During an appearance today on CNN’s “Late Edition†program, Barack Obama supporter Chris Dodd made the case that Barack Obama’s lack of experience could help instead of hurt him in the general election. Host Wolf Blitzer asked Dodd about experience after previous guest Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) said that he was supporting Clinton based on her experience. Dodd said, “Well, if experience were the deciding factor, Joe Biden and I ought to be leading the race right today, I suppose, in terms of years of experience. Experience is important, but it shouldn’t be viewed, Wolf, in isolation. There are other qualities and characteristics that I think we pay as much attention. The moral values, the character of an individual, where they come from, who they are as individuals.â€Dodd continued, “I can go back in history — I won’t bore you with it — with people who have been — had a lot of experience, didn’t end up being very good presidents. Those that arguably had limited experience, at least what we think of in terms of elective office, who turned out to be very good presidents.â€
He discussed Obama’s ability to attract Republicans and Independents, “I think one of the most important things to look at here, in terms of winning this election, has been the numbers of people who have been attracted to Barack Obama’s campaign who are independents and Republicans. There are almost a million more people, if you add independents and Republicans, who have voted or supported Barack Obama in the 44 caucuses and primaries that we’ve had already over the last three months.â€
He contrasted Obama with Hillary Clinton’s limited appeal to only Democrats. “You’re not going to win the election by just appealing to your own base. You’re going to win it because you appeal to independents or like-minded people of the other party. Barack Obama has a huge advantage when it comes to that. There are literally people talking about themselves as Obama Republicans. The last time you and I heard words like that was when people talked about Reagan Democrats. So, I believe his experience is important, but there are other qualities here besides experience, which ought to matter.â€
Hillary Clinton’s negatives are so high among Republican voters that she would probably unify the party against her. Her appeal with Independents is also very limited to point where many of them would drift towards McCain. In some elections, there are more important things than experience. The American electorate is craving a new voice, and a fresh start. They want to push the Bush years into the past and move forward. Both Clinton and McCain are old voices on the national scene. Neither one of them offers anything fresh and new, Obama represents a fresh start while Clinton represents a return to the 1990’s, and McCain embodies continuing the status quo. Dodd realizes this, as do a growing number of his fellow Democrats.
Dodd Transcript:
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Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackSenator McCain is an honorable man. He acknowledges that Obama would make a good President. Obama’s Democratic “colleague” Hillary Clinton distorts Obama’s and her historical record with her lies. She condemns Obama for his eloquence–“Just words.” But Bill Clinton’s speeches have earned the Clinton Dynasty over 50 million dollars, many of those millions from fat cat corporations whose lobbyists donate Hillary’s campaign megabucks in exchange for her listening to their words. Hillary’s books make her more multimillions–just words? Bill is paid even more multimillions for “advice” to companies with shady business practices that the Feds are investigating. The Clintons’ ten million for “charity” go to the Clinton Family Foundation, run by Bill, Hill and Chelsea, an obvious tax-dodge that also allows them to use “charity” funds to influence superdelegates. Their tax returns show us a model of one hand greasing the other. Hillary can lie about identifying with blue-collar women, but she pays her housecleaners over $40,000 each year, more than blue-collar women earn a year. The Clintons made 109 million dollars in seven years. And she has the audacity to ask blue-collar women to send their few hard-earned dollars to her campaign. The audacity of being shame-less!
At least Sen Dodd admits Obama has little experience. Come on America. The WHITE HOUSE is not a show and tell enviroment..Get real, get HRC to help the poor, fix the economy and BRING OUR TROOPS HOME…Then BEWARE terrosists…Then we will have the resources to go after the real villians. Not a make believe oil inspired war that feeds certain people’s pockets and their Cowboy War Dreams…
The comments Lyn made are complete uninformed. The tax returns for the Clinton Family Foundations (IRS Form 990) are clear. The Clintons have made numerous donations through their family foundation to various causes, which are listed. Private or family foundations are a completely legitimate way to direct charitable dollars. The tax returns also show that the Clintons (all three) received $0 for running the foundation. Your ignorance is evident; if you want to know about family foundations and how they’re supposed to operate, go to the IRS site.
What experience do you really need to be a President of US?
I say Obama has just the right experience to be the president. This is exactly the same amount of experience that made Abraham Lincoln eligible to be the president of US. (8 years in State legislature and 3 years as a congressman).
All the experience thing has been way too hyped up. Hillary Clinton only has 7 years as a US senator thats it. If you include her 8 years as serving tea to foreign dignitaries and being a cheerleader to Bill a part of her resume, then consider that Obama has 12 years of teaching constitutional law a part of his resume.
Obama’s 12 years of teaching constitutional law by far beats Hillary Clintons 8 years of being a cheerleader to Bill Clinton.
From Dodd’s perspective of being a Washington veteran, both Obama and Hillary have little experience.
