Obama lacks necessary experience, credentials

Alex Entz/Business Manager
Let’s start with just the facts. John McCain has been serving in Congress since 1982. Elected to the House for two terms, he was then elected to the Senate three times. McCain, despite having spent so much time in Washington, is still considered a maverick.

Case in point: the McCain-Feingold bill, one of numerous pieces of major legislation that McCain has had a hand in. McCain even chaired the Senate Commerce Committee, one of the most powerful committees in Congress. As a maverick, he has dedicated his time in Congress to eliminating pork barrel spending.

Turn to the other side of the coin, and you’ll find something quite different. Senator Obama was a ‘community organizer’ and-no surprises here-an attorney while McCain was serving in the Senate. Obama was defeated in his 2000 bid for a spot on the House of Representatives. Following his defeat, he decided to run for Senate. He won, and on January 4, 2005, he took office.

In winning, he joined into typical Chicago politics. He associated readily with Jeremiah Wright, whom he would ultimately abandon when the media spotlight called him out. Obama also associated with Tony Rezko, who was arrested and found guilty of fraud and bribery this year (Rezko donated to Obama’s campaign’s several times, to the tune of nearly $250,000). Another interesting part to the story: in 1997 Obama helped to head up a campaign to build a low-income development…headed by Rezko, who received nearly 15 million for the project. You scratch my back, and I’ll scratch yours. Just over two years later after he assumed office, Obama announced that he was running for president. Obama had only two years of experience to McCain’s 25.

Are these two figures even comparable? When Obama was eight, McCain was being tortured in Vietnam. When Obama was twenty-one (old enough to drink, and organize things around the community), McCain began his acclaimed tenure in the House and Senate.

But we can move beyond simple, boring old Congress experience (which the Obama campaign continues to downplay). Looking at other types of experience that could be deemed necessary: military experience (of which Obama has none).

McCain has also led people in many capacities. These capacities include leading with distinction in the military, on several major committees, and on several major bills such as Gramm-Rudman, which would have forced spending cuts if a deficit arose (Bush must not have been in favor). Obama has written two memoirs, but never a memorable bill.
This November, McCain will lead a nation. Obama will continue working on his two years of Senate experience.

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.