MyDD :: State Senator Barack Obama for President?

State Senator Barack Obama for President?

by Alvord, Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 06:00:09 PM EST

Does that inspire confidence? Not for me it doesn't. Many people know a state legislator. He/she may live down the street from you. You probably even like them but do you think they are ready to be president? Would a year in the United States senate qualify your state legislator to be president?

Barack Obama is not qualified for the job he is seeking. I think older Democrats in particular see Obama's impressive campaign skills but they also see through them. They see through the skills to the ambitious but thinly qualified person underneath. If Obama is the nominee the Republicans will help a lot more people see through the campaign persona to the real person.

Tags: Barack Obama (all tags)

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Re: State Senator Barack Obama for President? (none / 0)

He has more experience than Abe Lincoln did.

by Cheebs on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 06:03:33 PM EST

Re: State Senator Barack Obama for President? (2.00 / 1)

Yes, but John McCain will be able to say that he knew Abe Lincoln, and Obama is no Abe Lincoln.

"Another problem we have...is that in election years we behave somewhat as primitive peoples do at the time of the full moon." --Harry Truman

by Steve M on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 06:11:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: State Senator Barack Obama for President? (none / 0)

Heh!

by monstergrrl on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 06:39:00 PM EST
[ Parent ]

John F. Kennedy had eight years in the Senate (none / 0)

and six years in the House before that.. and was a PT Boat commander in the Pacific in WWII

Universal healthcare IS a core Democratic value
Without a REAL committment to it, we WON'T win in November.

by architek on Sat Mar 15, 2008 at 10:14:25 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: State Senator Barack Obama for President? (none / 0)

LOL!

by Sieglinde on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 06:42:10 PM EST
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Re: State Senator Barack Obama for President? (none / 0)

SENATOR: you are no abe lincoln1

by client8 on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 07:03:45 PM EST
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Re: State Senator Barack Obama for President? (none / 0)

that is such a disgraceful spin line.

you people and your ignorance amazes me.

by John Wesley Hardin was a Friend to the Poor on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 08:06:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: State Senator Barack Obama for President? (none / 0)

Try a new talking point. Apparently enough people think he's got what counts since he's outpolling McCain, and McCain won't even touch him on the supposed death blow to his campaign of his reverend.

You don't even back up your statement with anything close to an analytical comparison or sound reasoning. Its a sound bite, intended to base the entire issue of ability and judgment around a ridiculous comparison.

Anyone that thinks that simplistically doesn't care who they pull the level for, and for you to be so involved in politics as to post diaries on a Democratic website and not realize the intellectual hollowness of your argument means you don't want anyone to debate the point with you. You're just about pushing your simple talking points out over and over again, hoping they'll stick in the minds of those who think even less than you.

by upstate girl on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 06:07:34 PM EST

I hit a nerve (none / 0)

Pointing out that Obama is too inexperienced to be president is a sensitive point with Obama supporters.

You better get used to it. Obama's qualifications don't even rise to mediocre. If he does get the nomination the attacks on Obama's inexperience will get a lot tougher than anything I can write.

by Alvord on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 06:21:09 PM EST
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Re: I hit a nerve (none / 0)

Tougher than what Clinton and her supporters are trying to do right now? I'm sure McCain thanks you for doing the dirty work for him. Not so sure the Democratic party feels the same, or the majority of voters, since he's leading in the national polls.

by upstate girl on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 06:30:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]

The last refuge... (none / 0)

... of an Obama supporter who, when faced with the truth about Obama, cries foul claiming it will help John McCain.

by Alvord on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 06:43:11 PM EST
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Re: The last refuge... (none / 0)

Please. My point stands. If he can go through the ridiculous nonsense getting tossed at his campaign now by the Clintons, there's absolutely no way to say that the Republicans will be able to make the same stuff stick, just later on...and because they're Republicans. Or something. Your version of the truth is held to your own standards and nothing else.

by upstate girl on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 08:38:25 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The last refuge... (none / 0)

Additionally, the reason I'm not debating the "experience" issue with you is because there isn't a test that you can take that measures 'experience'. Judgment of someone's experience is a subjective matter. You can make a case for it as best you can, but there's no one thing that everyone will agree on and say "yes, that's it. That's quantifiable, measurable, reliable experience."