Barrack’s 800+ bills from 8 years in the Illinois senate are far more extensive than Hillary’s entire elected record. Barrack is the ONLY candidate to pass Healthcare reform.
http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2007/07/29/us/politics/20070730_OBAMA_GRAPHIC.html
His first year in the U.S. Senate, he authored 152 bills and co-sponsored another 427. These included:
**the Coburn-Obama Government Transparency Act of 2006 (became law),
**The Lugar-Obama Nuclear Non-proliferation and Conventional Weapons Threat Reduction Act, (became law),
**The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act, passed the Senate,
**The 2007 Government Ethics Bill, (became law),
**The Protection Against Excessive Executive Compensation Bill, (In committee), and many more.
Here is Hillary’s entire record from six years in the US Senate from the Library-of-Congress website http://thomas.loc.gov
1. Establish the Kate Mullany National Historic Site.
2. Support the goals and ideals of Better Hearing and Speech Month.
3. Recognize the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.
4. Name courthouse after Thurgood Marshall.
5. Name courthouse after James L. Watson.
6. Name post office after Jonn A. O’Shea.
7. Designate Aug. 7, 2003, as National Purple Heart Recognition Day.
8. Support the goals and ideals of National Purple Heart Recognition Day.
9. Honor the life and legacy of Alexander Hamilton on the bicentennial of his death.
10. Congratulate the Syracuse Univ. Orange Men’s Lacrosse Team on winning the championship.
11. Congratulate the Le Moyne College Dolphins Men’s Lacrosse Team on winning the championship.
12. Establish the 225th Anniversary of the American Revolution Commemorative Program.
13. Name post office after Sergeant Riayan A. Tejeda.
14. Honor Shirley Chisholm for her service to the nation and express condolences on her death.
15. Honor John J. Downing, Brian Fahey, and Harry Ford, firefighters who lost their lives on duty.
16. Extend period of unemployment assistance to victims of 9/11.
17. Pay for city projects in response to 9/11
18. Assist landmine victims in other countries.
19. Assist family caregivers in accessing affordable respite care.
20. Designate part of the National Forest System in Puerto Rico as protected in the wilderness preservation system.
Barrack gets more done than Hillary BECAUSE he never gives up a chance to work with his opponents to move the ball in the general direction of our democratic goals. You see it in the way he has setup Healthcare, talking with enemies, his Iraq stance, NAFTA, on and on. Hilary’s “shoot-for-the-moon” solutions kill pretty good ones without every getting implemented themselves. And then she cannot reach compromise because she has burned her bridges. Now is the time for a top notch negotiator, sales-person, uniter and visionary.
There is zero chance that any Republicans or libertarian style independents will vote for Barack Obama in the general election once his views become more widely known.
On story (out March 31, 2008) has not hit the fan yet but will soon. In 1996 (the same year of Hillary’s Bosnia trip) Obama filled out a positions questionnaire to seek an endorsement, then met with the group, then submitted an amended questionnaire bearing his own handwriting.
Both versions of the questionnaire reflect that Obama opposes capital punishment, and supports banning ANY AND ALL handguns—including their manufacture, possession, or sale.
On December 11, 2007, the Politico discovered the questionnaire, and Obama denied e ever saw it.
On December 16, 2007, the Politico interviewed other Chicago activists who disputed Obama’s account.
On March 31, 2008, The Politico obtained the amended questionnaire with Obama’s handwriting on it, proving the responses WERE INDEED THOSE OF THE CANTIDATE.
BOTTOM LINE:
1. Obama would raise the marginal tax rate to over 62%, through a combination of moving the top tax rate to 39.5% and removing the current $100,000 cap from Social Security deductions for business owners and the self employed. No Republican will stand for that, even setting aside the repeal of the Bush tax cuts.
2. Obama would ban handguns of any kind.
3. Obama is anti-capital punishment.
And Dodd thinks Republicans will vote for Obama?
comparing Barack Obama’s experience to that of Abe Lincoln’s is totally bogus. While his years in political office may be similar, the contrast between the rest of their careers is stunning (and yes, the experience argument is not just about holding political office – it includes total career, life experience, and voter familiarity with the candidate.)
Abe Lincoln was one of the most famous and successful lawyers in America. Barack took his Harvard Law degree and taught consitutional law.
Abe co-founded the republican party. He bowed out of a race for the U.S. Senate, forgoing his own future, in order to do what was best for his fledgling party.
Abe had run twice for the U.S. Senate, once in a losing effort that became legendary for the Lincoln/Douglass debates.
Barack did some volunteer work, and a little blow.
oh yeah – one other thing about Lincoln. He was such a vehement, outspoken anti-war advocate in his first term in Congress that he ruined his reputation and chances for re-election, and he decided not to bother trying.
Barack gave a speech opposing the war, but faced no political risk in doing so as he was just a state senator, and faced no votes on the matter. Since coming to the Senate 3 years ago, Barack has talked about being against the war but has voted predictably and has not worked to end it.
Actually, I know of several Republicans that voted for and caucused for Obama in our Washington primary. The polls have shown what I have seen personally, independents and Republicans who do not like what Mc Cain is saying have voted for Obama in the primaries and will vote for him in the elections. They like him, his record and his experience as a neighborhood organizer in one of the toughest neighborhoods on the east coast.
He’s a good, honest, smart, eloquent, well educated gentleman who people respect and who most of us know will be a great leader, worthy of our trust when deliberating with other world leaders and caring about our welfare as Americans.
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