "Republican War on Women."
Republicans don't like her because: Republicans believe that requiring religious-affiliated organizations to provide contraceptives in their health insurance plans is a violation of religious freedom, as some religions oppose the use of contraception.
[See a collection of political cartoons on the Catholic contraception controversy.]
Kamala D. Harris
You know her because: She is the attorney general of California and the former district attorney of San Francisco.
She would like you to forget: While serving as San Francisco district attorney, Harris was accused of hiding evidence constitutionally required to be shared with defense attorneys in a case regarding a crime-lab technician stealing cocaine samples.
Democrats love her because: Called the "female Obama," Harris is the first African-American and Asian-American woman attorney general in California, and was the first Indian-American district attorney in the country.
Republicans don't like her because: She opposes the death penalty (though says she considers it on a case-by-case basis) and, as a district attorney, refused to seek capital punishment for a man charged with killing a police officer.
[Slide show: The 12 Most Memorable Political Convention Speeches]
Elizabeth Warren
You know her because: She is a Harvard Law professor and a candidate for U.S. Senate in Massachusetts.
She would like you to forget: She struggled to prove her Native American heritage which Harvard Law School once touted as evidence of the ethnic diversity of its faculty.
Democrats love her because: She led the charge to form the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, a federal agency which seeks to regulate numerous types of financial companies.
Republicans don't like her because: Republicans say she is far too aggressive in her persecution of banks and other financial institutions; Obama did not nominate her to head the bureau she helped create for fear her nomination would be blocked by congressional Republicans,
Bill Clinton
You know him because: He is the former president of the United States.
He would like you to forget: The House voted to impeach Clinton for lying about having sexual relations with 22-year-old White House intern Monica Lewinsky.
Democrats love him because: In his two terms, Clinton oversaw a period of relative peace and economic expansion, leaving office with a $236.2 billion budget surplus.
Republicans don't like him because: He raised taxes on high-income earners, corporations, and Social Security benefits, which President Obama uses to justify his own proposals to increase taxes.
- See a collection of political cartoons on the 2012 campaign.
- Photos: Charlotte Prepares for the DNC.
- Check out U.S. News Weekly: an insider's guide to politics and policy
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