Question:
Is Sarah Palin's "executive experience" really any better than Obama's?
Timmy G
2008-09-15 06:29:47 UTC
I mean, she took over management of a state (an entity that was already set up in terms of a staff, funding, and infrastructure) and even then is under legal scrutiny for firing a top staff member. Obama on the other hand created a 1000 member, multi-million dollar organization (his campaign) from scratch. He hired for it, set up funding for it, and has been nothing but successful with it. I think his management/executive skills speak clearly. What do you think?
29 answers:
politicoswizzlestick
2008-09-15 06:43:58 UTC
People have been very slow to call the republicans on their redefining of "executive experience".



"Executive experience", as most people who actually use the term define it, means that you had a position where the buck stopped with you --- where you made the final call on many or most issues --- in a role that mirrors what you might have running a large corporation. Obama had that as a community advisor and running his presidential campaign --- which, I might add, is ONLY the most financially successful campaign in history.



McCain on the flip side has just two presidential campaigns to his executive experience credit. One where he totally failed to adjust to Bush's tactics and this one where even with experience he almost went bankrupt 4 times. Not much of a money manager.



Palin clearly has a similar time amount of executive experience to Obama, but the caliber of it is very questionable. She has done some admirable things in fighting corruption, but she has also involved herself in a shocking number of unneccessary scandals in 18 months. I mean jeez --- trying to ban books from a library? What century is she from? The gubernatorial allegations of abuse of power and the way the investigation is being dismissed by her are the most disturbing and do stongly echo the worst aspects of Bush/Cheney.



To be a completionist, Joe Biden does head the Senate Foreign Relations committee which is a heady thing with huge ramifications, but I could understand someone argueing that it doesn't DIRECTLY affect masses of people's finances. I think it does affect us all though as that group does help to keep peace in the world and protect American interests.
anonymous
2008-09-15 13:59:26 UTC
Are we all forgetting the "executive experience" we have been living with for the past 8 years? Has this "experience" really helped improve life for anyone in this country that works a "blue collar" job or wasn't born with a silver spoon in their mouth? So how important is that experience if Obama has excellent advisors, as all our great Presidents should. We need a new outlook for our country, which Obama should be able to help us achieve (remember Jimmy Carter), not 4 more years of the Bush dynasty.
connor
2008-09-15 13:54:00 UTC
<<>>



Sorry, but that's just not true.



You don't "hire and fire" in the Navy (I'm a Navy brat). Higher-level Naval ranks may involve ordering people to do things, knowing protocols and setting standards, but they do NOT BY ANY MEANS involve "managing" much of anything. In all of the armed forces--and also, BTW, in government--there are people trained to manage and people trained to lead. Leaders are not like managers--our armed forces do NOT promote managers to become leaders because a leader is a special person--NOT an ordinary, "just like me" person. Indeed, a leader can't even share your values because he/she may have to decide to let your **** (or your son's ****--or his/her OWN son's ****) get blown up for the safety of others. Are YOU prepared to make a decision like that?



And perhaps most importantly, no matter how you define a leader, they all have one thing in common: PEOPLE FOLLOW THEM.



And THAT is why McCain and Obama are both equally qualified to be at the top of their tickets. Again, don't be unintelligent and forget that Palin was chosen, not by the public, but by one individual. No one "followed" Palin to put her where she is. No one "vetted" her publicly as we did with McCain and Obama. No one has even the opportunity to follow her BY CHOICE, which is what establishes a real leader (a significant number of people WILLINGLY follow you).



We are not electing a manager. We're electing a leader. You've ALL (on both sides of the campaign) fallen into the strictly Republican-created irrational stupidity caused by using the term "executive experience" -- a term which has never even been used in an electoral campaign before (as far as I can remember).



The very TERM is spin, intended to confuse and mislead people. Do you remember it being used BEFORE Palin was picked?



