RFK was elected to Senate in '64 and ran for president in '68 (same time period as Obama)

[book_worm]

I've heard some Hillary supporters keep using the fact that Obama is only in his first term in the Senate and how dare he run for president, but one of my heroes, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy was also in his first term when he ran in '68. Obama was elected to Senate in '04 and is now running in '08.

How will Obama respond to the charge he doesn't have enough experience? by pointing out that those with years and years of experience like Cheney and Rummy led us in disastrous fashion. It's more about judgement than experience.

(I see that many of you object to my using RFK as an example even though it's a sound one, so how about Abraham Lincoln? only one term in House?):)

[Proud2BAmurkin]

1. was in the Navy and attorney general before that

labor rackets committee attorney before that

[book_worm]

6. Obama in IL State Legislator plus community activist

so what about the Navy?

[ellisonz]

42. He was also a law professor.

[neutron]

46. RFK was a little smarter

than Obama. Sorry, but he was.
(My opinion comes from watching the debates)

[cali]

37. in the navy?

so what? and how long was he attny general? hmm. double standard from murky. what a shocker.

[jasmine621]

40. I don't really think anyone to start examining the Camelot real legacy. nt

[SoxFan]

47. Navy?

RFK was a junior enlisted sailor. It's not as though he was Wes Clark, or even Dick Lugar, who served as an intelligence briefer while a junior officer.

[keep_it_real]

2. GO ! ! ! Bama ! ! !

[Captain Hilts]

3. RFK's career path follows HRC's far more closely...

Work for a high-profile committee - RFK was a toadie for Joe McCarthy and Roy Cohn - then got a big job because of a relative in the White House, then ran for senate....

[sandnsea]

29. AG isn't quite like First Lady

But he did have more experience than any of those running now.

[BluegrassDem]

4. Very good point!

[jackson_dem]

5. Obama is not RFK. Nor is he JFK, Lincoln, or Ike

[Proud2BAmurkin]

7. Gary Hart?

:shrug:

[mckeown1128]

23. So I guess that makes Hillary the Mondale of the race...

ohh yeah this will end well.

[book_worm]

8. yes, but RFK ran for president at the same time in his senate career that Obama is

[Proud2BAmurkin]

9. years of national experience, labor rackets committee atty, atty general, Navy

[book_worm]

14. Obama's experience in state government is as relevant

besides there are many instances of people running for president without having spent a lifetime in elective office: Jimmy Carter, Adlai Stevenson, Wendell Wilkie, Abraham Lincoln, Robert Kennedy, John Edwards...

[kurth]

11. Always wanna keep a black man down by comparing against dead white people

Tsk. Tsk.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

10. Bobby Kennedy's Wise Counsel Helped Bring A Peaceful Resolution To The Cuban Missile Crisis

~

[mrreowwr_kittty]

12. Exactly. He has the perfect rejoinder to the "experience" crap.

Whereas Senator Clinton, who has run on 35 years of experience will have to defend hers against the likes of John McCain.

[Proud2BAmurkin]

13. Until someone taps him on the shoulder and reminds him RFK had years and years

of experience as atty general and more

[book_worm]

15. years and years?

[sjdnb]

16. Misusing RFK's background and experience this way

only serves to dishonor your candidate.

He had served as AG, helped diffuse an incident that threatened the world, stood up nationally against organized crime, and much more. Obama is no RFK - nor is anyone else. He was, truly, one of a kind.

[book_worm]

18. Oh please, nobody is misusing RFK

by pointing out that Obama is running at the same time in his senate career that RFK did. Also, I think that Obama's experience as a community activist, university lecturer, civil rights lawyer, state senator and US senator is quite substantial in itself.

[sjdnb]

24. Compared to RFK's ... really?

Well, you are entitled to your opinion. BTW - with exception of the US Senator thing, there are probably tens of thousands of other Americans who have the qualifications you've listed. Heck, just in my family alone, I have four community activists, one civil rights lawyer, and two college professors - edited to ad the Reproductive Rights Doctor/Advocate and HRR who have not exactly had an easy time of it advocating for the rights of a doctor and their patients to make their recommendations/decisions without government interference these last several years.

[glowing]

17. Umm. RFK is not the same as Obama.. No way, no how.. Not even

on the same level...

[book_worm]

19. Ok, how about John Edwards? who ran for president the first time

in his first term in US Senate.

[maximusveritas]

22. Watch out

Use the name of any beloved Democrat in the same sentence and you will be attacked by morons accusing you of saying Obama is as great as they were.

I know it doesn't make sense logically, but it doesn't make any difference to them. It's just a cheap way of dismissing your point.

Of course, most of these same people have no problem explicitly saying that their candidate will be the next RFK, JFK, and FDR all in one.

[book_worm]

25. you have a point

because they havn't dismissed my point which is that Obama is running at the same time as RFK did in his senate career--instead all they can say is Obama is no RFK. Of coure not! but at the same time RFK was no Obama.

