Hail to the Chief Hail to the Chief "Hail to the Chief" is the official Presidential Anthem of the United States, composed by James Sanderson. The song's playing accompanies the appearance of the President of the United States at many public events. For major official occasions, the United States Marine Band and other military ensembles are generally the performers, so directives of the United States Department of Defense have, since 1954, been the main basis for according it official status. It is preceded by four ruffles and flourishes when played for the President. The song is also played during a former President's state funeral
Comparison of the 2008 United States presidential candidates Comparison of the 2008 United States presidential candidates This article compares the presidential candidates in the United States' 2008 presidential election. It does not cover previous elections. Because of ballot access restrictions in the United States, not all candidates appeared on the ballots in all states. Those who were on the ballot in enough states to theoretically win a majority in the U.S. Electoral College are marked in bold. Candidates who are known to have appeared on at least two states' ballots are marked in "italic". The third party candidates' tax plans were not studied by mainstream media outlets and