speaking as an Obama fan, I do worry about...

[carpe diem]

...lack of experience on his resume. And we kid ourselves if we think it won't matter in the general. He may very well be able to win the nomination, but he will get burned alive if he has to go against a McCain or Guliani. The MSM will give the R every benefit of every doubt and flog every R talking point that plants doubts about whoever the D candidate is. And we are a nation at war, it doesn't matter that the R's are the one's who led us into it, since the MSM helped them do it, they will not be critical of the R's for it.

I think the ticket that can beat ANY Republican ticket in '08 (w/ Iraq as a significat facor in the race) is Gore/Obama. It has the best of everything. But Obama does have to run to prove himself on the campaign trail for national office. Since it is my ultimate, fantasy ticket, that pretty much gaurantees it's not gonna happen.

[SharonRB]

1. LOL

I hear ya. I would love to see that ticket, too. The key is getting Gore to run. I'd also love Gore/Clark -- well, I'd love Gore/fill in the blank with anyone (almost). Gore is definitely the key here. The VP is secondary, as I think there are quite a number of suitable candidates. I even think Feingold would consider VP.

[sallyseven]

2. I think Obama is very exciting and I like him

a lot. I do think however that I need a rest. I worked long and hared on the 2006 campaign and I am not ready to go crashing into the next one as yet. I am getting too old for all the excitement so early. You go ahead I'll catch up.

[DeeDeeNY]

3. In this crazy political climate

a lack of experience can be a plus. The right wing slime machine either distorted or outright lied about Gore's record in
2000 and Kerry's record in 2004. It almost seems that the less national experience a candidate has, the less they can distort.
Both McCain and Giuliani have glaring shortcomings, although you're certainly right about how the MSM will present things.

[Rosemary2205]

4. The way I see it

he hasn't had enough time to say or do that one thing that will give Fox News and the Swifties good ammo.

[Renew Deal]

5. McCain is an old senator and Guiliani is a mayor.

Sorry, but what experience does Guiliani have?

[rebel with a cause]

9. Guiliani knows a lot

He knows how to solve a city's homeless problem by putting them on buses, trains, and even planes to send them to other cities. Miami had to warn NYC not to send any more of their derelicts there.

He knows how to not only be an adulterer (they didn't like Clinton for this) but when his second wife kicked him out of Gracie mansion, he moved in with a gay couple. How would the right wing ever deal with that, they have enough problems with cheney's daughter.

He knows how to clean up a city by terrorizing the poor and those with brown skin. At least that is what my contacts there tell me.
And he knows how to put workers and NYC citizens in an unhealthy situation following 9/11. Covering up the fact that it was dangerous even to breathe the air. I know there was the rescue mission to carry out, but people there are angry at him for covering up the dangers so the city would rebound as quickly as it did, because they are the ones suffering the ill effects of it now.

These are just my opinions on the lovely man. Bless his heart.

:loveya: NYC

[rocktivity]

26. Here's another Guliani 9/11 story that slipped through the cracks

He announced that money donated to the city for 9/11 victims would not be disbursed until March--only an immediate public outcry made him quickly change his mind. But why March, which just happens to be the end of a banking quarter? Did he have OTHER plans for the money, or for the interest it would have accrued?

:headbang:
rocknation

[rebel with a cause]

6. I like Obama but

I honestly think he is shooting for VP, but as he said "No body runs for Vice President."

I like Gore, and maybe his movie and environmental work would help him out, but I am still leary about him on the campaign trail. He is kind of an open target to the MSM. I just don't know.

Kerry? No way. Good guy, but too many bad calls during the 2004 campaign.

Clark? I was a supporter of his in 2004, but he disappointed me. I think he would be the one perhaps to get us out of Iraq, if we are still there, but then his strong military mindset was a problem for me even in 2004.

Hillary, who I noticed no one mentioned, is the front runner. Here again I am unsure of how I feel. She is not liberal enough for me, but then none of these people are.

Clark was the only one in 2004 to stand up and say "I am a liberal", so with that in mind I guess if I should happen to live to 2008 and he was running, then I would chose him or Obama. But 2008 is two years away and a lot of things can happen before then. Who knows what will be, or who will be, in 2008.

[H2O Man]

7. Silly.

The mayor's foreign policy experience would seem rather limited, would it not?

[Poiuyt]

8. I think that experience is over rated

Think about it - If Bush could run for a third term, he could say that he has had plenty of experience. And he'd be right. But all the experience in the world won't help if you have a twisted personality

To me, the most important thing is to have a positive vision for the country and the ability to inspire America to follow his/her vision. If (and a very important "if") the president hires the best advisers, and has the common sense to listen to them, then he won't make the mistakes that an inexperienced leader might make.

I'm not saying that I support Obama or Edwards at this point, but I think the contrast between a youthful, vigorous candidate vs an old man who's had health problems is a good one. What they need to do right now is start coming out with strong policy statements so that America knows that they aren't lightweights.

[treestar]

12. Exactly! Bush has experience, heck, his stupid family has

decades of experience.

This isn't the same as a job, where you could say, the Bushes have been in the oil industry for decades, they know all about it, therefore it would be good to hire them for your oil needs. This is the exercise of political power. We don't want them gaining experience in that or building it up as a family tradition. We want to dissipate that experience, as the founding fathers intended. Worked up till now and will work in the future.

[Kahuna]

10. Except that all the people with experience STILL support the Iraq

invasion. That kind of mutes the criticism about Obama not having 'enough' experience.

