What is Obama's best argument against the "inexperienced" and "not ready to lead" charge?

[begin_within]

Every time I turn around, some Republican is saying that Obama "doesn't have the experience to be President" or "isn't ready to lead this country." That's all they want to say these days, they have abandoned all their other talking points. It's like the central powers that be in that party have set all mouthbots on that one message and are letting it run 24/7 in the hopes that it will sink in. What is Obama's most effective argument against this? Just saying, "Oh yes I am ready" doesn't do it for me.

[BlooInBloo]

1. McPOW is wrong about everything. I'm right about everything.

Next?

[begin_within]

8. How exactly does that address the "inexperienced" charge?

[BlooInBloo]

10. What's the *point* of experience? Duh.

[begin_within]

14. Republicans clearly believe this is a vulnerability they can take advantage of

To simply brush it off as inconsequential and not counter-attack seems dangerous to me.

[BlooInBloo]

16. You asked what the best argument was. I gave it to you. I brushed nothing off.

[TheCoxwain]

59. Look

We liberals believe in an Honest, Intellectually sound and logically rigorous arguments and rebuttals - That is why we end up in knots. The other side uses sleight of hand, go for the gut, stoke your primal instincts type of response which totally ignores all facts and the deducible conclusions - Guess who gets the Prom Queen? and who ends up furious?


BOB : You are right about your question - But have we not learnt anything? By talking about judgment we are successfully parrying the central blow in the charge put forth... to the common man it looks as if we turned the tables on them ... That my friend is a Counter Attack - A sleight of Hand - whatever you might want to call it - IT WORKS

[FrenchieCat]

2. Tell them to explain what war has George McCain won?

cause he says he "knows how to win wars"....yet he was too "experienced" to see that he was lied into this war. Longevity doesn't equate to experience. McCain has been in the senate for 25 years, and doesn't know anything about the economy. Case Closed!

[Epiphany4z]

3. judgment

good judgment. You can have experience up the yin yang..but if all that comes form that experience is poor judgment..who cares.

[billyoc]

4. Nobody had more experience than Cheney and Rumsfeld.

I was right and they were wrong.

[Bicoastal]

5. Bill Clinton, an "inexperienced" Governor of a small Southern State...

...gave this country more peace and unity than George HW Bush.

And he was VP under Reagan, head of the CIA, a soldier, etc....

[ginnyinWI]

6. "Watch how I run my campaign."

He said it way back at the beginning and it's still the best argument to use. He's run a killer campaign.

[Bobbie Jo]

26. Exactly...He won the Nom up against a group of the strongest Democratic candidates. EVER.

nuff said.

[Growler]

38. exactly! n/t

[AdHocSolver]

48. Being the long shot canddidate who won the nomination is proof he has the requisite experience.

The right-wing repetition of the same meme shows that they are so desparate that they are relying on Pavlovian methods to sway voters. If you repeat a lie often enough, then you are bound to sway unthinking people.

Obama can point to his successful campaign for the nomination as proof of the right kind of experience to govern the country.

In addition, the Obama campaign should go after McCain's reputation for being a loose cannon. There was a link on a recent post that gave examples of McCain losing his temper and cussing at people and calling them names, even colleagues in the Senate.

Moreover, Obama should just ask people if they want more Republican leadership like we have had in the last seven years? Bigger deficits, unaffordable health care, lost jobs, inflation, unending wars. Obama will provide the leadership to correct the Republican mistakes of the past seven years.

In other words, McCain is a bad choice BECAUSE he is a REPUBLICAN. The Democratic Party has to take off the gloves and pin the Bush fiasco on the Republican Party. Hammer home that the Republicans brought us all these problems, and besides being a Republican, McCain is a loose cannon as well.

Keep the criticisms of McCain AND the Republicans short and simple, and repeat them ad nauseum. When you are fighting for survival, and we are, then forget the nuance. Use what works.

[justiceischeap]

7. What made Shrub qualified?

What makes any POTUS qualified for that unique job other than a prior term? Or how about using the talking points that Bill and Kerry did tonight. When McCain said it was right, Obama said it was wrong... Obama was right, McCain and Bush were wrong. He's already proven that he can lead because the Repugs are currently stealing his ideas.

[LSK]

9. What Biden said in his speech???

He was right about the war in Iraq.

He was right about Afghanistan.

He was right about timetables to withdraw.

[DeepBlueC]

11. Barack was right; McCain was wrong

Biden's litany of cases in point will work well. Obama has specifics on his side. McCain has been leaning rather heavily on the supposed success of the "surge".

[Barack_America]

12. Ask the last successful President we've had about that.

And that would be Bill Clinton and he didn't leave anybody guessing about his feelings tonight.

[HopeFor2006]

13. He has as much experience as Lincoln or JFK

[elkston]

15. Leadership

1. Creating and Running an extraordinarily effective campaign machine
2. Surrounding himself with the best people and keeping them
3. Ability to synthesize information and make a decision
4. Ability to bring out the best in people and inspire them
5. Pulling off a unified convention despite all the naysayers in the media & the ether.

And I think FrenchieCat has a list of actual legislative accomplishments.

