In this morning’s LA Times, Michael Kinsley wades into the discussion about which Dem presidential candidate—Clinton or Obama— has the right experience to govern well. Here’s the opening:
Hillary Clinton declared the other day — apropos of whom, she didn’t say, or need to — “There is one job we can’t afford on-the-job training for: our next president.” Barack Obama immediately retorted: “My understanding is that she wasn’t Treasury secretary in the Clinton administration. I don’t know exactly what experience she’s claiming.” As wit, that round goes to Obama. Clinton was elected to the Senate in 2000, and that was her first experience in public office. Obama was elected to the Senate in 2004 and was an Illinois state senator for seven years before that. In terms of experience in elected office, this seems to be about a wash.But, since she brought it up, how important is experience in a candidate for president? If experience were a matter of offices held, however briefly, then the best candidate currently running would be Bill Richardson, the governor of New Mexico and former so many different things that you can hardly believe this is the same person popping up again. But that is ticket-punching, not experience.
If Jimmy Carter was experienced enough as governor, then Richardson should be. Let’s not take another chance like that with him or, especially, Hillary.
One of the worst Presidents of recent times was Kennedy. He was inexperienced and it almost led us into a nuclear war and it did lead us into Vietnam. Just being young and/or popular doesn’t make one a good leader.
But, experience has to be that of a statesman rather than a politician for it to mean much. More experience simply as a politician is going backwards for our country.
Actuaally Obama ‘s best line was asking, in response to Hillary describing all the world leaders she had met, which one advisewd her to vote for the Iraq War?
I agree with Woody. Let’s not take another chance with a governor from the Southwest.
A Governor who was a bodybuilder or a Governor who was a WWF wrestler would make a good president. These types of Governors would not be easily influenced by special interest groups or corporate lobbyists. And these types of men are tough enough to kick-ass when needed.
But a Governor who is former movie actor, best know for making movies with chimpanzees is not to be trusted as president. These types of bad actors might resort to devious schemes to fund secret wars that congress has voted not to fight. The bad actor types might also use their limited acting abilities and charm to bamboozle their following of admiring chimpanzees.
And worst yet are those really dumb southwest Governors who were alcoholic, “C-“ below average, draft dodging college students, who used their family name to achieve success in life. They might start a war with any country just to try and prove they can be tough, like “real†strong men such as WWF wrestlers and world champion bodybuilders.
There are a few tough women around, I’m sure Hillary Clinton can take George Bush in any WWF smack-down match.
L A Res, so your vote for Pres is Hulk Hogan?
Since Arnold is both an actor and bodybuilder, so guess that disqualifies him.
Regarding experience, sometimes a lot is too much. I support term limits for Congress and to expand the two-term limit for president to be extended to spouses.
Yes it is amazing how the Richardson campaign has been unable to capitalize on his amazing array of experience — and RESULTS. It’s his loss and ours. Wouldacouldashoulda …
Upon careful consideration, and taking into account L A Res’s persuasively articulated criteria for President, I think Jesse “the Body” Ventura would be perfect. He is a member of the WWA, a friend of Hulk Hogan (well, sometimes their relations have been strained, as when the Hulk didn’t campaign for him hard enough), and served as Governor of Minnesota.
If we have the Governator, he was Minnesota’s Governing Body.
He is tough enough to kick butt, and he doesn’t think he has to start a war with just any old country, “just to try and prove (he) can be tough like ‘real’ strong men like WWA (he is a member of the World Wrestling Assoc., not Federation) wrestlers and world champion bodybuilders.” Because he is a real strong man and a world champion bodybuilder and wrestler.
Of course, he has some controversial positions: he thinks prostitution should be legal and monitored, just like in Nevada where he admits to sampling the wares (as well as abroad, in Philippines and Thailand, in his sowing-his-oats years — hey, does that count as “world experience?”).
He believes that atheists should be a religion, too, for tax purposes. Sometimes he shoots his mouth off, forgetting public officials can’t do that: when he said St. Paul’s streets “are so crooked, they must have been built by drunken Irishmen,” he offended not only drunkards and Irishmen but average St. Paulians, too. (Of course, people in Minneapolis gloated, since they’d known that all along.)
L A Res., if you agree that he would be a novel and smart choice, we can work to draft him and start an aggressive internet campaign. He can run as a Republican, since none of them are doing very well so time doesn’t seem to be an edge, and he won’t take lip or butt-kicking from Hillary in any debates, either. (And he can personally transport that little Kucinich straight up into one of his UFO’s. The rest of the guys too, for that matter.)
Maggie, at present, I’m still for Obama, but you’ve seriously undermined my commitment with your impassioned “The Body” pitch, so if you and LA Res get this campaign going, I may have to reconsider.