[rebel with a cause]

14. In addition to that

If anyone had seen him campaigning here in Illinois, they would have no question about his ability to carry this off. Not only did he do well in Chicago, but he came down here to Southern Illinois more than any other candidate ever had. And thrust me, for a non-white man from Chicago to come down here that many times, and to win the people over to the point that he was unbeatable, that took talent and charisma. He is a great campaigner.

[treestar]

11. Being president isn't just a job though

Not in the traditional sense.

The only qualification is be born in the US and 35 or over.

After that, anything goes, according to the needs of the people at the time.

And there is always the argument that experience in Washington DC isn't necessarily all to the good - look at Cheney and Rummy. They've been in Washington since at least the Nixon Administration.

[rebel with a cause]

13. but then bush was the outsider

outside the norm, outside caring about anyone but him self, outside of anything we thought a president should be.

[originalpckelly]

16. Heck, look at Nixon...

he had a ton of experience, but he was an SOB. The longer someone is in Washington D.C. the more they become an elitist politician.

[originalpckelly]

15. Inexperience? Tell that to Abe Lincoln, whom Barak Obama has one upped...

in every public office he's ever held.

Don't believe me, read:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abe_Lincoln

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barak_Obama

[rebel with a cause]

31. I don't know about comparing Obama and Lincoln yet, but

as an Illinoisan, I am proud of both of them. Obama is not really from here, but has lived here for some time and served in the state senate, and we claim him as one of our own. Lincoln was really born in Kentucky and grew up in Indiana, we still claim him. And although Reagan was born and raised in Illinois, we let California claim him. So you see we are who we chose to be here in Illinois. :hippie:

[Dems Will Win]

17. Be Happy Don't Worry - - that's Barack JESUS Obama to you --

Obama speaks of Transformation of society and politics. He is like nothing we have seen before. He represents change itself to people--and they know we need change to literally survive. The next President must inspire the entire world to transform itself--or we will surely be on the path to destruction. People see that in him!

He is Martin Luther King returned to us. He is Robert F. Kennedy come back. He is Barack JESUS Obama.

That's what people see in BJO. That's why Samantha Bee gushed so when she "got to touch the hem of his garment".

As Samantha Bee reported, when Obama appeared (and I quote), "Women fainted, men wept and children sang."

Policy-Shmolicy, Experience-Shmexperience. We're talking the Resurrection here!

Give me Jesus against Judy Ruliani any day!

[rebel with a cause]

18. I saw Samantha Bee

And I think she was kind of making fun of those who feel like he is the second coming.

Just curious, but have you ever seen Obama in person, met him or anything like that?

[Dems Will Win]

20. No but going up to New Hampshire in the summer to work for him

-- if he decides to run with Michelle OPRAH Obama:


YOWZA!

She's the new Jackie for the new JFK!

[Dems Will Win]

22. Samantha Bee was making fun and yet it is all too real

We just never had Jesus running as a candidate before, so many are scratching their heads over it.

I don't worry because the TRUST FACTOR will be huge in '08 after Bush and Clinton and Bush and Reagan.

Who exudes the most trustworthiness, the most altruism and most common sense?

Judy Ruliani's record speaks betrayal and poor judgement. McCain is the "Double Talk Express".

Who are you going to trust? That guy whose middle name is Jesus seems to have the highest trust factor, especially when his 2002 speech against the war is add to the mix. Have you read that speech? Anybody have a link to that?

He's a prophet, too, Jesus is. Just sayin'

[peacebaby3]

19. A fellow DUer posted an entire thread just like this post from Freeperville. n/t

[rebel with a cause]

24. I must be dense

But to which post are you referring to as from freeperville. I don't want to post anything else until I know who not to respond to.

[peacebaby3]

27. I was replying to post #17 about the Obama is Jesus. That has actually

been said by the loonies on the right who are saying he is the anti-christ. I attributed it to those at Freeperville (the Freepers) but it was actually them and the rapture ready freaks. They are basically the same people.

Here's the threads I was referring to:

<http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=364&topic_id=2840091>

<http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=364&topic_id=2898798>

These were posted a couple of weeks ago and are now in the archives.

[rebel with a cause]

30. Okay, it makes sense now

I was really put off by the posts, because I have met Obama and spoke to him quite a few times in 2004 and I know he would not feel comfortable with anyone speaking of him in this way. I was unsure if this person was a freeper or a ??? Thanks for the heads up.

[mdmc]

21. don't worry, be happy

it is about vision, not experience.

I am not a fan, but I am a liberal. I watch him very closely.

[rocktivity]

23. I agree--as much as I like Obama

I'd much rather see him as a running mate in '08, followed by a White House run in '16. His race will be less of a factor in the face of eight years' experience. Plus, he'll be 55 by then--not too young, not too old.

:headbang:
rocknation

[Dastard Stepchild]

25. I think he can handle himself incredibly well in debate...

and under pressure. He is really able to think on his feet, and that lulling sense of security afforded by someone who speaks with an authoritative tone should be able to trump inexperience for many people.

Edit: spelling and word change

[yurbud]

28. the right will flog anything about any candidate. If he had been governor for 20 years, senator for

another 20, they would accuse him of being a Washington insider compared to their guy.

If he was a white guy named Whitey McWhiteman, they'd find some drop of non-white blood in their candidate and call say the Dem candidate is proof of racism.

We saw what they did with a military record to Kerry & McCain.

[yurbud]

29. bigger problem for Obama is personal safety. His family has already expressed concern like Colin

Powell's wife did when he was considering it, and as MLK and his family did his whole political career.

We need to make a helmet for him that looks like his haircut, or shave his head and replace it with a kevlar wig.

And of course give him kevlar underwear.