MOMocrat Guest Blogger Donna Schwartz Mills ponders "experience"

It’s been an interesting election year; the most interesting since I cast my first Presidential vote back in 1976. Back then, deciding who to vote for in the California primary was a no-brainer. I didn’t have to give it a lot of thought, because by the time we held our election in June, the Democratic candidate had already been anointed.

As we all know, 2008 is a whole different ballgame, because California’s primary is being held on February 5, and so many other states have joined us (including that other major population center in the East) that it’s being called Super Tuesday.

This year, I’ve had to think about it, and it hasn’t been easy - because for the first time since I was a kid, the Democratic party fielded SEVERAL good, qualified candidates.

I can’t tell you how many times over the last six months I made a decision, only to flip flop to someone else. I liked Hillary… but I didn’t like the way she managed to forget her own positions on the war or some of the political moves she’s made lately. I liked Obama… but did he really have the experience? I liked John Edwards… but really, if experience was what I was looking for, he didn’t have much of that either.

So I watched, and waited, and over the weekend, I finally made up my mind: Edwards, largely because of the passionate advocacy I read here on MOMocrats. The man’s positions reminded me of my childhood political hero: Bobby Kennedy, who also championed the civil and economic rights of forgotten Americans.

I came out as an Edwards supporter on my own blog yesterday morning – about 40 minutes before I heard the announcement that he was quitting the race.

WTF indeed.

So now, I’m back to square one. I’m pleased that Senator Edwards got assurances from the remaining candidates that they would adopt his ideals as their own. But I need to look at both Senator Clinton and Senator Obama anew. And I want to hear how THEY express it.

As for experience: How many Presidents come in to office with presidential experience? Maybe the ones who stepped up from being Vice Presidents, and even that proposition is iffy. I think it comes down to the candidate’s team of advisors, and how (s)he utilizes them. I want a President who packs the White House with the wisest, experienced, best-informed people, who are expected to tell the unvarnished truth, whether or not it’s what the President wants to hear. And I want a President who will act on the best advice, not the most politically expedient.

You know, the opposite of what we’ve had the last seven years.

I’ve got our DVR set up to record tonight’s debate (which begins at 5:00 Pacific time) so I can watch it with my husband and daughter when we are all together this evening.

MOMocrat and Guest Blogger Donna Schwartz Mills blogs the wonderful SoCal Mom and can frequently be seen Twittering from the carpool lane.

If you are a MOMocrat who would like to get something off your chest, please email us at momocrats @ gmail dot com. We welcome contributors!

Comments

[Amy S.]

"I want a President who packs the White House with the wisest, experienced, best-informed people, who are expected to tell the unvarnished truth, whether or not it’s what the President wants to hear. And I want a President who will act on the best advice, not the most politically expedient."

Amen. Sounds alot like Obama to me...

[PunditMom]

Donna -- I'm another 1976 first-time voter, as well! ;)

[Donna]

Ah, PunditMom -- '76 was my first *Presidential* election. But I actually turned 18 in '74, in time to help elect Jerry Brown Governor. (My mind boggles at how old I am.)