NPR: Who Needs Experience?

Who Needs Experience?

Hillary Clinton spent the week touting her experience in foreign policy after taking her rival Barack Obama to school on his "irresponsible and naive" stances. But the gonzo campaign reporter Stump Connolly asks a good question: Does experience matter?

Indeed, if you look back at politics over the last 50 years, America has elected three "experienced" presidents -- Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon and George Bush I -- and five "inexperienced" ones -- John F. Kennedy, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. How have we fared under each?

Experience, Stump argues, led us into some pointless wars. But if you elect an inexperienced president, you have a 60 percent chance of getting someone decent. (I'll let you figure out which ones Stump likes.)

This is a good time to reread the article Ted Sorensen wrote for The New Republic about how Obama's inexperience reminds him of his former boss: John F. Kennedy. What do you think? Is inexperience in national politics an asset?

- Robert Smith

11:57 AM ET | 08-10-2007 | permalink

Comments (Send a comment)

I would really rather have a president who had no political experience at all. A real monkey wrench kind of guy.

Because in the end, all a professional politician is willing to do is pacify voters, and his corporate overlords.

I want someone with integrity, and as politics in this country stand, no one with integrity runs for office.

Foley for Prez!

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

Sent by Jody Sol | 12:38 PM ET | 08-10-2007

I really like Obama a lot, but I don't think any of these "inexperienced" presidents were as inexperienced as Obama. JFK spent 14 years in Congress, and Carter, Reagan, Clinton and W were all governors. I remember when W was running in 2000, and I kept reading that Condi had to bring him up to speed on international relations. Because of W's bungling foreign policy, we're in a terrible position now in Iraq and elsewhere...personally I would rather have an experienced person at this point.

Sent by Ann Dougherty | 12:42 PM ET | 08-10-2007

After the last two elections I set my bar fairly low for whom we will elect. I mean I will vote for who I vote for, and pull for that person. But in the end, if we can get away with not electing a raging idiot-gobbling up power like it's going out of style-into the whitehouse I will be happy...for about an hour.

Sent by E.L. Gulbranson | 1:09 PM ET | 08-10-2007

Ask yourself..what has Hillary everacomplished? What as a senator? Zero.

Lets see, under GWB the economy has went from a clinton recession to booming. The Stock Market from 7000 to 14000.

The deficit is at 205 billion right noqw and despite a war, they predict being in the black when he leaves.

The war is going well

all evidence from saddam tapes etc and his ex General have proven it to be a just war.

I can see the agenda drivenness of this place

Sent by Dennis Thompson | 11:57 AM ET | 08-14-2007

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