Tales & Tails of New York

And indeed, it takes a great deal of "audacity" (or inflated ego) to think one is ready to be President of the United States with no military or executive experience, only a few years in a State legislation and roughly one year in the US Senate before running for the highest office in the land.

 

Should it not be required that the elected holder of the highest office in our country have earned it?

 

George W. Bush hadn't truly earned the privilege (or votes) to this position when he was awarded the office by the Supreme Court in 2000 after a disputed election result in Florida.

 

Our country has been paying for that "on the job training" folly ever since.

 

This election cycle, a candidate has come along speaking of "hope and change" and suddenly everyone is talking of "movement" and "youth vote" and "inspiration."

 

 

Making Barack Obama President?

 

Throughout the primary election runs, Obama has repeatedly said, "You can't have the same old people, doing the same old things and expect a different result.  You can't build a bridge to the past."

 

But, isn't that exactly what Obama himself has done in using the same old tired weapon of the past against Hillary Clinton over and over again?

 

 

Obama wasn't in the US Senate at the time to vote either for or against the Iraq Resolution.  He wasn't subject to the same intelligence information.  He did not have to assume any responsibility for his position.

 

No one knows for sure how Obama would have voted had he been in the Senate in 2002.  We just know he made a very eloquent speech about his opposition to the war.

 

But, speeches don't cost anything.

 

Congressional votes that speculate the wrong way (in hindsight) on a war can cost thousands of lives by either sending troops to the "wrong war" or failing to protect the American public from real and present dangers in those instances the intelligence is correct. 

 

Despite the fact respected leaders in both the military and the Congress "supported" the Iraq Resolution in 2002 including Colin Powell (who presented the "case" for war in Iraq at the UN), John Kerry, Joe Biden, John Edwards, Jay Rockefeller and many others, Barack Obama has seemed to hang his hat for the Presidential nomination solely on his opposition to the war back in 2002.

 

As Hillary Clinton says, "He is running on a 2002 speech."

 

But, if having the "judgment" to oppose the Iraq war from the get go was the only criteria for being elected President, then millions of Americans (like myself) are similarly as qualified as Obama to be President.

 

Personally, I don't see myself as having the qualifications to be President.

 

But, nor, do I view Obama has having either the qualifications or the experience at this time.

 

By contrast, Hillary Clinton has been a hardworking and accomplished US Senator for 8 years. Before that, she was 8 years in the White House.

 

Some (like Obama) might like to insinuate that while in the White House, Hillary Clinton was hanging draperies or serving kumquats.

 

We all know better.

 

In some instances, Hillary had more power and influence over actions and policies, than Vice President Gore.

 

That Obama might question Hillary's "experience" seems almost laughable, especially in light of lack of his own.

 

Following Hillary Clinton's comeback primary wins in Ohio, Texas and Rhode Island last night (after many in the media and political worlds were calling for her to drop out), pundits today are analyzing "exit polls" and other data trying to figure out how she did it.

 

I think Hillary's accomplishment can be summed up in three short and simple words: 

 

 

As for Obama:

 

 

Obama needs to update his rhetoric to 2008.

 

And for those who threaten "chaos" at the Democratic Convention should the Superdelegates not go the way of the "movement" for Obama, let them consider that the Presidential election is not an "American Idol" contest.

 

Nominate a one-term Senator with a paper thin resume to go against a Senate stalwart of more than 25 years and a military war hero like John McCain and the Democratic party might just as well prepare the KoolAid for the November election. 

 

"So goes Ohio, so goes the nation."  (That's been true in every recent election and primary).

 

The message was loud and clear last night. -- PCA

 

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