So experience doesn't matter anymore

[NewYorkerfromMass]

this is the unmistakable message I get from Obama's success so far- people are ignoring the usual standards of experience in favor of Obama's fresh look and approach. I say this only in anticipation of a McCain-Obama matchup in the GE- where the contrast in experience could not be greater. I do not think we will prevail if that is the case, especially if, however he can, McCain is able to put a positive spin on Iraq.
If the matchup is Obama-Romney I like our chances better. Still, Obama would bring a level of experience quite low for any Democratic presidential nominee. And that of course is the big hitch here- Democrats are measured on a biased scale against the Republicans- Bush was certainly quite the lightweight- but they get a pass. We don't, and I think that will make Obama's job much harder than anyone can anticipate at this point.

[dipsydoodle]

1. Out of curiousity

exactly how much experience did JFK have ?

[NewYorkerfromMass]

7. He had completed one Senate term

and a congressional one before that, and of course he was a bona fide war hero- if you do not know the story of PT-109 and how he saved all his men, swimming with the wounded despite his bad back, then you are missing a great piece of history.

[michaelwb]

18. Actually even more than that.

JFK was elected to (and served) three terms to the US House of Representatives

And Elected to two terms in the US Senate(served one full term and one partial.)

So he elected to service in the US Government five times more than Obama and total service at the Federal level of 14 years (almost five times as much as Obama.)

This is not to say Obama's shorter term of service is strictly a negative, but the repeated comparisons to JFK service are just silly.

[KennedyGuy]

8. Lots..unlike Obama's paper thin resume (danger..facts involved)

After Kennedy's military service as commander of the USS PT-109 during World War II in the South Pacific, his aspirations turned political. Kennedy represented the state of Massachusetts in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1947 to 1953 as a Democrat, and in the U.S. Senate from 1953 until 1961. Kennedy defeated former Vice President and Republican candidate

[1corona4u]

16. Out of curiosioty....

Why do Obama supporters always compare him to JFK, instead of MLK? He reminds me more of MLK...same speeches and all...I see nothing in Obama like JFK.

[dipsydoodle]

27. You are assuming

I'm an Obama supporter. I could equally have said HRC. I'm sure that whoever wins will have a suitable number of qualified advisors and as such prior experience may not necessarily be more important than diplomatic skills.

Just a personal believe - Obama will win the day with just his charisma. As I'm not qualified to vote <UK> I can only make observations.

[1corona4u]

31. Yeah, charisma should be the most important

trait for the leader of the free world. NOT. Stupid is, as stupid does. I am disgusted that I share the planet with the shallow, easily amused people, who are buying Obama's bullshit.

It all reminds me of 2000, when so many people were convinced that Bush was the right person for the job. It really does.

[dipsydoodle]

36. I didn't say that either

I simply stated what I believe to be the most lilkly outcome and the reason for it. You don't share the planet with the shallow, easily amused people, who are buying Obama's bullshit - maybe just the USA.

[1corona4u]

40. You're probably right about that...

[KennedyGuy]

32. even Hillary as many more years in the Senate...

[MethuenProgressive]

20. That Pulitzer Prize and decorated WW2 service was experience, too.

To some of us.

[patrice]

2. All of the fence-sitters will go for McCain, including a fair number of the professional

fence-sitters who are working for Obama now.

[GodlessBiker]

3. Other than being Vice President, what experience really helps? Sitting on committees?

[Deep13]

4. None. Just wishful thinking phrased in flowery language.

People want to be part of a social movement. It is almost like a mystical experience. Like all people appealing to emotion, Obama is a phoney. He has no track record to point to to demonstrate he can accomplish any of the thinks he says.

[youthere]

5. Anymore?

Did it ever matter? If it did, it must have been before my time.
If experience mattered in the slightest Biden, Dodd and Richardson would be the three frontrunners in this dog and pony show.

