The Experience MYTH!!!!!

[Hawaii Hiker]

This is a great piece on experience and being president...

"Before becoming President, Buchanan had served 6 years in the Pennsylvania state legislature, 10 years in the U.S. House of Representatives, 4 years as ambassador to Russia, 10 years in the Senate, 4 years as Secretary of State, and 4 years as Ambassador to England. Talk about experience, Buchanan did just about everything except serve on the Supreme Court, a job he was offered by President Polk and refused. Yet by any measure, he wasn't up to the job as President. In contrast, Abraham Lincoln served 8 years in the Illinois legislature and one term in the U.S. House (1847-1849), a decade before becoming President. The rest of the time he was a lawyer in private practice, a bit thin one might say".

http://www.electoral-vote.com/evp2008/Info/experience.html

Obama has Temperment & Intelligence, 2 qualities that make him fit to be POTUS...

On paper, George Bush had "experience", he was governor of Texas...Alot of fucking good that did him in the White House...

[ClassWarrior]

1. Temperment is key.

NGU.

[Chalco]

2. Would you rather have a politician with good temperament or one

with good temperament and experience. I think the latter.

[Vinca]

4. It depends on the experience. Hillary has been on the wrong side

too many times. The thought of her standing and clapping for Bush over his remarks on the "surge" during the SOTU speech makes me want to hurl.

[Chalco]

5. The wrong side...

Hmmm, the wrong side on women, the wrong side on children, the wrong side on workers, the wrong side on taxes, the wrong side on torture, the wrong side on ... oh the list goes on and on. My oh My. :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm:

Yes, she did vote for the war. Obama didn't. Why didn't he? He wasn't in the Senate at the time. There's no way to know what he in fact would have done had he been there.

[Toucano]

3. The experience myth is real.

The problem is the perception among voters that a lengthy resumé and grey hair make you experienced. :(

[nichomachus]

6. Experience isn't just length of service

One of the things that "experience" implies is that you have learned from your mistakes -- or, better still, the mistakes of others.

What I'm seeing from the Clinton campaign is that they haven't. They are repeating many of the same things that got them in hot water the first time around.

If you burn your hand on a hot stove, then your "experience" should teach you not to do that again. If you burn your hand on a hot stove 10 times in a row, then your "experience" isn't worth poop.