Sen. Obama Channels President Carter - Day 2

(Danville, California)

 

    Well, it's Sunday; and the TV talk shows are in full bloom, talking about Barack Obama's comments on why "bitter" rural Americans won't vote for him.

 

   
Those comments were made at what was supposed to be a private (closed to the press) fundraiser in San Francisco last Sunday.

 

    Now, NBC's "Meet the Press" has dug up some more comments from that same fundraiser - comments which may prove even more troublesome for Obama. When asked about his pick for Vice President, Obama suggested (and I am paraphrasing here) that he does not have to pick someone who has strong military or foreign policy credentials. Obama went on to say that he considers foreign policy one of his strengths, greater than that of Sen. Hillary Clinton or Sen. John McCain.

 

    Wow! Now that claim not only flies in the face of conventional wisdom, it's also a contradiction of the candidates' resumes.

 

    Barack Obama was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1996. Other than that, he has no discernible foreign policy experience. Sens. Clinton and McCain, on the other hand, have many more years of experience in international relations.

 

    So why would Obama make such a claim? Well, it is important that a candidate evaluate his or her own strengths and weaknesses. For example, McCain has stated publicly that economic issues are his shortcoming. That's pretty brave as the nation teeters on the brink of recession. On the other hand. Obama is making a claim that has no basis in fact, other than through his own personal self-assessment.

 

   Jimmy Carter took a similar stance in 1976, claiming he had enough foreign policy experience to lead the nation. Still, he took the far more experienced Sen. Walter Mondale to be his running mate. In the opinion of many politicos and pundits, it was the right choice.

 

   The Carter Presidency had a wide-ranging record on foreign affairs. It had the high of the Camp David summit that brought peace between Israel and Egypt, and it had the low of the Iran hostage crisis that crippled the Carter White House and helped spell its end.

 

   On Friday I wrote of the potential VP choice of former Sen. Bob Kerrey (D-NE) in a pairing with Obama. Kerrey, a war hero and longtime politician, would give Obama a great balanced, experienced ticket. The fact that Obama might shun that for his own foreign policy "chops" is odd.

 

  As I've said, a political self-assessment needs to focus on strengths and weaknesses. Obama's greatest strength is his oratory skill and his ability to inspire audiences. His great professional achievement was as a community organizer in Chicago. That experience is reflected in the phenomenal organization of his current campaign and its ability to raise money. Being a community organizer has also given Obama a window to the most economically disadvantaged in society and those who need the most from government. That is also a big plus for him.  Politics is a "from the ground up," "grass roots" business. That's Obama's strong foundation, and he should stick to it.

 

   In baseball, there is an old saying when you get in trouble - "Go with your best pitch!"

Sen. Obama should do that if he truly wants this nomination; and - in the process - he should not delude himself that he has more experience than his two remaining opponents.

 

   California Democrats are voting on their slate of convention delegates this afternoon. I will be out talking with the candidates and voters and will have a full report later on www.MarkCurtis.blogspot.com.

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