Wake UP, sheeple!!!!
kathy_is_a_nurse
2008-09-15 13:39:23 UTC
Oh, please... Running a 1000 person campaign isn't even in the same ball park as running a state. Not to mention, Palin has been cleaning house since she took office... The state was just full of corruption when she took over. The so-called scandal is just her political enemies way of getting back at her for the shake-up that she caused. Even such raving Libs as Keith Olbermann have said that the whole thing is groundless.



But when you compare presidential candidate experience between the two who are actually running for office, neither has executive experience, so you have to deal with what they DO have. And across the board McCain still has years more experience than Obama.



Edit: To Itachilovers: The comments about "God's Plan was (as usual) taken out of context. The Associated Press ran this headline about a speech she gave at her church: "Palin: Iraq war 'a task that is from God." In the story, they omit the first part of the sentence they're quoting along with the entire previous sentence for good measure. Here are her actual words: "Pray for our military men and women who are striving to do what is right. Also, for this country, that our leaders, our national leaders, are sending them out on a task that is from God. That's what we have to make sure that we're praying for, that there is a plan and that that plan is God's plan." How is that a bad thing?



As to her being racist.. You do realize that her husband, Todd, is half Yupik Inuit Eskimo. I've never heard of selective racism.
Deb M
2008-09-15 13:39:18 UTC
Some executive experience when she started as mayor of a tiny town with no debt...then left it with millions. So much for the financial republican responsibility. Alaska is nothing like the rest of the US...she is in a fantasy world!



Obama has MORE education and has actually worked with people as a community organizer, state senator and US senator...



Palin, it has been her way or you get fired....isn't that too much of what we have now? Do we really want an overly aggressive VP that is not well educated in the law of the land?



Palin is a smoke screen to cover up how inadequate McCain really is...he is just a son of an admiral that really did no better than a lot of the soldiers. The link below really explains McCain:



http://www.stopthinkvote.com/facts/personalfacts.html#bottomofclass



Notice the article from another POW....
Chief
2008-09-15 13:42:37 UTC
I think that if one looks at the record. Obama Has no Executive experience at all. 143 days in congress. does not give you any at all.



Gov. Palin's has been a Mayor, Governor of the biggest state in the union. Remember Palin is not running for the office of President
anonymous
2008-09-15 13:38:49 UTC
Sarah Palin's executive experience outweighs senator Obama's on so many levels because of the fact that Obama doesn't have any executive experience.

Then you want to compare a Junior Senator to a Senior Senator, c'mon get real.
whats your excuse
2008-09-15 13:36:41 UTC
the women has morals and can bring down corrupt politicians. Unlike obama who comes from corrupt chicago politics and his only experience was to put a fund raiser together. Governors always have more experience then the senators cause they are closer to the people. Obama has no Experience open your eyes.
anonymous
2008-09-15 17:41:43 UTC
Yes Barack has none NADA ZILCH! Palin has year of executive decision s
itachilovers
2008-09-15 14:09:09 UTC
Gosh... I think she is racist. She can't be open to other people's belief and stuff. A good leader isn't just about management. A good leader hears the opinion of other people and respect their beliefs. She even said something about 'god's will' stuff at the church conference when the Iraq case happens. If she can't respect people's culture, how on earth can people from other culture respects her????
remowlms
2008-09-15 13:35:06 UTC
I think you are giving Obama a little too much credit for the operation - have you ever heard of something called a campaign manager. Obama just reads the speeches and looks pretty - others do the day to day work.
ModerateDude
2008-09-15 13:35:53 UTC
Of Course, Running a campaign isn't the same thing as running a state. The community organizer Obama can't compare to Palin.
William S
2008-09-15 13:46:19 UTC
I think if Obama and Palin worked at McDonalds Palin would be the manager and Obama would be flipping the hamburgers!
anonymous
2008-09-15 13:37:24 UTC
First, 0bama needs executive experience to compare and contrast the experience Palin has.
Joe Wilson was right!
2008-09-15 13:33:13 UTC
After John McCain came back from his 5 1/2 years as a POW, McCain took command of the Navy's largest squadron, a force of A-7 attack aircraft. Most such squadrons in those days numbered 12 to 25. McCain's numbered 75, putting him in charge of a budget of more than a billion dollars. This was during the post-Vietnam years, morale was low. In what John Lehman, secretary of the Navy in the Reagan administration, has called "a near miracle of leadership and management," McCain restored morale and got all 75 A-7s up and running.



