Experience to be President
Republicans Continue to Cite Obama's Supposed Lack of Experience
Aug 8, 2008
Of all the Republican attacks against Barack Obama this election year, the one that seems to be the vaguest is that Obama lacks experience. John McCain, they say, has the experience to be our next leader. What “experience” actually means as it relates to one’s qualifications to be president is up for interpretation.
If experience is related to age, then yes, McCain has more experience than Obama. And perhaps age is what Republicans mean when they say the word experience, trying to divert attention away from the fact that McCain will be 72 on August 29. Saying “our guy is older than yours” doesn’t quite have the same ring.
McCain has been in politics longer than Obama, but at McCain’s age, he has done a lot of things longer than most people. If Republicans are referring to Obama’s political experience, it should be noted that American history is replete with individuals entering politics with little or no experience other than a normal day job. It is true that the American presidency is unlike any other political office, but even that office has been filled by men who had little political experience.
Abraham Lincoln served in the Illinois Legislature for four terms, but at the national level, he served only two years in House of Representatives. John Kennedy served six years in the House and was a one-term-Senator before he entered the Oval Office at the ripe age of 43. Bill Clinton was 46 when he became president. Barack Obama is 47.
Despite the ambiguity of the experience factor and the fact that Obama is just as well qualified for the presidency as some others have been, he must be careful when comparing himself to past leaders. Dan Quayle found that out the hard way.
Surprisingly, one image of McCain that has not been touted more—possibly because of the public’s opinion on Iraq—is McCain’s military experience, of which Obama has none. Republicans are utterly convinced that a military background is a qualification for the presidency, and they salivate over military presidential candidates (Grant, Eisenhower, and George H.W. Bush). That is unless they find out that he is pro choice (Colin Powell) or worse, a Democrat (Wesley Clark).
Despite that contention, a military background is in no way a qualification to be president. Being in the military certainly builds character, perseverance, discipline, and a whole host of other fine qualities, but how exactly that translates to presidential qualifications is a question for the ages.
So, perhaps the only thing that actually gives a candidate experience to be president is being the president, an argument that neither Obama nor McCain can make. And on that note, it is quite clear that being president does not necessarily mean that one is fit for the office. Richard Nixon made quite a compelling argument on that front, and George W. Bush is doing a commendable job himself.
Perhaps the experience question is best answered by a former president. In a recent ABC News interview, Bill Clinton was asked if Barack Obama was ready to be president. In classic Clintonian lingo, he answered, “You could argue that no one is ever ready to be president.” I’m glad we got that cleared up.