[Expose_the_RW_Idiots]

17. Simple

Point out that those making the charge are the ones that brought us the Iraq war, all the lies, and have spit on the constitution.

[IamyourTVandIownyou]

18. Issues matter more than experience.

.

[begin_within]

19. I just don't buy "experience isn't important" or "experience doesn't matter" as a counter-argument.

Frankly I think Obama has got to directly address this charge as it looks to me like it is the "Swift boat" tactic of this year.

[elkston]

23. Obama has 10+ years legislative experience if you include Ilinois State

That's 10 years of working with people, building coalitions, and getting things done.

JFK didn't have any "executive" experience either. Just a senator.

[faithfulcitizen]

20. like Biden said... on the most pressing issues we face, Obama has been proven right.-that's wisdom.

[NatBurner]

60. basically. he's already leading

[wnewsom]

21. I don't see the problem...

I don't see why people are questioning Obama's experience. Bush had four years experience as president when he was elected in 2004, and he still stinks.

[begin_within]

29. I don't either, but the Republicans have clearly made this a central issue, possibly even the

biggest issue in this campaign - unless they adopt another one, they clearly believe this is Obama's Achilles' heel, and they're not going to let up on it. Even if they are blowing it out of proportion and making it more significant than it should be, the fact is they're still doing it and still using it. Obama needs to be able to attack and address this head on. Simply saying it's not important or pointing out other failed or successful Presidents seems to me to be a weak defense.

[blogslut]

22. Get them to agree that he's run an amazing, efficient and profitable campaign

Then explain how a candidate's campaign is a reflection of how they will run the country. Then hit em right in the old conservative greed basket - Tell them that the Obama campaign was a true free-market effort. It needed no government funds. The Obama organization grew from nothing into the campaign that raised more money than any other in American history. Barack Obama knows how to turn a profit.

Plus, there's no drama with Obama.

:hi:

[many a good man]

24. There's no job in the world that can prepare someone to be President

Each president has to learn on the job. They have to have superb intelligence and good judgment. Good judgment is required to be a good leader. A good leader knows how to pick competent men and women to advise him. He or she is open to diverging views and uses reason and good judgment to reach decisions.

Obama has all these qualities.

[opihimoimoi]

25. McWorse has proven Bad Judgment....he is Bushies Twin,,,that, my friends, is BAD JUDGMENT

and his experience has been all bad as well

Meaning...with all that supposed experience...he still makes blunders...of which the afore mentioned is paramount..

He has flipped flopped on too many issues....bad experience there...

He has gone against the Common People and the VETs by non support....what kind of experience is that??

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2008/07/10/mccain.insurance.question.cnn

The above link has him answering a simple question from a reporter in an evasive non answer....go see.

I rest my case...

Opi

[Awsi Dooger]

27. His best argument is he's running after 8 years of George Bush

That dynamic sells any Democratic nominee.

Let the situational advantage play out. This day to day stuff is mostly meaningless.

[Cronus Protagonist]

28. Just say, "You guys brought us BUSH, the WORST PRESIDENT EVER

- a dumbass unqualified, uneducated little state governor, and you dare to ask about SENATOR Obama's experience?

THen laugh loudly and derisively.

Muaaahaaahaaaa pwned!!

[begin_within]

30. I just don't see how pointing out Bush's failure is an effective counter-argument.

"Well that guy was unqualified and he was a disaster, so it's OK for me to be inexperienced" To me that sort of defense doesn't fly or build up any confidence in Obama. The R's are going to hammer this point endlessly over the next 2 months.

[elkston]

35. NO. BUSH was the GOVERNOR of Texas.

...just the kind of "executive" experience people tout as being crucial for the Presidency.

...and yet he was still an UTTER FAILURE as President because he lacked sound instincts, jugdments, and leadership ability.

Obama has these in spades and has demonstrated he was right about major decisions that Bush/McCain have flubbed up.

WTF else do you want unless YOU YOURSELF are one of the right-wingers (or a dissaffected Hillary fan) who has come here to stir up trouble.

[Expose_the_RW_Idiots]

31. Is that why you posed the question ?

you are absolutely right about the right wingers continually bringing the question up.


Is that why you posed the question ?


Would you call yourself a democrat or would you consider yourself a good bush republican?

[begin_within]

34. On KUSI TV tonight they had a series of RWers basically saying the same thing...

I noticed a pattern. This is the central theme of their negative campaign against Obama. So far, and including in this thread, I haven't seen a killer counter-argument.

[uppityperson]

52. Wow.

[FKA MNChimpH8R]

32. Bill Clinton demolished this argument tonight

Barack is older than WJC was when he ran for POTUS and has foreign-policy brainiac Joe Biden sitting right nect to him.

[EndElectoral]

33. They said the same thing about Teddy Roosevelt, JFK and Clinton

Teddy Roosevelt - 42
JFK - 43
Bill Clinton - 46

Obama would be 47 on taking office - older than the above three.

[Kablooie]

39. and Lincoln was said to have no experience. He was 51 at the time.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

58. IIRC

Lincoln has a single term in the House of Representatives. His military experience was the Illinois militia during the Blackhawk War, where Lincoln supposedly quipped, "We spent more time fight mousquitoes than fighting Indians."

