Today's Article
Hillary Clinton in fact
has less experience
as an elected official
than either John
McCain Or Barack
Obama.
The American Spark
Why Clinton Is Not The Most Experienced Or Level-Headed
Candidate
By Cliff Montgomery - Mar. 5th, 2008
Presidential hopeful Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) enjoyed much-needed wins yesterday in Texas and Ohio
over Democratic front-runner Senator Barack Obama (D-IL), in part because she touted the notion that she is
the presidential candidate with the needed experience and gravitas to assume the office of the presidency in
2009.
But that's false on two counts:
1.) She is not the most experienced presidential candidate--that mantle certainly belongs to Republican
nominee Sen. John McCain (R-AZ); and
2. ) Of the three elected officials, only Obama took an honest look at the "evidence" to invade Iraq, and
proclaimed it was wrong to go into the country.
Neither Obama nor Clinton come close to McCain's experience as an elected official. True, Obama has only
been a member of the U.S. Senate since 2005--but from 1997 to 2004, the man served as a popular Illinois
state senator. Clinton has been a member of the U.S. Senate since 2001, but that is her entire experience as
an official directly answerable to the people.
McCain easily beats them both in the experience department. From 1983 to 1986, McCain was a U.S.
representative; and he's been a U.S. senator since 1987.
If it's a question of experience, it's McCain who easily carries the day, not Clinton.
To be fair, Sen. Clinton does possess a fine level of political experience, and even her detractors admit the lady
possesses a keen mind as well--two factors that the last seven unfortunate years have proven to be essential
characteristics for any decent U.S. President.
But we've noticed that Clinton has a tendency to 'pad' her political experience in questionable ways.
Listen closely to the New York senator's speeches during the 2008 presidential season. Clinton often has
hinted that her husband's eight years as president during the 1990s have somehow prepared her to be
America's next Chief Executive.
Note to Sen. Clinton: A wife or husband may claim half of all property they together build as husband and
wife--but a person simply cannot claim their spouse's life experience as their own.
That's like the wife of a top surgeon claiming the ability to conduct operations, for no other reason than that
she's long been married to her husband, the brilliant surgeon.
Before being elected in 2000 as a New York senator, Hillary Clinton had no experience as an elected official in
any capacity. She indeed had some governmental experience as a political appointee, first in Arkansas then in
the White House--assignments apparently always given her by her husband.
But she had never been elected to her posts, and so had no previous knowledge of having to answer directly
to the people.
However, it should be pointed out that Senator Clinton has proven herself to be a very popular elected official.
SurveyUSA states that 60% of New York state citizens approve of the job Clinton is doing for their state; the
average approval rating is 53 percent.
Sen. Clinton also claims that only she may be trusted to 'protect America in a crisis'. But as Sen. Obama has
pointed out several times, she clearly failed to protect America during perhaps her most trying moment as a
senator: Clinton made the wrong choice on Iraq, and voted to invade the nation on flimsy evidence at best.
Though Obama was not yet a U.S. senator, he is the only one of the three elected officials who looked at the
weakness of the evidence, and apparently declared even before the 2003 invasion that we should not invade
that country.
Sen. Clinton likes to claim she has the best experience and the most solid judgment among McCain, Obama,
and herself.
Yet McCain has more experience as a top elected official than Clinton and Obama put together.
And both McCain and Clinton proved their lack of judgment by voting to invade Iraq. Only Obama made the
clear choice on this issue, and has stuck to his guns.
Clinton is a talented senator, and indeed experienced enough to be president. But if she can't be honest about
her experience and her errors, voters may need to take a second look.
Like what you're reading so far? Then why not order a full year (52 issues) of the The American Spark
e-newsletter for only $15? A major article covering an story not being told in the Corporate Press will be
delivered to your email every Monday morning for a full year, for less than 30 cents an issue. Order Now!