[1corona4u]

17. Yep. This is American Idol....remember.

[youthere]

28. You said it sister.

Honestly if you'd asked me six months ago if there was any way we could lose in November, it would have been unthinkable. Now? Not so much.

[annie1]

29. and they're about to pick Taylor hicks, the one trick pony.

[1corona4u]

35. Yep.

And, there will be no one to blame 4 years from now, but themselves. I wonder how the people who voted for Bush feel now?

[SaveElmer]

6. It's this generations four letter word...

I noticed the same thing locally....and excellent candidate...highly experienced in local and community affairs was being challenged in the primary by a young guy who had been a veteran (didn't serve in a war)...he tried to make the experience of his opponent a liability...it didn't work here and the correct candidate won...

But I am seeing the same argument in alot of races...

[Thrill]

9. With McCain....He's got a long Senate record of votes

Those guys are just too easy to beat. He can't beat Obama

[cali]

10. Obama has as much experience in government as Adlai Stevenson

He has more experience than John Edwards. He is also a constitutional scholar. 8 years as a State Senator and 3 years as a U.S. Senator. Just how is that such thin experience- particularly compared to John Edwards or Hillary Clinton. Please explain.

[Dawgs]

14. Don't forget his work as a community organizer.

I would argue that they all of their experiences qualify them for President.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

23. Adlai Stevenson had tons more experience

relevant to being president before he ran in 1952. For example- not only was he governor of Illinois for one term, he also served in WWII in the Depts. of State and Navy. He had a much better resume than Obama, especially in terms of foreign and executive service.

[cali]

34. He certainly had more foreign policy experience

but actually they're experience is roughly on par. Stevenson did not serve for very long or in high positions.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

38. Governor of Illinois is not a high position?

man you people are tough.

[MethuenProgressive]

11. If experience and qualifications matter we'd all be backing Richardson.

"Richardson has arguably the best resume of any candidate for the presidency in nation’s history"

Richardson instinctive with Iowa-flavored humor
by: Douglas Burns

RED OAK -- ...rural Iowans love humor. Go into any coffee shop, local eatery, bar or grain elevator. Have lunch with the Rotary or Kiwanis clubs. Customers joke with waitresses. Truck drivers joke with clerks. Old men in feed hats spend hours over 30-cent cups of coffee giving each other the business over something or another. In our more urban areas, and the growing spirit-crushing suburbs, there are a lot Hillary Clintons. She's rushing to the White House. They're rushing to Bed, Bath & Beyond. But in my part of the state, western Iowa, the place where the caucuses will be decided, naturally folksy humor goes a long way.

Of the top four Democratic candidates in the race, Bill Richardson, the New Mexico governor, is most natural with a Sunday lemonade-brand of spontaneous humor. It’s instinctive for him, and it’s one of the reasons he’s climbing in the polls. He’s disarming. The jokes get people to see past the suit and tie and title and platoon of earnest young staffers. “We hit 10 percent,” Richardson said Saturday in Red Oak. “That’s pretty good for having been at the margin of error.” Richardson noted that New Mexico now has eight movies being made in the state. “One of the conditions is that I have to star in all of them,” he joked, with a wink to the fact that's he's a few pounds ahead of leading man fighting weight.

Near the end of his visit to Red Oak, Richardson tapped the shoulder of a woman sitting next to him while making a point about education. The woman clearly hadn’t been paying full attention to his remarks and was a little startled. “Did I wake you up?” said Richardson with a wide smile. He tapped his watch and said, “I’ll finish soon.”
In Denison a few weeks ago Richardson said he signed a smoking ban in New Mexico but exempted cigar bars. He shrugged and told the audience, “Hey, I’m a cigar smoker.” Richardson talks about how he will work on Iraq the first day he’s in office, energy independence the next, and health-care and education on the third day. “The fourth day,” he says, pausing. “I’ll take off.” That line works on so many levels.

