Senator Clinton's campaign has offered her experience as the main reason why we should vote for her. We now hear the same refrain from the Republican candidate for the office of the Presidency, John McCain. The both claim that Senator Barack Obama lacks the requisite experience necessary for the job.
It is my contention that the job of President is unlike any other and that an extensive resume is not what we should necessarily be looking at. If you look at a list of the worst President's you will find men with extensive backgrounds, far more extensive then the present candidates but yet they did not measure up.
For example James Buchanan who became President in 1856, was Secretary of State, an ambassador, a member of the House for 10 years as well as the Senate for 10 years. He along with Warrren Harding and our current President can lay a strong claim to the title of worst president. Buchanan was succeeded by a man who only had two years in Congress and had been in the Illinois State Legislature. His name was Abraham Lincoln. What a contrast! Harding who had been Governor of Ohio even admitted after his election to office that he was not fit for the office he occupied. Perhaps we can only go up from here with the Bush Presidency being the benchmark to compare to.
Leadership and vision are not qualities that necessarily come from experience!
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3 comments:
I would say that experience is almost anti-correlated with managerial competence. Look at the legendary CEOs of the last few decades: Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Larry and Sergey -- none of them "rose through the ranks." When it comes to leadership you've either got it or you don't. And I think Barak's got it.
The mention of experience kills me. The current administration has
lots of experience. Lots of the 100
Senators have experience. So what does all this experience get us?
It gets us more of the same. The only time these people speak of the future is to warn of what bad things will happen if they are removed from power.
I will take my chances. Bu Bye.
Let's also talk about judgment. Barak Obama had the judgment (and integrity) to oppose the Iraq War resolution at a time when conventional wisdom said opposition would be the end of any national political career. He had the judgment to run for President now when conventional wisdom said "Wait your turn." And he had the judgment to not hire the same old faces from the Democratic machine for his campaign staff. They have outmaneuvered the Clinton campaign in every way.
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