You don't want someone to explain why Obama has enough experience, because you don't believe it and you never will. There's nothing anyone could say to you. Any evidence you've already dismissed - its not good enough. What's the point of bothering to address it with a concern troll that's already made up their minds?

by upstate girl on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 08:41:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]

You don't want to debate... (none / 0)

... Obama's inexperience because you know you are on the losing end of that debate. Obama simply does not possess the experience to be president. Multiple entries on blog threads protesting that fact changes nothing.

by Alvord on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 09:31:37 PM EST
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Re: State Senator Barack Obama for President? (none / 0)

"McCain won't even touch him on the supposed death blow to his campaign of his reverend"

No kidding! That is what McCain does. He has other people come out and say horrid things about Obama, then takes the high road by chastising them for making the comments. It's a win-win for him.

by wasabi on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 08:19:01 PM EST
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Re: State Senator Barack Obama for President? (2.00 / 1)

He has much more elected experience then Hillary Clinton does.

by Cycloptichorn on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 06:08:00 PM EST

His elected experience... (none / 0)

is mostly as a state legislator, far from the center of national politics and policy.

by Alvord on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 06:14:33 PM EST
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Re: His elected experience... (none / 0)

Well, guess you better vote for McCain - the experience ticket that will keep us in the war that all those other experienced politicians got us into.

by upstate girl on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 06:20:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]

His elected experience is going to get us out (none / 0)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yzy3lObig F0

by indus on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 06:30:26 PM EST
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Re: His elected experience... (none / 0)

Uh, so what? It isn't as if he didn't deal with real issues and real problems. What does it matter?

What you mean to say is that it is inconvenient for you to admit that he has far more experience in legislation then Clinton does. Far more Constitutional experience as well, I might add.

by Cycloptichorn on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 06:29:06 PM EST
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What does it matter? (none / 0)

If you are voting for a state legislator I guess it doesn't.

If you are voting for president it does.

by Alvord on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 06:33:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I am voting ... (none / 0)

... for Hillary.

by Alvord on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 06:21:50 PM EST

Re: I am voting ... (none / 0)

Why, if espeierence was importnat everyone should have backed my guy (who if he had half of Obama's Charisma or CLinton's catchet would have both the nomination nd quite possibly thwe putative presidency locked up) Bill Richardson.

by Socraticsilence on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 06:27:10 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Bill Richardson... (none / 0)

... unfortunately imploded during the campaign debates but he does have an impressive resume.

by Alvord on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 06:31:02 PM EST
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Re: Bill Richardson... (none / 0)

Agreed. His performance in the debates hampered him more than anything. You don't have to be awesome, but you do have to keep the rambling to a minimum.

by monstergrrl on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 06:41:26 PM EST
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Re: Bill Richardson... (none / 0)

I can honestly say I've never seen anyone with less polish who actually accomplished so much.

by Socraticsilence on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 06:51:20 PM EST
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Re: State Senator Barack Obama for President? (none / 0)

I'm thinking his longer record of legislative experience trumps wife of president and Wal-Mart board experience.

by reenactor on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 06:44:35 PM EST

Re: State Senator Barack Obama for President? (2.00 / 1)

I agree with your post, Obama is not qualified to be president. This is the actual point Hillary is making. She should make this point because she and all those who support her know this to be true.

democrat voter

by democrat voter on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 06:44:52 PM EST

Re: State Senator Barack Obama for President? (none / 0)

Know this to be true, yet any measurement that he meets (more elected experience, etc) just doesn't matter - because her supporters "just know" it. That's a great justification.

by upstate girl on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 06:48:17 PM EST
[ Parent ]

As has been pointed ... (none / 0)

... out by others, Obama has never faced a Republican in a contested election in his life and his experience is as a part time state legislator where his accomplishments came in his final year because a mentor wanted to give him a leg up to run for the senate.