What has Obama done? What has he run? At least Palin has run a government. Obama hasn't even run a business.
anonymous
2008-09-15 13:35:54 UTC
As the Governor of Obama's home state said, Palin made more decisions on her first day in office than Obama has made in his whole life.



http://www.newsminer.com/news/2008/sep/11/democratic-illinois-governor-defends-palins-experi/
Obama & Gator Hater!
2008-09-15 13:33:48 UTC
First, in order to be elected governor, Palin had to take on her state’s Republican establishment, which is every bit as corrupt and special-interest-laden in its own way as, oh, say, the Chicago Democratic machine is in its way. For years, establishment Republicans had acquiesced while oil companies dithered on the building of a crucial natural gas pipeline. Palin took office and successfully got the oil companies to build the pipeline – without giving away tax breaks or other concessions. Palin delivered. She has also delivered tax cuts, elimination of wasteful spending and consequences for unethical public officials. Before becoming governor, she served on Alaska’s Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, where she exposed corruption among her fellow Republicans and even helped stick the state’s Republican Party chairman with a $12,000 fine. Any way you look at it, Palin has made the most of her limited time in office. She has achieved her goals primarily because she hasn’t been afraid of entrenched political interests – regardless of party. She’s been willing to make them (her own party) mad if necessary in order to act in the best interests of the people. Sounds a little like John McCain. While I don’t believe McCain has always been on the right side of the issues when he has taken on his fellow Republicans, his willingness to think for himself is always admirable. In Palin, he has found a kindred spirit with a track record to show she means it!!!!



Compare this to Obama, who talks about change, but has accomplished none. He rose up through the Chicago Democratic machine, a firm of power brokers whose operation is not altogether different from its Republican counterpart in Alaska. Obama never lifted a finger to challenge his patrons’ corruption. It wouldn’t have been in his interests to do so. As a state legislator, he often voted “present” so as to avoid subjecting himself to political jeopardy. As a U.S. senator, he has authored no important legislation, and has never even convened a hearing on the one subcommittee he chairs. About the only thing Obama has done since becoming a senator is talk. And run for president. If you measure experience in terms of years and titles, there’s not much difference. If you measure it in terms of achievement, Palin eats Obama for breakfast, lunch and dinner. (and that midnight snack)



What the job of our President really is all about: http://www.constitution.org/constit_.htm

His main focus is written in Article II Section 2. Also, you will see that the President does not truly run this nation, Congress does! So if you want real change, make your votes count for your congressional representatives.
Tough Guy
2008-09-15 13:44:04 UTC
You can't argue with an 80% approval rating can you. What's Obamas approval rating - less than 10%.
anonymous
2008-09-15 13:33:23 UTC
Palin has years of executive experience as a mayor and a governor.

Obama has absolutely no executive experience.
its me
2008-09-15 13:38:44 UTC
why are we comparing obama and palin?



shouldn't we compare Mc Cain and Obama?





besides if we allowed Dan Quayle to be V.P. we can let anyone be V.P.
anonymous
2008-09-15 13:36:39 UTC
It is one of the fundamental pillars of hypicrisy and lies in the McCain campaign.



Why does militart experience get so heavily weighted? As that Wesley Clark said earlier this year, that doesnt qualify someone for president.
anonymous
2008-09-15 13:46:26 UTC
No. Obama has accomplished a lot more during his time:







Obama passed legislation with Republican Senator Jim Talent to give gas stations a tax credit for installing E85 ethanol refueling pumps. The tax credit covers 30 percent of the costs of switching one or more traditional petroleum pumps to E85, which is an 85 percent ethanol/15 percent gasoline blend.



-After a number of inmates on death row were found innocent, Senator Obama worked with law enforcement officials to require the videotaping of interrogations and confessions in all capital cases.