The new advertisements in which Richardson sits down for a job interview for the presidency with a rude, sandwich-chomping “employer,” are more humorous than much of the material late-night comics produce. Another reason humor works well for Richardson: There’s little danger the use of it will make him seem an unserious person. Richardson has arguably the best resume of any candidate for the presidency in the nation’s history: Governor, congressman, United Nations ambassador and Secretary of Energy. As Richardson hits the small towns of Iowa, pays his due the old-fashioned way, he’ll make many Iowans comfortable with him. He comes across as a person who genuinely likes people. The same cannot be said of all candidates.
http://www.iowaindependent.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=178

[NewYorkerfromMass]

13. but he was terrible in debates

and as a speaker. Sorry but he came across as a bit of a doofus to me. A great resume, no doubt, but missing a good ability to think on his feet and be inspiring. That's where Obama is beating these other guys (and gals).

[no name no slogan]

12. If it did, our nominee would be Biden, Kucinich or Richardson

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

19. Byrd '08!

[Horse with no Name]

15. The only two republican candidates that worry me are McCain and Huckabee

Both are very dangerous and we should dismiss them at our peril.

[Araxen]

21. Romey

He would be the best choice to go against but I think the repubs are seeing through his BS. He's the repub version of Kerry.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

42. And Michelle?

:shrug:

[harun]

22. Repukes aren't motivated by McCain, if they were they would have

picked him over GW Bush in 2000. He had more experience and was a better choice than GW.

[vee]

24. The Most Experienced

list of people in this country concerning the presidency are, Bill Clinton, George Bush, George W. Bush and Jimmy Carter.
These are of course the only four individuals that can put down "Been President" on a resume.

Of these 4 only Jimmy Carter and Bush Sr. can legally run. Choice is yours.

[soundguy]

25. But Shrub Had Daddy and The Snarl, Good Red Meat Credentials

While it will remain to be seen what type of people he would have around him. I have said it before and will say it again, these non issues will become HUGE if he gets the spot. The sharks are just waiting to see if they will get their dream meal handed to them, and are doing their best to steer the ship in that direction. Here is a VERY simple example issue/question. Is it true he is a chain smoker? Great, a closet chain smoker? That will make some interesting pictures I bet. And he does have exactly 0 foreign policy. Nah I am sure the Republican candidate would NEVER ever bring that up. Right? Hopefully he will not win the primary. I would like to see him get a high level position in a Clinton or Edwards administration and get some "grooming." In 8 years he will still be a young man 20 percent more of the racist population will have passed and then he may be able to gain a wider base of support other than the change for the sake of change crowd.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

26. LOL- pretty hard to be a 'closet chain smoker'

but that is a good guess at how petty the campiagn will get.

[annie1]

30. It seems that voters are going out of their way to reject experience.

[Egnever]

33. The usual standards of experience are exactly what is wrong with country.

How many people have worked for someone who has years of experience but is completely wrong headed. We have become a nation that prefers experience to excellence. It is rotting our country from the inside out.

There is nothing wrong with experience but without the judgment to use that experience effectively it hampers positive outcomes.


Cheney yearts of experience rumsfield years of experience Lieberman years of experience. Being there for years does not necesarily make one good at what they do.

[Cha]

37. Depends on what kind of

experience and what people have learned from it and how they run their campaign. Is it just negative shit and smears cause they got nothing? Or is it substanstial..touting what positive situations they've created from all that experience?

I'll take someone like Obama anyday over the fearmonger.

[killbotfactory]

39. Experience doing what, though?

Obama has plenty of experience organizing and fighting for ordinary people. As a community organizer, civil rights lawyer, state senator, and Illinois senator.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

41. Right. But it's the foreign policy thing

that will kill him against McCain.

[pdxmom]

43. I think that if McCain keeps talking about attacking and bombing all

the countries he doesn't like, and promising to keep our troops in Iraq for 100 years, then he'll have a hard time making that foreign policy thing work for him. The populace is fed up.