[glowing]

36. I'm so tired of bringing up x-presidents.. yes, they were for the times

that they were needed.. and when they talked about things the powers that be didn't like, they were taken out. Assassinations finished off the Kennedy's and King.. Sick and perverse and disgusting.

Yes, a lot of people who have political aspirations have looked into the depths of the greatest leaders to try to take what worked and throw away what didn't.. stupidity and arrogance would suggest not doing so... These people, though, are their own people. They experienced and lived different lives and that rounds out their perspective.. Let's leave the Great One's to their Peace and move on.

[rodeodance]

20. YOU Sir are NO RFK.

[book_worm]

21. so it's okay for some in their first term in the senate to run for president

but not all?

[rodeodance]

27. of course it's OK for all---Obama has other Deficits --he needs to grow up.

[book_worm]

32. so far more voters in the dem primaries think he has what it takes

than Hillary Clinton. What is all of her supposed experience? Oh yeah, eight years as First Lady and now she can't even run her own campaign but has to rely on Bill, who has done a bang up job.

[rodeodance]

34. its early ---big states are up next. I really do not think they care what SC does

[keep_it_real]

26. Sometimes experience counts; sometimes it's new ideas that count

We are in a time when we need new ideas and new approaches to the nations ills.

[Proud2BAmurkin]

30. new ideas like what

[sandnsea]

28. RFK was the Attorney General

A little more experience than Obama I'd say.

[Rowdyboy]

31. What a bunch of bullshit people are shoveling on you....You made a valid point, that Obama has

exactly as much congressional experience as RFK when he ran for president. That is indisputably and entirely correct. Yes, RFK had served as Attorney General (appointed ONLY because his brother was president, not for any qualifications of his own). Obama is not my first choice for president but he is certainly qualified to run in my opinion and your op was a very valid point. My partner and I (both of whom remember Bobby Kennedy's campaign) discussed the similarity in careers of the two men the day after the Iowa caucuses.

[Maribelle]

43. RFK had experience to qualify him to be the Attorney General

In fact, more experience than some AGs in recent years, especially the lackeys appointed by the corrupt Bush.

History records that RFK was extremely favorable with Veterans and the emerging middle class of America in the 50s because of the outstanding work he did on the Senate Labor Rackets Committee, especially going nose to nose with Hoffa.


Obama is no RFK.

[Rowdyboy]

45. I don't believe the op implied that Obama was RFK, merely that they had roughly equal experience

in elective office which is undeniable. While Bobby Kennedy is one of my heroes
from childhood, he would NEVER have been selected Attorney General had he not
been the president's brother. In fact, all of his Congressional counsel experience
was gained because of jobs he was given because of his last name.

Did he do some good work? Certainly. Was he JFK most trusted aide? No question. Did
he have any particular qualifications making him a standout candidate for attorney
general other than his family connection? Not that I can see.

I'm not a particular fan of Obama but I think his qualifications of 8 years in the
state legislature and four years in the senate give him roughly equivalent experience
to what Bobby Kennedy brought to the table.

And as I recall, Bobby ran on his dreams of what America could be, much as Barack Obama
is doing today. He tried to inspire people to reclaim their government, much as Obama.

It does no disservice to Bobby Kennedy to compare his service to that of Barack Obama.
In fact his niece and brother have already done that very thing. But then what do they know?

[WinkyDink]

48. Kind of like Bill comparing Obama's SC win to Jesse Jackson's? What's good for the goose,...

[Captain Hilts]

49. Working for HUAC? nt

[madrchsod]

33. obama is closer to lincoln than rfk

rfk was my hero and his death was the death of progressive liberalism in america. the reason i detest the clintons is they had a chance to restore progressive liberal politics but they failed. why and how can be discussed till time ends but the sad truth is they failed..
will obama restore progressive liberal policies in the united states? maybe. if he he levels with the american people and he listens to what they have to say then maybe he does have a good chance to change the course of our republic...

[CatWoman]

35. what a ludicrous comparison

[WinkyDink]

38. Bobby? Lincoln? For Obama's sake, can you find an example who wasn't assassinated?

[Clintonista2]

39. Did RFK promise that he wouldn't run for president during his first senate term too?

Or did he know how to keep his promises?

[fujiyama]

41. RFK was attorney general and played an important role

in diffusing the Cuban Missile Crisis. He served as counsel and adviser to his brother in many ways.

I'd say his experience was more impressive than any of those running.

[Maribelle]

44. RFK was a true hero, and loved because of his actions not any puffy words.

And thru his deeds he made his mark in history. When the nation grieved the loss of this great man, they were grieving the loss of a part of themselves.

[Clinton Crusader]

50. Obama is NO RFK, no how, no way, not in ANY lifetime, how ABSURD! Good LORD!

What's this KENNEDY obsession???????
:crazy: :wtf: