Enough experience or not?

Question

For months Republicans have been saying that Obama does not have enough experience and that he is too young.

Now that McCain has picked somebody younger and with less experience than Obama as his running mate,it would suddenly seem that she is old enough and experienced enough to hold high office.

Now there are some that will say that she is running as VP not President but,let's face it,with his medical record I wouldn't honestly expect McCain to last a full term.

Personally I don't believe that she was picked because she was the right person for the job but because she looks good and would appeal to women and also balance out the age issue.

So,my question is,what age and how many years of experience is suitable for the job of President or Vice-President?

Answer 1

Who says Obama has more experience?  He doesn't... he has only been in senate for 148 days... he only votes on legislation.  He has never governed anybody.  He has never had to manage any group of people and everything that goes along with that.

Sarah Palin is far more experienced than Obama.  Neither of them have as much experience as McCain, but Palin brings much more useful skills to the table.

Some people are meant to lead, and some people are good at giving speeches.  Good speeches won't help any of us if Iran has a nuclear bomb or if Chavez decides to do something stupid.  And a good speech will not fix any of the problems in our check books.

Answer 2

Not, that much is clear.  Can anyone seriously claim Palin would be ready to be President, commander in chief, if needed? That should be the first criteria for any VP choice.

"1. McCain is desperate. Let’s stop pretending this race is as close as national polling suggests. The truth is McCain is essentially tied or trailing in every swing state that matters — and too close for comfort in several states like Indiana and Montana the GOP usually wins pretty easily in presidential races. On top of that, voters seem very inclined to elect Democrats in general this election — and very sick of the Bush years.

McCain could easily lose in an electoral landslide. That is the private view of Democrats and Republicans alike.

McCain’s pick shows he is not pretending. Politicians, even “mavericks” like McCain, play it safe when they think they are winning — or see an easy path to winning. They roll the dice only when they know that the risks of conventionality are greater than the risks of boldness.

The Republican brand is a mess. McCain is reasonably concluding that it won’t work to replicate George W. Bush and Karl Rove’s electoral formula, based around national security and a big advantage among Y chromosomes, from 2004.

“She’s a fresh new face in a party that’s dying for one — the antidote to boring white men,” a campaign official said.

Palin, the logic goes, will prompt voters to give him a second look — especially women who have watched Democrats reject Hillary Rodham Clinton for Barack Obama.

The risks of a backlash from choosing someone so unknown and so untested are obvious. In one swift stroke, McCain demolished what had been one of his main arguments against Obama.

“I think we’re going to have to examine our tag line, ‘dangerously inexperienced,’” a top McCain official said wryly. "

Answer 3

The Clintonites have hurt the Democratic Party more than the DNC will admit. Their flipping votes made the numbers that McCain needed to catch-up. Now that Obama made a choice and the lamenting of some Clintonites that Hillary was not chosen, McCains election is around 1-2% more favorable for him then Obama. One wrong subject/answer in the upcoming debates is all it takes - oh say - immigration issues.

As for age, McCain seems he can handle the 1st the term as it seems from his posture during a speech.

Obama, he has and is trying to settle the rift among Democrats, nearly impossible since the Clintons are sitting it out. IT is beyond reasonable doubt that the Clintonites would rather loose the election then have Obama sit in office.

As for Palin, Hutchinson had her chance and blew it in the 90's during her Texas Senate Scandal. So Palin has a good chance when - http://www.newsweek.com/id/155072 - guess where Palins Husband sits. - Palins age is really indifferent when/while she is gatting hands on as VP.

So if McCain finishes his first term or not, Palin moves up and with the current US debalce of oil and gas, she may eventually end up plus 8 as President. Still a historical move as being firt female president of US.

I think Democrats can kiss any chance or presidency for quite a while and Hillary can kiss her dream goodbye forever. I don't see the Clintonites will recover from these flipping.

There are more true Democrats than Democrat flippers to allow a second in your face from 'die hard democrats' that would rather split the party then reconcile and move on.

Answer 4

Age does not equate intelligence or ability. Sure, Palin is younger than Obama, but she has worked in the exectutive position and according to the records has done a great job.

Obama on the other hand has a couple of years but only experienced at being a junior senator. There is a vast difference in their positions.

Look at the 1940's. Roosevelt chose Harry Truman , a junior senator as his running mate and we were in the middle of a major war. F.D.R. died just barely into his 4th term and Truman took over. I remember folks saying that we were going to be speaking Japanese in just a few months, but "Give 'em h**l Harry " gave them all the h**l they could stand and the war was over in short order. He then went ahead and was re-elected in '48.

I was a kid back then and lived near Truman's home town and the people there didn't think he could pull it off. So, give the gal a chance. Listen to what she has to say before shooting her down.

Answer 5

Well, you have to be at least thirty five to be president, but I wouldn't say much older than that. I honestly don't see why people want an old person being the head of their country. Old people die relatively quickly and can easily have mental illnesses. We should pick a young, healthy, smart, level-headed person. I think they should have some amount of experience, so that they know what it feels like to have that job or one similar. I think Vice President should be about the same as the President, in case the President dies.

Answer 6

I live in Illinois and Obama needs to focus on getting our state government on track before he tries turning the country around. He's done nothing that he promised when he was elected to the senate. What makes you think he'll get anything accomplished now? He's spent all his time focused on getting the nomination, and left us floundering with yet another horribly corrupt governor who happened to be the Chicago IL Democrats great hope. Look where we are now. In it up to our noses and the smell is atrocious. NO, he hasn't spent the time to get the experience necessary.