It's a Question of Experience & Passion

So today here at MOMocrats we're talking a little about one of the other Democratic candidates -- Barack Obama -- and why we've chosen to support John Edwards over an Obama candidacy.

While I will ultimately support whoever the Democratic candidate is when it comes time to vote next November, my decision not to be an early backer of Obama came down to a couple of things -- his lack of national experience and my sense that others have more passion to be in the White House.

Substantively one of the biggest issues for me was Edwards' willingness to be out in front of all others on really addressing the issue of poverty in this country.  Plus he put his health care plan out before the others.  To me, that says leadership and that's what we really need now.

Yes, Obama and others have positions on their blogs that talk about what they would do to try to end poverty in America and fix health care, but I get the sense these are items on a list to be checked off, rather than something Obama feels passionately about. 

I just don't get the 'fire in the belly' from him that I get from Edwards and some of the other candidates when they talk about what they will change in America.  If you're going to be sitting in the biggest hot seat of all, I want that person to have a true passion for being for being there, as opposed to the current occupant who seems to be more dedicated to mountain biking than governing.

As for experience, I know it comes in all shapes and sizes.  But Obama has only been on the Washington, D.C. scene for three years. 

For better or worse, if it's a Democrat who moves into 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue on January 20, 2009, that person is going to need a well-cultivated network political network who can help get things done, especially if the make-up of the House and Senate remain approximately the same.  You know the Republicans are not going to give an inch to any Democratic president, so we will need someone who can handle that kind of partisan animosity and navigate those mine fields to get us out of Iraq, earn back some international respect and focus on domestic issues that the GOP seems willing to ignore.

I'm just not sure Obama is the right person to be able to manage that this time around.

You can also find Joanne discussing the world of politics at PunditMom and The Huffington Post.

Comments

[Suebob]

At this point, someone who is not firmly entrenched in the establishment feels a little more comfortable to me.

On the other hand, GW Bush only had experience as a governor of Texas, a weak-governor state, and as a failed businessman, so maybe I am off my tree here.