February 13, 2008
Qualifications vs. Experience: Showdown America
Can someone be qualified without having experience? Can someone have experience but not be qualified?
One of the recurring themes during the democratic primary struggle between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama has been experience. Exit polls show voters buy the argument that Clinton has it and Obama lacks it. Where Clinton has struggled, however, is on converting this trend into votes.
Just look at the breakdown from two exit poll questions which have been asked repeatedly throughout the primary season:
"Which ONE of these four candidate qualities mattered most in deciding how you voted today?" To which respondents selected one of these answers: can bring about needed change, cares about people like me, has the right experience and has the best chance to win in November.
And, "Regardless of how you voted today, which one of these candidates do you think is most qualified to be commander in chief?" To which respondents chose among the active candidates.
Among those voters who say "has the right experience" is the most important quality they look for in a candidate, Clinton repeatedly thumps Obama. Nevertheless, Obama consistently does better when it comes to who is more qualified to be President (table below).
Could this be the ultimate manifestation of their respective pre-war stances on invading Iraq? Democrats recognize her experience, yet believe he has the judgment necessary to lead?
The numbers after the jump ...
(MATTHEW GOTTLIEB)
Stats are laid out 'Obama/Clinton' for each state. The first pair of numbers identifies the breakdown of candidate support among voters who said “has the right experience” mattered most to them. The second set shows which candidate respondents selected as the most qualified to be commander-in-chief.
AL 13%/86% 49%/43%
AZ 9%/86% 34%/53%
AR 2%/97% 23%/68%
CA 6%/89% 31%/53%
CT 5%/93% 38%/52%
DE 11%/85% 42%/49%
FL 3%/83% 28%/53%
GA 8%/88% 56%/35%
IL 8%/88% 55%/37%
LA 13%/80% 52%/44%
MD 5%/90% 50%/46%
MA 2%/95% 29%/60%
MO 8%/90% 41%/46%
NH 5%/71% 26%/38%
NJ 3%/94% 35%/57%
NM 4%/93% 37%/49%
NY 2%/97% 29%/60%
OK 5%/86% 23%/51%
SC 7%/84% 46%/35%
TN 3%/91% 34%/55%
UT 8%/88% 38%/47%
VA 6%/93% 56%/42%
Posted at 04:13 PM
Comments
i still want to know what exactly this vast experience over obama is? he's been in elected office since 97, she since 01.
does being a carpenter's wife mean the wife can build a cabinet? quite frankly that argument is too "little lady-esque" for my comfort.
illdelph | 02.13.08 05:43 PM
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With all her experience, Hillary doesn't seem ready or able to manage her campaign much less the country.
Chuck | 02.13.08 05:45 PM
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Clinton v. Obama on Legislative Experience: Senator Clinton, who has served only one full term (6yrs.), and another year campaigning, has managed to author and pass into law, (20) twenty pieces of legislation in her first six years. These bills can be found on the website of the Library of Congress (www.thomas.loc.gov), but to save you trouble, I'll post them here for you: 1. Establish the Kate Mullany National Historic Site. 2. Support the goals and ideals of Better Hearing and Speech Month. 3. Recognize the Ellis Island Medal of Honor. 4. Name courthouse after Thurgood Marshall. 5. Name courthouse after James L. Watson. 6. Name post office after Jonn A. O'Shea. 7. Designate Aug. 7, 2003, as National Purple Heart Recognition Day. 8. Support the goals and ideals of National Purple Heart Recognition Day. 9. Honor the life and legacy of Alexander Hamilton on the bicentennial of his death. 10. Congratulate the Syracuse Univ. Orange Men's Lacrosse Team on winning the championship. 11. Congratulate the Le Moyne College Dolphins Men's Lacrosse Team on winning the championship. 12. Establish the 225th Anniversary of the American Revolution Commemorative Program. 13. Name post office after Sergeant Riayan A. Tejeda. 14. Honor Shirley Chisholm for her service to the nation and express condolences on her death. 15. Honor John J. Downing, Brian Fahey, and Harry Ford, firefighters who lost their lives on duty. Only five of Clinton's bills are, more substantive. 16. Extend period of unemployment assistance to victims of 9/11. 17. Pay for city projects in response to 9/11 18. Assist landmine victims in other countries. 19. Assist family caregivers in accessing affordable respite care. 20. Designate part of the National Forest System in Puerto Rico as protected in the wilderness preservation system. There you have it, the fact's straight from the Senate Record. Now, I would post those of Obama's, but the list is too substantive, so I'll mainly categorize. During the first (8) eight months of his elected service he sponsored over 820 bills. He introduced 233 regarding healthcare reform, 125 on poverty and public assistance, 112 crime fighting bills, 97 economic bills, 60 human rights and anti-discrimination bills, 21 ethics reform bills, 15 gun control, 6 veterans affairs and many others. His first year in the U.S. Senate, he authored 152 bills and co-sponsored another 427. These inculded **the Coburn-Obama Government Transparency Act of 2006 (became law), **The Lugar-Obama Nuclear Non-proliferation and Conventional Weapons Threat Reduction Act, (became law), **The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act, passed the Senate, **The 2007 Government Ethics Bill, (became law), **The Protection Against Excessive Executive Compensation Bill, (In committee), and many more. In all since he entered the U.S. Senate, Senator Obama has written 890 bills and co-sponsored another 1096. An impressive record, for someone who supposedly has no legislative record.
cyberislanddude | 02.13.08 09:59 PM
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