Year-by-year break down of Palin & Obama resumes

[ProSense]

Year-by-year break down of Palin & Obama resumes

by SantaFeMarie
Mon Sep 01, 2008 at 10:06:13 PM PDT

I've seen this so many times I've lost count: TV Person #1 makes the point that Sarah Palin is not ready to lead on Day Two. To which TV Person #2 responds "she has as much experience as Obama".

I've had enough. Here's a side-by-side comparison, which I hope might be useful "talking points" for all you - go forth and multiply. Most of this is lifted straight from Wikipedia, and I pruned the minor branches. If you want me to add things, post comments and I'll update with anything that seems relevant.

<...>

One might say this diary brings Obama down to her level. Here is my dilemma: the TV talking heads are all spreading the "Palin is experienced myth". If you say "no she isn't" and summarize her resume, the response is "well, she has more experience than Obama". Once should reject that premise, yes; but then I think you should go on and demolish it with facts.

1980 - 1984
Obama: B.A. in political science with a specialization in international relations from Columbia University.

Palin: Wasilla High School, captain of the state-champion basketball team. Miss Wasilla, runner-up in the Miss Alaska pageant, also Miss Congeniality, although that is now disputed.

Him: Ivy League degree. Her: tiara.

1985 - 1990
Obama: moved to Chicago; became a community organizer as director of the Developing Communities Project (DCP), a church-based community organization on Chicago's far South Side. During his three years as the DCP's director, its staff grew from 1 to 13 and its annual budget grew from $70,000 to $400,000, with accomplishments including helping set up a job training program, a college preparatory tutoring program, and a tenants' rights organization.

Moved to Boston to attend Harvard Law School. Selected as an editor and then elected president of the Harvard Law Review, a full-time volunteer position functioning as editor-in-chief and supervising the law review's staff of 80 editors.

Palin: Bachelor of Science degree in communications-journalism, with a minor in political science from the University of Idaho. Brief stint as a sports reporter for local Anchorage television stations; left to join her husband in commercial fishing.

Him: sterling legal education. Her: sportscaster.

1991 - 1995
Obama: graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School; received contract and advance to write a book ("Dreams from my Father") as well as a fellowship at the University of Chicago Law School. Directed the Illinois Project Vote from April to October 1992, a voter registration drive with a staff of 10 and 700 volunteers that achieved its goal of registering 150,000 of 400,000 unregistered African Americans in the state, leading Crain's Chicago Business to name Obama to its 1993 list of "40 under Forty" powers to be. Appointed as a Lecturer in constitutional law at the University of Chicago. Joined Davis, Miner, Barnhill & Galland, a 12-attorney law firm specializing in civil rights litigation and neighborhood economic development. Active in several community organizations, usually as a board member.

Palin: member of the Alasaka Independence Party which advocates "Alaska First". Elected to Wasilla city council.

Him: Expert on our nation's fundamental legal principles. Her: plotted to leave the Union; thinks Pledge of Allegiance was written by our founding fathers.

1996 - 2000
<...>
Him: sponsored 800 bills. Her: swayed 616 voters.

2001 - 2004
<...>
Him: demonstrated the wisdom to oppose the Iraq folly before it even began. Her: hasn't really though much about it - despite the fact that 17 Alaskans have died there

2005 to present
<...>
Him: Impressive figure on the national stage who knows how Congress works and is engaged with foreign policy issues. Her: small state governor for 21 months; "next to Russia", but that is just 1 of the 190 countries in the world she has never been to.

Conclusion: the word "executive" is not some kind of magic force multiplier when placed in front of the word "experience".

[Cronus Protagonist]

1. I do wish we would stop comparing McCain's new secretary with our candidate

Not only is it not a fair fight, it dilutes our message and diminishes our candidate to that of being of the same ilk as a pretender like Palin.

[vaberella]

7. Agreed. Someone should compare her EXECUTIVE experience to McCain's. PLEASE!! n/t

[Kerrytravelers]

2. Brilliant. I will be sending this out.

[Kermitt Gribble]

3. Great time line!

Bookmarked, kicked & recommended.

[cameozalaznick]

4. K & R

[Bread and Circus]

5. I linked this last night but I'm proud to bump your thread. As usual, you lay it out so well

Here's to one of my favorite DU'ers, prosense!

Are you sure you don't work for the Obama campaign? You have the blue and light blue color scheme down. ;)

[NJmaverick]

6. This info needs to be in every DUers toolbox

Excellent way to hammer the point home, nothing speaks louder than facts.

[Cha]

8. This one hits really home for me..

"Him: demonstrated the wisdom to oppose the Iraq folly before it even began. Her: hasn't really though much about it - despite the fact that 17 Alaskans have died there."

Thank you to, SantaFeMarie and ProSEnse!

[ProSense]

20. Thanks. Good one.

This needs more exposure.

[ProSense]

9. This fits in nicely:

In an interview on CNN's Anderson Cooper 360 Monday night, Obama was asked about whether his experience in the U.S. Senate dealing with weather-related situations compares to Palin’s executive experience running the state of Alaska and as the small town mayor of Wasilla, Alaska.

“My understanding is that Gov. Palin’s town, Wassilla, has I think 50 employees. We've got 2500 in this campaign. I think their budget is maybe 12 million dollars a year – we have a budget of about three times that just for the month,” Obama responded.

Our ability to manage large systems and to execute I think has been made clear over the past couple of years and certainly in terms of the legislation I’ve passed in the past couple of years, post-Katrina.”

link

[burythehatchet]

10. Why in the world are you comparing Palin to Obama? Does it not occur to you

that is exactly why Rove chose her?

[ProSense]

11. Oh,

BS, repeat BS.

Why in the world are you giving Rove more credit than he deserves?

Get a grip, this was a horrible choice. McCain screwed up, there is no other side.

[burythehatchet]

12. Whatever. And I don't click on DU self-referential links.

[ProSense]

16. Well, then continue pretending Rove is a

super genius for selecting Palin so that we can compare Obama to her.

Any thoughts on what Rove's genius plan was for inviting Democrats, some in the media and even conservatives to further question McCain's judgment?

[burythehatchet]

22. Sarcasm does not suit you

But you go ahead and continue to compare Barack Obama to Sarah Palin, that's the ticket.

[OHDEM]

13. Thanks for this!

:yourock:

[knitter4democracy]

14. You forgot her PTA experience.

Since McSame mentioned it, that must've been what put her over the top. ;)

[Median Democrat]

15. BTW What Are Palin's Grades? We Know McCain Graduated Close To Last

What about Palin? Did she graduate at least near the top of her class at University of Idaho?

[ProSense]

17. Don't know, but this is great

opposition research.

[helderheid]

18. kick

[AuntPatsy]

19. Thank you, we have the best of the best on Du...

[Born_A_Truman]

21. Califnornia's San Bernardino County has THREE TIMES the population of Alaska.

San Bernardino County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2000 census, the population was 1,709,434. As of 2007, the population was estimated by the California Department of Finance to have grown to 2,028,013.<1> San Bernardino County is the largest county in the United States by area, and is larger than each of the nine smallest states.

Alaska, OTOH:
Population, 2000 626,932
Population, 683,478 (2007 est.)