Obama's canp ought to focus on Clinton's misleading talk about "experience"

[Armstead]

I'm an Edwards supporter, but I'm hoping the Obama campaign addresses the misleading impression being created about their candidate by the Clinton campaign.

Watching Meet the Press, it was abundantly clear that Hillary Clinton is pounding home a message that Obama is just a guy who makes great speeches, but does not have experience in the trenches.

The impression left is that Obama is a shallow "showhorse" who has done nothing but make speeches and running for office, while Hillary has been a "workshorse" doing the hard work of turning goals into reality. Yesterday she said comparisons of Obama to MLK are wrong, because although King made great speeches, King was also active in organizing and getting arrested for his beliefs. She implied that Obama has no other experience than "inspiring" people.

This is bunk. It's true that Obama wasn't getting beaten up or thrown in jail or leading marches. But the times are different. Obama was doing exactly what Clinton claimed that a real leader should be doing. Obama was doing community organizing, and advocating directly for the disadvantaged on tangible issues on the grass roots level with individuals and groups.

While Obama was working with real people on real issues, it was Hillary who was in the rarified atmosphere of the "above it all" elite. She may have been doing good things too, but it was more in the realm of a detached observer of the problems being faced by real people rather than experiencing them in an unfiltered way.

I hope Obama is able to shift the focus to countering that as the campaign moves forward.

[Dollface]

1. They need a truce. This is a media frenzy.

I think that Hillary and Obama should call the media on the false controversy they've stirred up by reporting statements made by both sides out of context and get back to the issues. All they're doing now is arming the Repukes.

[annie1]

2. agree. they need to call a truce. and put a clamp on the people that speak for them.

[Sparkly]

6. There's not enough contrast between them on the issues.

I think that's at least one reason the media -- and maybe the campaigns themselves -- aren't emphasizing that as a point of contrast.

[GOP Disgrace America]

9. Difference??

They call Hillary triangulating an everything, she did co-sponsor an anti-flag burning bill. How genuine is that? Then she votes for the Lieberman-Kyl Amendment. Barack seems more genuine, as much as a politician can be, anyway.

[stillcool]

13. Cause and effect.

One flings shit, and the other ducks. Seems the shit flinger has to stop flinging. Is that a truce?

[Dollface]

15. I think shit-flinger is hyphenated.

[Sparkly]

3. I don't think they'll get traction there.

I think the Obama camp wants to keep the focus on "change," youth, and anti-status-quo; the Clinton camp wants to counter that by focusing on experience. I don't think either wants to play on the other's home ground.

[Armstead]

8. But if anything defeats Obama it's going to be "experience"

He will lose if he allows the Clintons to limit the definition of qualifications to being working among the muckity mucks on the level of "above it all" leadership within the elite.

[BeyondGeography]

4. It would be fun if he told her at a debate how he helped Bill Clinton win IL in 1992

by leading a drive to register 150,000 black voters.

http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/January-1993/Vote-of-Confidence/

[Armstead]

10. You ought to send that idea into his campaign

That's the kind of experience I'm talking about

[Nedsdag]

17. E-mail your information to his people for tomorrow night.

He can bring it up during the debate.

[OHdem10]

5. He will only make people focus on his lack of experience.

How he has permitted this contest to evolve into a race
fight shows lack of exprience.

Calling the Clintons Bigots gives her another leg up
in the General Election.

[Armstead]

7. I disagree -- It has been made into a racial fight by a combination of factors

I don't think it's Obama's fault that it threatens to become a racialy based election.

In any case, the point I made about "experience" is not a racial matter. It has more to do with how one characterizes "experience" regardless of a particular issue.

[Bullet1987]

11. I agree Armstead and have been saying this for a week or so now...

I don't know why the hell the Obama campaign is giving her a pass on her experience argument.

[NWHarkness]

12. Obama's camp ought to focus on talking about Obama

I've been following the campaign closely, and I still don't know what change he is proposing, what I am supposed to be hoping for or who exactly I am expected to unite with. I am an Edwards supporter, but if he goes out, my vote will be up for grabs. If Obama's supporters want it, they are going to have to persuade me on substance, not merely by recycling right wing talking points from the 1990s.

[stillcool]

14. Why do supporters have to 'persuade' you?

isn't that the candidates responsibility? Do you think your ascribing right wing talking points to a candidate you do not support, change another's perspective? Don't you think people will listen to the candidate rather than you?

[sniffa]

16. But, she brought peace to No. Ireland?

Hard to knock that experience.