PS: My favorite section was the following:
“…when he said St. Paul’s streets “are so crooked, they must have been built by drunken Irishmen,†he offended not only drunkards and Irishmen but average St. Paulians, too. (Of course, people in Minneapolis gloated, since they’d known that all along.)
I would not expect a woman to know that Jessie “The Body†Ventura was indeed in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). The World Wrestling Federation (WWF) is now known as World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). The former World Wrestling Federation WWF got the “F…†kicked out of them by the other WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) which owned the name first.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jessie_Ventura
As far as Mr. Ventura’s controversial position on prostitutes and prostitution, I applaud his honesty. A sneaky politician would say he went past a house of prostitution but did not “inhaleâ€Â. And a really sneaky, slime-ball and hypocritical politician would denounce gays, while being a closet gay himself, and may even resort to “picking-up†gay men in public bathrooms.
Mr. Ventura did not enjoy having to play a politically correct politician. I believe Mr. Ventura could have easily won a second term as Governor of Minnesota, but for one comment. His worst sting came after his comment “organized religion is a sham and a crutch for weak-minded peopleâ€Â.
I wondered how long it would take for L A Res to pipe up with something snotty, calling me stupid and his usual names. (Reg must be taking a break, worn out by Woody or his travels.) Actually, although it’s a totally irrelevant point for you to lead off your comment with, Ventury sued the WWF in 90 and he and Hulk Hogan wrestled for the AWA (American Wrestling Assoc.), though he still stayed a member of the WWF: yes, it is hard for a mere woman to keep these things straight, especially when she thinks wrestling is a barbaric “sport” and never watches it. (She does, however, think that strength training and physical fitness need more emphasis in our society, especially among women, though not to the extremes of bodybuilding competitions.)
But no, The Governing Body sure didn’t “enjoy having to play a politically correct politician,” nor could he have managed in today’s world, where everyone has a cell videophone, and nothing is private. He was the first politician to run his campaign on the internet in a big way, but technology and the resulting “candid camera 24/7” of pols and celebs, makes for a magnitude of scrutiny unimaginable just 12 yrs. ago. He knew that, and it’s a main reason he didn’t run: people were making fun of him and upsetting his family too much.
Speaking of how wise it is to be candid: Obama is getting a lot of flack for telling students about his own sowing oats years, involving drugs. Many feel that gives kids the message it’s okay to experiment with drugs, so he should just shut up. (I know you’ll call them the “sneaky politicians” who are “slime-ball and hypocritical,” and that anyone who thinks this way would probably be bashing gays while trying to pick them up in public bathrooms.)
As for me, I’m conflicted: I believe in honesty as a mother once your kids are old enough to make judgments, but coming from a public figure at that level in that context, it may have been too much, too Oprah-tell-all.
A snotty L.A. resident writes…..
I would not expect a woman to know that Jessie “The Body†Ventura was indeed in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF).
Maggie responds …..
I wondered how long it would take for L A Res to pipe up with something snotty, calling me stupid and his usual names. (Reg must be taking a break, worn out by Woody or his travels.)
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Babylon Dictionary says
woman —
adult female; female human being; female spouse (Informal); collective womankind; female person who plays an important part in the life of a specific notorious man; girlfriend, female lover (Informal).
I will no longer refer to anybody else as a woman again, I will now use the new politically correct term, “Homo Sapiens blessed with two lovely X chromosomesâ€Â.
Well, if definition of woman includes “female person who plays an important role in the life of a specific (as opposed to non-specific?) notorious man” I think I prefer your P C version. It’s too big a mouthful to insult anyone with.
Too bad you decided not to draft the Governing Body for Pres, since he meets all your criteria, but you’re right, he’s had enough of politics, anyway, and vice versa. Anyway, I’m glad we got to resolve some important issues in connection to this.
I will no longer refer to anybody else as a woman again
I prefer woperson(s), not woman.
If “woman” weren’t used in a disparaging way, as in, “what women know about wrestling,” “women drivers,” y’all wouldn’t have to worry about it. But “woperson” sounds woeful, not a pleasant connotation at all. Keep trying. Or just don’t attach automatic (yes, knee-jerk sexist) attributes to women, guys. (And I hate to get into this line of thought, it sounds so 80’s feminists — that’s one reason I hang with younger people, I never hear this from the younger, and I might add, cute and self-secure, guys.)
I rather like “broad.”
Optimumly, though, I prefer “Goddess.” My son (and his friends who spent any amount of time at our house) grew up knowing the power of those two little magic words: “please” and “goddess.”
(When I began teaching at UC Irvine, I tried to get him to refer to me as Professor Goddess. But he declined.)
Maggie,
I was being snarky.
You don’t say?
Sometimes it’s hard to tell if you’re picking up on the snarkiness.