For the record, Obama isn't a 'gamble'

[PresidentObama]

Senator Barack Obama is a capable candidate with the speaking abilities and one of the only leaders in this country today that isn't out of touch and speaks truth to his values. While he lacks Washington experience, he has just as much experience as Bill Clinton did in 1992. Was he a gamble? I don't think so. He gave us eight years of peace and prosperity, and ended the Democrats losing spell in Presidential elections.

Not only that, but he isn't any gamble when he has more experience as an elected official than Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Attack Barack for policies, statements, or positions. Don't attack him labelling him a gamble.

A gamble?!? How??

I support Senator Clinton because she's the best candidate in my opinion, and I think she can get the job done in reversing the Bush policies and putting a progressive agenda forward.

But I refuse to dig deep, and label Barack a gamble.

I'm sorry, I respect all the Clinton supporters who passionately disagree with Senator Obama. But I'm not willing to throw everything and anything at him to get Hillary elected.

If anything, that'd have the reverse effect.

[bicentennial_baby]

1. Thank you for this

:pals:

:toast:

[PresidentObama]

2. You are most welcome. I love your sig line. Mainly because I love rainbows :)

[bicentennial_baby]

4. Rec #5....

:)

[bilgewaterbill]

3. Classy post!

[kentuck]

This is encouraging.

A Clinton supporter that has not completely lost their mind. Thanks for your comments.

[last1standing]

5. I wish more people realized that it's OK to have a difference of opinion.

And that you don't have to hate each other to do so. I'm not happy at all with the way Clinton's staff has been running her campaign, but I'm still going to vote for her if she's the nominee in November. I'd like to think that every Obama supporter would do the same and I'd like to think the same of the Clinton supporters.

We'll see...

[MojoMojoMojo]

6. 8 more years of GOP ,Obama is damaged he will never survive the GE swiftboat

[last1standing]

8. You didn't understand a single word Kerry2008 said, did you?

Can't you support your candidate without tearing down someone else?

[MojoMojoMojo]

20. Coming from an Obama supporter that is laughable .New politcs from Obama people is vile and hateful

[PresidentObama]

9. You think the Republicans won't try and swiftboat both candidates?

Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton would BOTH fight back.

And both will have to. The GOP is desperately trying to keep power, so they've already removed the kitchen sink and are ready to throw it. They're just waiting for the opportunity.

[jasmine621]

7. Talk about "reverse affect:" Don't Obama supporters know that

accusing Hillary and Bill of being racist only makes them more appealing to the bigots out there and might give Hillary a boost in the GE. Laeling the Clintons as racists can't get Obama any more of the black vote, he is already just about maxed out with the black vote. But it sure can get Hillary some whte votes that she may not have otherwise received.

[MediaBabe]

10. Hmm... never thought of it that way

But then, that's why I read these message boards - to get other perspectives. Thanks.

[billbuckhead]

12. As Clinton once joked, he was the youngest ex-governor in the nation's history.

Bill Clinton was attorney general, youngest governor in the nation's history, then lost and then won 3 times.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Clinton>

[lligrd]

11. Very Nice Post

Thanks.

[JohnnyLib2]

13. Pleasant, thoughtful post, thanks.

Looking toward November......:thumbsup:

Recommended

[angie_love]

14. exactly. a voice of reason. thank you.

some of these hillsupporters are acting like idiotic freeps and i'm tired of it. they can all kiss my ass.

[AndyTiedye]

15. McCain is a Sure Thing

We can be certain that McCain will continue and expand the war. He has said so himself.
We can be certain that he will not fix the economy, because he does not know anything about economics. He has said so himself.

While McCain has certainly been known to lie (google "Keating 5"), he would have no conceivable reason to lie about these things.

We can be sure about McCain. We can be sure we're FUCKED if he gets elected.

[metalluk]

16. Obama is a dangerous gamble.

There is no comparison between the experience level of Bill Clinton in 1992 and that of Barack Obama in 2008. Clinton had been Governor of Arkansas -- i.e., the chief executive of a state. Obviously, running Arkansas is a much less difficult challenge than leading the United States, but it is a significant kind of executive experience. Barack Obama has run a classroom and nothing more.

Bill Clinton became a national figure through his work with the DNC. He revolutionized the Democratic Party's platform and approach and set the stage for the winning campaign in 1992, long before it was evident that he would be the nominee. Remember, the Democrats have only won the Presidency three times in the last forty years and Bill Clinton's political acumen was primarily responsible for two of those three wins. Barack Obama has no comparable history of leadership in the party or in Washington.

How can you seriously maintain that experience as a part-time state legislator, low-level community organizer, and college professor equates to the experience of running a state? Barack Obama is a smart man, a great speaker, and a man of principle, but his level of experience is very weak. With a little seasoning, he might someday make a very good President, but, at present, he represents a dangerous gamble. I very much doubt that the nation will take the risk, but I acknowledge that it's easy to underestimate the stupidity of the American people.

[Drachasor]

17. Experience doesn't correlate at all with how good of a President you are, that's a historic fact

[metalluk]

22. Experience is an important factor in job performance

The influence of experience in the Presidency is difficult to determine precisely because it is clearly not the only factor at play. The values of the person are obviously critical as well. I have often said that if a President is conservative, I'd rather that he be incompetent than competent. Since I am opposed to most conservative values, the last thing I want is an "effective" conservative President. For me, the Reagan administration was a failure because it effectively advanced conservative agendas.

Then, there's a third major factor in presidential success which is partly an issue of dumb luck. Some of the presidencies of my lifetime have been overwhelmingly defined by a single issue. If the President's strengths are not well-matched to that defining issue, he fails, no matter what else happens during his presidency. LBJ was highly experienced in working the levers of Washington and accomplished a lot on the domestic front, yet liberals like myself despised him because of his resolutely hawkish stance on Vietnam.

So, my point is that the influence of experience is compounded by other factors that determine the success of a presidency. I totally disagree with you that "it is a historic fact" that experience is irrelevant. It is merely difficult to tease out the influence of inexperience by global assessments of the various presidencies. There are, however, glaring examples of fiascos that can be easily identified as caused by deficiencies of experience. The most obvious instance was the Bay of Pigs fiasco of President Kennedy. Many people today forget that failure of JFK that cost many lives. It was a terrible blunder that a more experienced politician would not have made. Kennedy learned from the fiasco and was far more careful in dealing with the Cuban Missile Crisis, which then became the defining moment of his brief presidency. But his on the job training was a very sad chapter in U.S. history.

Obama will be susceptible to the same kind of failing due to lack of preparation.

[barack the house]

18. It is the new meme from the HRC camp. With Barack we gamble and win a sure bet.

[SunsetDreams]

19. Kerry2008

You don't know me but I love you!!!

Don't freak out lol

Thank you, this is what we need around here.

We need a Democrat in the WH PERIOD!

[anonymous171]

21. Thanks for this reasoned post.

It reminds me how good are chances are this year with two of the strongest candidates we have seen in a long time.

[PresidentObama]

23. Kick n/t

[Mooney]

24. Thank you for posting this.

Evenhandedness has been in short supply around here lately.

[ORDem]

25. Thanks for the level-headed assessment, though I (of course) disagree that HRC will reverse much.

She's too divisive and will continue to be, it's really all she knows.

:dem:

[Quixote1818]

26. Best post of the night! K and R. nt

[grantcart]

27. glad I took a gamble and read your post - excellent