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Mrs. Clinton's "Experience"
Having spent much of my adult life in politics, it would be silly at this late date to be shocked by the discovery of insincerity and misleading statements coming from leading candidates for president. But if I have seen too much of the world to be shocked, at least I can still be appalled. And, the gentle lady, the junior senator from the Empire State, continues to appall.Consider the following Associated Press story from earlier this week: "The economy needs help and fast, Hillary Rodham Clinton declared Monday, claiming the experience for the job and saying the nation can't afford to break in a newcomer... There is one job we can't afford on-the-job training for our next president. That could be the costliest job training in history," Mrs. Clinton said. "Every day spent learning the ropes is another day of rising costs, mounting deficits and growing anxiety for our families. And they cannot afford to keep waiting." For months, Mrs. Clinton has hinted that Sen. Barack Obama, less than three years into his first Senate term, lacks the preparation to deal with U.S. foreign policy challenges. In Monday's address, she suggested the nation's budget deficit, income inequality and lack of comprehensive health coverage also required a more experienced steward. "We need a president who understands the magnitude and complexity of the challenges we face and has the strength and experience to address them from day one," she said. Good grief. What plausible claim does Miss Hillary have to experience in managing a national economy, balancing a budget or fixing income inequality? Even on health care, according to her husband, the aspiring "First Louse" (he wants to be called First Laddie, but I think the derivation from First Spouse works better) claims that she didn't have much to do with HillaryCare it was his fault. Is the national media actually going to accept without even a murmur of skepticism Mrs. Clinton's claim to possess all the experience gained by her husband as president? If Mr. Obama (or for that matter any other candidate in either party) were to claim such experience, a reporter might well ask him on what basis he claims such experience. And, by the way, the same charge can be laid at Rudy Giuliani (a candidate I am more favorably disposed toward) when he claims experience in foreign policy. While I like his general attitude toward foreign policy, he doesn't in fact have experience or expertise in the matter. This is an important point. There is a difference between a candidate having a particular policy and having experience in managing such a policy. If Mrs. Clinton claims she has the best ideas about our national economy, she is entitled to claim that. Socialists will agree; capitalists will disagree. But she should not be allowed to claim, without media correction, that she has experience at managing the national economy. Page 2 at link. Posted by: Bobby 2007-11-22 |
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