The three leading presidential candidates support making government more open. But they don't always agree on specifics.

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's status as a former first lady has thrust her into the middle of the debate over government transparency. The New York Democrat held health care task force meetings behind closed doors when Bill Clinton was president -- a decision she has since said she regrets -- and many of her records as first lady remain inaccessible while archivists at the Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock, Ark., declassify them.

Democratic Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois has criticized Clinton for refusing to release her tax returns since she joined the Senate in 2001. Clinton counters that she released more than 20 years of returns up to 2000 and will release the most recent ones around April 15.

Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona, who has worked to earn a reputation for "straight talk," also is calling for more government openness. But more than either Clinton or Obama, he says it's important that information released to the public doesn't endanger national security.

Here's a brief summary of the candidates' responses to questions submitted by Gannett News Service.

QUESTION: According to a recent survey, two-thirds of Americans believe the federal government is somewhat or very secretive. How would you try to change the equation?

McCAIN: Describes himself as a "champion of openness and transparency" but said "an appropriate degree of confidentiality" is essential for national security reasons.

CLINTON: Believes government has grown less transparent under President Bush. She supports "open, transparent government that fulfills its obligation to share as much information as possible with the public."

OBAMA: Wants to focus more attention on the role corporate lobbyists play. He has criticized the closed-door energy policy meetings Vice President Dick Cheney convened in 2001. Obama also would sign an executive order making clear that information should be released "unless an agency reasonably foresees harm to a protected interest."

QUESTION: Do you think too much government information is classified? Would you favor a faster process for declassifying records?

McCAIN: Stresses the need to safeguard national security secrets but warns that "over-classification has historically presented serious problems because it encourages a general disrespect for the process."

CLINTON: Yes to both questions. "We must protect sensitive information -- especially information that implicates our national security -- but we must also improve transparency," Clinton said in an e-mail.

OBAMA: Yes to both questions. Says the Bush administration has ignored public disclosure rules and has invoked the "state secrets privilege more than any other previous administration to get cases thrown out of civil court."

QUESTION: Do you support the executive order issued by President Bush that gives former presidents and their families veto power over release of presidential records?

McCAIN: Expressed support for "any process that ensures the timely release of presidential records, as appropriate."

CLINTON: Would rescind the order. Her papers as first lady are part of her husband's presidential records.

OBAMA: Would rescind the order and said he wants "timely release" of the papers.

QUESTION: Do you favor making public the names of donors to presidential libraries and the amount of their contributions?

McCAIN: Yes. McCain said these donors are "access points by which private interests can exert influence or appear to exert influence or gain undue access to a president currently in office."

CLINTON: Yes. Clinton co-sponsored legislation in 2001 that would require the sitting president to disclose donations or commitments to his or her library foundation totaling $5,000 or more per year.

OBAMA: Yes. Obama wants to broaden an ethics reform bill recently passed by Congress requiring disclosure of donations by lobbyists to presidential libraries to include everyone who contributes.

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