-His first law was passed with Republican Tom Coburn, a measure to rebuild trust in government by allowing every American to go online and see how and where every dime of their tax dollars is spent.



-Obama created the Illinois Earned Income Tax Credit for low-income working families in 2000 and successfully sponsored a measure to make the credit permanent in 2003. The law offered about $105 million in tax relief over three years.



-Obama joined forces with former U.S. Sen. Paul Simon (D-IL) to pass the toughest campaign finance law in Illinois history. The legislation banned the personal use of campaign money by Illinois legislators and banned gifts from lobbyists. Before the law was passed, one organization ranked Illinois worst among 50 states for its campaign finance regulations.



-As a member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, Senator Obama has fought to help Illinois veterans get the disability pay they were promised, while working to prepare the VA for the return of the thousands of veterans who will need care after Iraq and Afghanistan.



-He traveled to Russia with Republican Dick Lugar to begin a new generation of non-proliferation efforts designed to find and secure deadly weapons around the world.



-Obama has been a leading advocate for protecting the right to vote, helping to reauthorize the Voting Rights Act and leading the opposition against discriminatory barriers to voting.



- In the U.S. Senate, Obama introduced the STOP FRAUD Act to increase penalties for mortgage fraud and provide more protections for low-income homebuyers, well before the current subprime crisis began.



-Obama sponsored legislation to combat predatory payday loans, and he also was credited with lobbied the state to more closely regulate some of the most egregious predatory lending practices.



-Barack Obama introduced the Patriot Employer Act of 2007 to provide a tax credit to companies that maintain or increase the number of full-time workers in America relative to those outside the US; maintain their corporate headquarters in America; pay decent wages; prepare workers for retirement; provide health insurance; and support employees who serve in the military.



-Obama worked to pass a number of laws in Illinois and Washington to improve the health of women. His accomplishments include creating a task force on cervical cancer, providing greater access to breast and cervical cancer screenings, and helping improve prenatal and premature birth services.



-Obama has introduced and helped pass bipartisan legislation to limit the abuse of no-bid federal contracts.



-Obama and Senator Feingold (D-WI) took on both parties and proposed ethics legislation that was described as the "gold standard" for reform. It was because of their leadership that ending subsidized corporate jet travel, mandating disclosure of lobbyists' bundling of contributions, and enacting strong new restrictions of lobbyist-sponsored trips became part of the final ethics bill that was signed into law.
anonymous
2008-09-15 13:32:00 UTC
Less than 2 years in the very small town of Alaska. You could say a Burger King manager of 7 years should be VP because he's managed longer.



But it doesn't matter when your experience is with small potatoes.
anonymous
2008-09-15 13:38:50 UTC
you bet ye, Obama never sold anything on e bay.
aiminhigh24u2
2008-09-15 13:32:33 UTC
Tell us once again what a community organizer does. I think you need to take a couple of Government classes Timmy. Then you'lll understand what the Executive Branches do.
anonymous
2008-09-15 13:32:42 UTC
Yes Governor Palin's experience is far better than Obama, Obama has ZERO experience in executive experience.
Ernesto
2008-09-15 13:32:45 UTC
Yes, because Obama doesn't have Executive experience and that;'s why he backs off of all of his commitments.



McCain LED a squadron in the Navy... geez get informed.



Free liberal kool-aid here! Get your free kool-aid!
anonymous
2008-09-15 13:32:15 UTC
No

she's nothing but a liar anyway



http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080904/ap_on_el_pr/cvn_fact_check



http://rawstory.com/news/2008/ABC_Palin_lied_about_global_warming_0912.html



http://www.americablog.com/2008/09/palin-lied-about-visiting-ireland-as.html



http://gripedujour.wordpress.com/2008/09/13/sarah-palin-lied-about-going-to-iraq/



http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/09/04/politics/animal/main4414049.shtml



http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/09/13/report_palin_did_not_visit_ira.html?hpid=topnews
Kiana S
2008-09-15 13:32:53 UTC
No....


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