Every candidate other than John Edwards and Barack Obama has made a serious effort to lay claim to the “Experienced” mantle. To my eyes though, only Chris Dodd and to a lesser extent Bill Richardson are actually running as a experience candidates. Think fast – what is one legislative achievement that Hillary Clinton puts at the front of her campaign? How about Joe Biden? Now how about Chris Dodd?
If you're like me, you've heard Dodd talk at length about the Family and Medical Leave Act, which is an important piece of legislation that I'm sure will matter to me in twenty or thirty years when I actually start to think about having kids. (Much like, you know, Chris Dodd.) He's also apparently done enough for firefighters that they felt compelled to endorse him over any of likely nominees. (For comparison, in 2004 they went with then-frontrunner John Kerry with their late-September nod.)
Bill Richardson doesn't talk so much about his legislative record (for good reason, considering NAFTA is probably the biggest feather in his cap), but he does bring up his impressive experience in negotiating with foreign leaders. He also talks about progress in New Mexico under his watch, which is expected from any Governor running for President.
Maybe I'm just not paying enough attention. It seems to me though that those looking for experience should be thinking about these two instead of Clinton or Biden.
8 Comments
Biden is running as an experience candidate
If you attended the steak fry, it was hard to miss his “Ears of Experience” display. There were 30-some ears of corn stacked up next to Biden’s name, then seven ears stacked up next to Hillary’s name, six ears next to Edwards’ name, and three ears next to Obama’s name.
They conveniently didn’t include Dodd or Richardson in that display, but it does call attention to Biden’s greater experience in the Senate than the front-runners’.
desmoinesdem Mon 24 Sep 6:36 PM
Is he though?
I mean he cites “experience” just like Hillary does, but he doesn’t really point out what his experience is. Just because you’ve been around forever doesn’t mean you have any significant experience.
simon-stevenson Mon 24 Sep 8:50 PM
well he has spent a lot of time
on the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, and he has had a hand in drafting legislation on all kinds of issues.
He also claimed during the AARP debate that he was one of the key people in the early 1980s who negotiated a deal with Reagan to extend the solvency of Social Security.
I think anyone who has spent more than three decades in the Senate has built up quite a lot of experience on matters handled by the federal government. That would go for Dodd as well as Biden, obviously.
desmoinesdem Mon 24 Sep 8:56 PM
Agreed on Clinton
It is amazing how media and even fellow D prez contenders are buying the “experienced Clinton” fabrication. Obama has had to himself point out the fact that he has more experience in elected office than Clinton and Edwards.
rf Mon 24 Sep 10:18 PM
in fairness to Hillary
I imagine that you learn a whole lot about federal policy as well as diplomacy if you are married to the president for eight years.
Are you telling me that Obama knows as much about how the White House works as Hillary does?
My problem with Hillary isn’t that she lacks experience–I just worry about her repeating her husband’s tendency to toss progressive goals aside in favor of triangulation/what Wall Street wants.
desmoinesdem Mon 24 Sep 11:19 PM
Applies to Laura too?
So you think Laura Bush is ready to be president? – I have surely learned a bit about my spouse’s job, but I could hardly say I am “experienced” in her field. I especially dislike Hillary touting all her travels as first lady. I personally feel someone who has lived as a regular person abroad (like Obama and many others) have a much better understanding of issues and other cultures than someone who may have been to dozens of countries as a visiting first lady. Nothing real about those types of experiences.
rf Tue 25 Sep 6:48 AM
The argument is seriously flawed
While I will agree that experience equates to much more than having your behind in a legislative or political seat, your post is flawed because you neglect one of two candidates who has “experience.”
Joe Biden — Violence Against Women Act.
The only other candidate who can share space with Biden when it comes to accomplishment is Chris Dodd (Family Medical Leave Act).
Both have been not only advocates for women, but spokespeople and legislators who have worked on behalf of women. If CEDAW passes this session, it will be because Joe Biden brings it out of committee and because he and Dodd will once again work with Republicans and Democrats for the benefit of all.
If the newly introduced Paid Family Medical Leave Act comes out of committee, it will be because Dodd and Biden joined hands again and hammered out compromises for all of our benefit.
When you look at the field of Democratic contenders and want to talk experience… more aptly, when you want to walk with experience… there are only two men on that stage, IMO, that fit the bill: Biden and Dodd. None of the others have had to work as closely with individuals who oppose them while still being able to make things happen.
lynda Tue 25 Sep 8:30 AM
Sure
I’m merely talking about how they are running, not questioning who actually has experience. I think to be an “experience” candidate you ought to specifically cite your experience and what you learned from your experience. Biden is sporadic about that, and Clinton, as far as I can tell, just doesn’t have any real experience to speak of. Obama doesn’t really claim to have any experience, and Edwards, well, I think I’m just going to stick to discussing serious candidates.
simon-stevenson Thu 27 Sep 6:52 PM