I know that Obama supporters put a lot of stock in the "more elected experience" soundbite but that defense, like Obama's resume, is paper thin.

by Alvord on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 06:56:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: As has been pointed ... (none / 0)

Apparently the Clinton campaign and its supporters are willing to go further than the Republicans are at this point, judging from McCain's responses to these issues. Hell, just judging from Clinton's own words that McCain is more ready to be CoC than Obama - what else could the Republican party have in store for him? And yet Obama keeps winning.

Keep dreaming.

by upstate girl on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 07:03:04 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: As has been pointed ... (none / 0)

I'm sorry, I'm looking and when was this big election where Hillary beat a strong republican opponent? Hillary, not Bill, I mean its obvious by now that she lacks any of his gifts, so why should we believe she can win in November?

by Socraticsilence on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 08:22:02 PM EST
[ Parent ]

You are funny (none / 0)

In her first election to the senate Hillary ran against a real Republican opponent.

By contrast in his first run, Obama ran against Alan Keyes. Keyes wasn't even a resident of Illinois. He came in from Maryland at the last minute because the Republicans first choice fell to a scandal.

by Alvord on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 08:27:46 PM EST
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A "real Republican opponent?" (none / 0)

You mean like "Little Ricky" Lazio? Like John "Who?" Spencer?

"If you vote between the lesser of two evils, you're still stuck with evil." - Aaron MacGruder

by Nedsdag on Sat Mar 15, 2008 at 12:06:18 AM EST
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re (none / 0)

Obama has a SMALL lead over McCain. Mac and the right wing are only beginning to take him apart. The GOP does know how to win presidential elections and they will be State Senator Obama the accidental US Senator who defeated that bastion of eletability Alan Keyes lol

by rossinatl on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 06:55:41 PM EST

I see through Clinton (none / 0)

She seems ambitious and thinly qualified to me. Marrying Bill Clinton isn't exactly impressive experience.

I rock knobs

by Etchasketchist on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 06:59:54 PM EST

Re: State Senator Barack Obama for President? (none / 0)

HEY! We are also supposed to play nice from now on:

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/2008/0 3/democratic_rivals_agree_to_pla.php

by cmugirl90 on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 07:02:01 PM EST

Have the Diarists at Daily Kos... (none / 0)

... cut back on their criticisms of Hillary Clinton? I don't know because I don't give that site any clicks.

by Alvord on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 07:07:13 PM EST
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Re: State Senator Barack Obama for President? (none / 0)

Brilliant diary! I had no idea Obama was only a state Senator! We had better pick someone who has been in the US Senate for 20+ years, like Dodd or Biden.

by Skaje on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 07:36:45 PM EST

I admit calling Obama inexperienced ... (none / 0)

... isn't an original observation but that doesn't detract from the fact that it is true.

by Alvord on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 07:49:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: State Senator Barack Obama for President? (none / 0)

Experience is relative as are most character traits. Although Obama lacks years of sleeping in the White House, he is NOT Hillary Clinton. Honesty and integrity. Obama has it, she does not.

by Rick in Eugene on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 08:21:49 PM EST

Re: State Senator Barack Obama for President? (none / 0)

Barack Obama has 3 years in the US Senate first of all...and he is obviously no ordinary former state senator...this man is the leader this country needs, I am 100% sure of it. Now, whether he can win...that is more suspect. I think he has a better shot than Hillary, who I like, and thus I am all for him.

by gorebeatbush2 on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 08:41:17 PM EST

Don't you feel embarrassed saying things like... (2.00 / 1)

...this man is the leader this country needs

by Alvord on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 09:37:10 PM EST

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