Totally unqualified for the job -- and just about every member of his cabinet said so.

[TTUBatfan2008]

36. JUDGMENT...

This speech sums it all up:

http://usliberals.about.com/od/extraordinaryspeeches/a/Obama2002War.htm

[arthritisR_US]

47. exactly! n/t

[begin_within]

37. I was kind of hoping that someone would reply with:

Obama: "Here's my experience." (details accomplishments in his career so far)
Obama: "I led.... " (details examples of things he did in a leadership role)
Obama: These examples show that I have the experience necessary, and I am ready to lead this country."

[TheKentuckian]

41. I think Joe Biden clearly included what you wanted

in his speech.

I think this is a super lightweight argument. Now after forty years of not giving a crap about foreign policy experience or even comprehension, it's hilarious that now it's so crucial. The RW is now apparently abandoning their legislators don't make good executives argument.

It's a lame ass shell game to stumble into traction, especially in this cycle. There's no magic recipe because the job is a mix of policy, will, inspiration, compromise, intelligence, listening skills, judgment, discernment, understanding of issues, intellectual curiosity, and remembering who you work for. At least that's what I'm primarily looking at.

I see it maybe akin to the way you look at a prospect in sports. I honestly think Obama has the best skillset for the job that has come down the line in a while and I was super quick to come around to that way of thinking.

I can't say enough that the point of experience is what is gleaned from it. Knowledge, connections, perspective, judgement-Obama is kicking McCain's ass in all areas. Experience in this election is pure code for familiarity gained from longevity on the scene. There is no nuts and bolts to the argument. Making the right calls overcomes ANY level of longevity.
If I was the guy that was wrong all the time, I'd avoid this talking point because it demands the listener to either suspend disbelief or for one to have lost their thinking cap.

Who cares about experience from the clueless guy when you've got a smarter and more perceptive fellow with better polices?

[begin_within]

46. Yes it is a lightweight argument, but they're still going to use it relentlessly,

whether it works or not. Their general modus operandi is saturation bombing with anything they can think of, whether it's weak or strong, true or totally made-up lies. They will throw anything at the wall, even if only 1% of it sticks, that's all that matters. They got something to stick that worked. They know that if you repeat a lie or half-truth or generalization long enough and often enough, it takes on a life of its own and becomes a type of "truth" in a weird way. That's what I see them doing now, is hammering the "experience" and "ready to lead" issue hard and often. I hope Obama attacks it directly in his speech on Thursday and doesn't just ignore it like Kerry ignored the swiftboating at first.

[uppityperson]

53. Rather than playing defensive and reciting facts, give them back a fast answer...

bush had 4 yrs experience in 2004 and look what that got us.
Or: I have the same presidential experience that McCain has.
Or: more than Lincoln or JFK. Or, He's had 12 years of government experience and he got a lot done in that time. McCain's been around for 25 years in government, and what's his greatest accomplishment? One bill.
Or: What made Shrub qualified?
Or: what makes Mccain qualified?
Or: 10 years of working with people, building coalitions, and getting things done.
Or: Ask if they are better off today than they were 8 yrs ago. Dthey want that "experience" to continue?
Or: laugh and ask what presidential candidate EVER has presidential experience except for those running for their second term?
Or: That is one reason he chose Biden for his VP, a man with a heck of a lot of positive experience in politics.

If you get too wordy, people who "say that" won't be able to listen.

[stevietheman]

40. Obama has more political experience than Lincoln had when he became President...

... by roughly one year.

[WinkyDink]

42. If every provided example of the miserable failures of "experienced" men

cannot show you the folly of touting "experience" as a virtue per se, you are hopeless.

[Sensitivity]

43. Here is a link to an article

http://open.salon.com/content.php?cid=9245

[crimsonblue]

44. experience is historically a terrible indicator of success

judgement is better. Obama clearly has better judgement.

[RNdaSilva]

45. Defer to President Clinton.

[qwlauren35]

49. Let's see... two come to mind.

#1 - "they" said the same thing about Clinton.
#2 - "they" were wrong.

[truthisfreedom]

50. What is McCain's best argument against the "incontinent" and "can't remember where home is" charge?

Who gives a shit what the 'thugs think. They're losers this year.

[Alexander]

51. He's had 12 years of government experience and he got a lot done in that time.

McCain's been around for 25 years in government, and what's his greatest accomplishment? One bill.

[agentS]

54. And a laundry list

of fuckups.

[Kahuna]

55. As a Constitutional scholar he is BEST qualified to obey the

presidential charge to uphold the Constitution.

[vaberella]

56. It should be, " No one is born with the title, President, upon birth."

You're going in with your decsision making skills that you've acquired, hopefully a damn amazing cabinet, with an agenda for better not for worse and learning from experience upon taking the helm. Obama has shown that his decision making skills are fairly on point considering his primary run, GE run and of course his Veep pick. Now it's to see all of those abilities coming to play when he's faced with questions of the nation. No one knows which way it goes but we can only sit and wait.

[Vinca]

57. Good judgement. Look what McCain's experience has produced. nt