All this talk about Obama being only in his "third year" in Senate and running for president...

[book_worm]

reminds me that:
Abe Lincoln only served one term in the House prior to his election as president
Wendell Wilkie never held elective office when nominated by the GOP in '40
Tom Dewey was in his first term as Gov of NY when nominated for president in '44
FDR was only in fourth year as Gov of NY when nominated for president in '32
Adlai Stevenson was only in his first term as Gov of IL when nominated by Dems in '52
Robert Kennedy was elected in '64 to the Senate and ran for president in '68
Jimmy Carter was a one-term Governor of GA when he ran for president in '76

In actual terms of experience in elective politics Obama actually has more than John Edwards who only served a term in the Senate (and also ran for president in his first term in the Senate and John Edwards felt he was good enough to make VP in '04) because Obama had experience in state legislator prior to going to the US Senate.

We've had quite a bit of "experience" thanks to Cheney and Rummy.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

1. Obama has experience winning the Iowa caucus.

Which is more than the other two, and good enough for me.

[TomClash]

2. I think Lincoln was elected to the Senate in 1858

and serve for two years before being elected President. But your point is well-taken.

Bill Clinton never held federal office prior to becoming President. He was a small state governor for 12 years.

[book_worm]

3. Nope--the Lincoln-Douglas debates were significant in 1858, but Lincoln lost

[skipos]

4. Experience is nice when it is utilized well. It often isn't.