Ready or Not: Clinton or Obama

Hillary Clinton spent eight years in the White House. Obama supporters keep trying to tell me that her experience isn’t relevant. Here’s my response: Even if she were nothing more than a fly on the wall, Hillary Clinton’s eight years in the White House have given her an education in politics, diplomacy and the business of running a country, that is so far superior to whatever formal education Senator Obama possesses, it makes me wonder what kind of kool-aid Obamamaniacs are drinking.

One simply can’t compare the combination of experience and education Clinton has with that of Obama. They shouldn't even be in the same race. Obama is a rookie. Albeit, he’s a handsome, charming, intelligent, noble rookie--but he’s still a rookie. And what makes me burn is that his supporters are so influenced by the superficial and the new and the bright and the shiny, that they can’t see past it.

They believe that just because he has all the personal qualities we hope for in a President, that he should be the next President. Except: He’s not ready. It’s not that he won’t be a good, or even a great President. I hope some day he will. And I hope that day is in eight years.

Right now we need to stop diminishing Hillary and start supporting her. If the only way Barrack can win is to get his people to downplay his opponent's education and experience, then he’s proving his lack of substance by the very argument he’s raising.

Every time Obama’s supporters chime in to say that Clinton’s experience isn’t valid for whatever reason, I want to ask: When was the last time you started a new job? Are you telling me it wouldn’t have been invaluable to have an insider’s view of all the inner workings of the place before you started? Do you expect me to believe that kind of inside knowledge is not going give you an edge over somebody who’s never been there before? Do you really think Obama's character and decision-making ability are so much stronger than Clinton's that despite her extraordinary advantage as a result of her education and experience, Obama is actually better qualified?

The President of this country is going to have to run it, not just represent it. Clinton can do both. I see no evidence to suggest that Obama can. Yet over and over Obama's supporters will say that he's the man for the job.

Obama’s people are a little crazy, is what I’m saying. I sympathize. It's kind of thrilling to contemplate the prospect of turning our whole political system on its head. I understand how visualizing a black man taking the White House could make them so giddy they can’t see straight. I am sure it feels good. But they need to regain consciousness and focus. We cannot afford another Republican administration. The current one is killing us.

Let's not allow our sentimentalism to obscure the cold hard facts: Barrack Obama is VP material—he’s not ready for the Presidency.

Let him be a fly on the wall of Hillary’s White House for the next eight years. Then he’ll be ready, and then I’ll support him. Until then, let’s put our energy toward someone who knows how to do the job, not just how to win votes.