No Experience Necessary

Mr. W. this morning helped me put my finger on what bothers me about the "experience" debate with respect to Palin & Obama (PBS, eg, is polling to see if Sarah Palin is "experienced enough"). 

Our discussion was occasioned by an email that's making the rounds. Maybe you've seen it? 

You couldn't get a job at McDonalds and become district manager after 143 days of experience.

  

You couldn't become chief of surgery after 143 days of experience of being a surgeon.

 

You couldn't get a job as a teacher and be the superintendent after 143 days of experience.

 

 You couldn't join the military and become a colonel after a 143 days of experience.

 

 You couldn't get a job as a reporter and become the nightly news anchor after 143 days of experience.

 

                    BUT....

 

From the time Barack Obama was sworn in as a United State Senator, to the time he announced he was forming a Presidential exploratory committee; he logged 143 days of experience in the Senate. That's how many days the Senate was actually in session and working.  After 143 days of work experience, Obama believed he was ready to be Commander In Chief, Leader of the Free World....143 days. 

Heh heh, very funny. The problem is, there is no standard resume for the Presidency. Lincoln, our 2nd greatest (or arguably greatest) president was in the Congress for two years --in sessions that probably totaled less than 143 days.  Lincoln didn't need even 143 days to be ready.

Because he had in spades the only quality you need to be president: practical wisdom --prudence. 

Even if Barack Obama has exaggerated his experience, so what? The problem isn't that he lacks experience, it's that he lacks practical wisdom. Were he in the Senate 143 years he wouldn't be ready to be President.