He has more foreign policy experience - WOW

[vicariousparent]

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<p>Then when it suits him he turns to his black and muslim roots to proclaim his expertise with international issues>>>></p>
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<p>That is an extremely offensive statement that perpetuates the lie that Obama is a muslim or a ‘closet muslim’. Obama is a Christian. He is simply stating that his experience of diverse cultures from up close gives him a perspective that Clinton and McCain lack. You can disagree with this if you want but don’t go spreading lies. </p>

<p>Incidentally the editor-in-chief of Newsweek wrote an op-ed several months ago basically agreeing with Obama’s claim that someone who has seen the US ‘from the outside’ has an intrinsic advantage in international affairs. This is also one of the reasons why a lot of American companies with large international exposure have appointed CEOs who grew up in foreign countries.</p>

[BedHead]

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According to the Huffington Post blog, Obama was addressing a crowd of fundraisers in San Francisco on Sunday when he began talking about his choice for vice president, and said he would choose someone who adds to his expertise.

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<p>Expertise is not synonymous with experience, and that is the premise of this entire thread. And it is bunk. Intelligence, judgement, and wisdom come into play too. Obama’s demonstrated incisive intelligence and he’s led a cosmopolitan life that encompasses the complexities of the modern world. Hell, double McCain’s experience for all I care: if he still mixed up such basic differences as Shi’ites and Sunnis and he goes in a flak jacket to a market in the Green Zone to declare all Iraq much more stable, he’s demonstated at best a lack of understanding and at worst a penchant for willful misleading.</p>

<p>This thread should die. It’s based on not understanding the difference between expertise and experience.</p>

[who-knew]

<p>BedHead has an excellent suggestion (which I have failed to abide). Let the subject die–at least on this blog. The Obama haters will never let go of the racist email chains, the false accusations or the none-too-subtle racism that percolates close to the surface. His supporters will never understand those who have given us 8 years of damage that will take generations to repair, and who seem perfectly content to sign on for 4 more with McCain. Back to college admissions…</p>

[LaxAttack09]

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Nothing reckless about it. Obama was president of the Harvard Law Review. McCain was at the bottom of his service academy class. That right there is pretty good evidence of their respective abilities to know and understand stuff. Obama is smarter than McCain–probably a lot smarter. I think he’s smarter than Clinton, too, but not by as much.

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<p>Hunt I suggest you look a little more deeply into this. I’m not going to suggest one man is smarter than the other based on class standing but coming from somebody who has attended a military academy I can tell you they grade much differently. </p>

<p>First, the average grade is a C. There is no grade inflation like at many other universities. I can guarantee you the courseload at an academy is much more intense than at Harvard law. Additionally the rank you receive isn’t all academics. 1/3 academics + 1/3 fitness + 1/3 leadership (demerits fall within this) = your class rank. It’s just as important to understand how the facts “work.”</p>

<p>Also, Carter finished in the top 5 of his graduating class and look how he turned out. Lincoln never attended college.</p>

[Hunt]

<p>Well, I have looked into it. McCain was not a very good student. He was the son and grandson of very accomplished admirals, which was how he got into the academy in the first place. Look, he’s a good guy in lots of ways. But Obama is just smarter. (Carter was smarter too…but he lacked some common sense that he needed. I don’t see any signs that Obama has the same fault, but I suppose it’s possible. But I’m so tired of the current approach, that I intend to take the risk and vote for the smartest guy available.)</p>

[fundingfather]

<p>"He was the son and grandson of very accomplished admirals, "</p>

<p>Don’t look now, but the “accomplished admirals” also were toward the bottom of their Naval Academy classes - perhaps class rank is not that great of a predictor of leadership capability. </p>

<p>The fact that people have to go back to Obama’s childhood and college credentials to build up his resume speaks volumes about how thin his adult-life resume really is.</p>

[BedHead]

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The fact that people have to go back to Obama’s childhood and college credentials to build up his resume speaks volumes about how thin his adult-life resume really is.

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<p>Actually, when compared to the Current Occupant who was Yale material only under a legacy system and who didn’t do anything of note until he was age 40, Obama has been a paragon of achievement. He didn’t start out with the advantages of coming from a family of “very accomplished admirals.” </p>

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Don’t look now, but the “accomplished admirals” also were toward the bottom of their Naval Academy classes - perhaps class rank is not that great of a predictor of leadership capability.

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<p>Uh, in the first case, maybe. And I’ll go check and see if this is in fact true. But admiral #2 may well have been standing on the shoulder of giants – he was legacy himself – much the way Junior W did in getting elected.</p>