Ok, the left is charging that Sarah Palin doesn’t have enough experience to be President, hence she shouldn’t be a vice-presidential candidate. The Right, including McCain, has said the same thing about Obama.
My opinion? So what?
Why do I say that? Several reasons.
Harry Truman. Truman was a county judge before being elected to the Senate in 1934. He was re-elected in 1940 and tapped to be vice-president in 1944. He took office soon after upon the death of FDR. Not much experience.
Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln served one term in the House and was out of office until elected president in 1860. Hardly any experience.
Theodore Roosevelt. Roosevelt served as Secretary of the Navy for a couple of years then was elected governor of New York in 1898. In 1900, he became William McKinley’s running mate and ascended to the presidency a few months later upon McKinley’s death.
Truman, Lincoln, Roosevelt. Not a bad trio of presidents. And not a whole lot of experience when they became president.
No one knows if Palin or Obama would be like these three if they should happen to become president. But they certainly have as much experience.
(Cross posted at Musings of a Thoughtful Conservative).
4 responses so far ↓
1 The whole “experience” thing « Musings of a Thoughtful Conservative // Sep 8, 2008 at 11:26 pm
[...] posted at Fairly Conservative). Posted in 2008, Elections, History, presidential. Tags: 2008 presidential election, Abraham [...]
2 Darrell // Sep 9, 2008 at 12:32 am
I’m with you on this. It’s a wash. Besides, NO Governor who ended up in the White House came in with foreign policy experience. Sarah Palin is in the same boat as Bush 43, Clinton, Reagan, Carter, etc.
I’ve recently discovered your blog. I’m enjoying it.
3 Randy in Richmond // Sep 9, 2008 at 12:41 pm
I tend to agree with you but if the other side makes an accusation on this subject I would defend my turf.
Another consideration could be John Kennedy whose experience is close to Truman’s. Six years as a Representative and seven years in the Senate.
4 Zach W. // Sep 9, 2008 at 5:16 pm
Dean, I think this is the point a lot of folks on the left have been trying to make about the experience argument. Now I’m not saying Obama is anywhere near to being the kind of leader Lincoln and TR were, but experience alone does not guarantee a successful presidency….just look at James Buchanan as proof of that.