Do you agree with Obama that judgment is more important than experience?

Question

Barak Obama recently said that judgment is more important than experience. I was wondering if you agree with him?

http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7008250908

Answer 1

Generally speaking, they go hand-in-hand. That being said, I think a lack of experience could be (emphasis on could) an asset in politics. Much like every other college student in DC, I interned on the Hill and in the White House and you see these freshmen congressional members come in with the best of intentions, convinced that they can change everything. Slowly but surely that idealism is sucked right out of them as they gain experience and, consequently, they get down to the business of being politicians rather than the business of being civil servants whose job is to protect the interests of the American public and not the special interest groups who fund their campaigns. A lack of experience is basically a lack of indoctrination and that lack of indoctrination could lead to significant challenges to the status quo which I think we can all agree is sorely needed.

Answer 2

Repeating the same mistake over and over is NOT experience.

Senator Obama has more experience in an elected federal office than the last five Presidents did when they took office, combined. Whenever I hear the worn-out complaint that he is not "experienced" all I can hear is the rapidly repeated "N" word in the background. Folks should spit out the rest of what motivates that comment, "He doesn't have any experience as a lilly Whiteman".

He certainly has shown more wisdom than anybody else in contention with the potential of John McCain prior to 2004.

Obama is the only one giving reasoned answers, and, unfortunately, telling the truth even when it isn't to his political advantage to do so.

Mrs. Clinton's talk about experience means that she shared Monica, or else was unaware of her. Neither is a plus in my book.

Answer 3

We've seen a George Bush with insufficient experience and lousy judgment, and he has been a horrible President. We've seen a George Bush with lots of experience and poor judgment, and he was a poor President, too.

Judgment is important, but experience can't be discounted. Then again, the experience Obama has had, in public office and out of it, should also count for something.

But he's still going to have to convince me that he's better for the job than Hillary, and that's going to be difficult.

Answer 4

The two ideas are not fully mutually exclusive.
Experience will dictate judgment whether is be for the positive or the negative.

However making a judgment without having prior experience of the repercussions is certainly a negative.

When I look at the political forum, a great deal of legislation is put forth without fully comprehending the consequence. This is why it is new legislation, it is untested. So how experience factors into new legislation is a moot point.

In all you certainly do need both however experience should be one that has consistently produced a positive public response.

Answer 5

With experience, he will be able to make a better judgement. It is good to always judge on your own instead of listening and believing in what others tell you. But as you do whatever you are doing, the experiences that you gain along the way will help you. He said he would go to war. Why ? Was it his own judgement ? Or was it because he went through an experience ?

Answer 6

In this case, yes. What "experience" prepares a person for the Presidency? Being Gov. of Texas? Being in the Senate for years? What a joke.

Maybe experience as VP is arguable, but no former VP's are running in this case.

Answer 7

spinchic has a good point.
If Obama wants to win he's going to have to come straight forward with it...the good, the bad, and the ugly.

We have reasons to be concerned with the possibilities of hidden agendas with more established candidates. And if he were to come out and say something that none of the candidates would bring up because the American people won't like hearing it, even though it is true...he would be doing a great public service.
He is in the postion to be dangerously honest or to try playing the game.

Answer 8

It's an interesting question for an interesting time.

I would say the judgment and experience are probably equally important.

What no one can tell you is what will happen when their candidate is in the White House and no one can tell you how they will respond in given situations.

I would say the by Obama giving "air-time" to the experience issue, he probably has lost favor with his electorate.

Answer 9

He has been elevated to God status in this country, but the legend does not live up to the reality. And I'm not talking about Obama.

The most inexperienced President of the last century was named John F. Kennedy. It was due to his inexperience that Russia chose to exploit the situation by placing missiles in Cuba. Yes, Kennedy acted with courage in facing the Russians down--but what choice did he have?

The Cuban missile crisis would not have taken place were Richard Nixon to have been elected in 1960. Nixon was known by the Russians as a hard man to screw with. By contrast, Kennedy was seen as a pretty boy and intellectual lighweight--soft and easy to dominate.

Kennedy acquited himself in the end but only after bringing this country to the very brink of nuclear war. His inexperience allowed him to be so backed in to a corner that he was forced to order our nuclear bombers to scrammble and head for Moscow. The bombers were one hour away from starting World War III when Kruschev showed the wisdom to back down in this pissing contest with Kennedy.

Obama is engaging in pure sophistry. Judgment unhindered by experience is called "guessing."

Answer 10

They are two sides of the same coin. The more experience you have, the greater the likeliehood is that you will have good judgement, but it is not always the case. For the person who wants to be President of the United States, people prefer to have someone with experience that they expect to show good judgement. They may even select someone who has experience over someone who has better judgement, but has not had time and experience enough to demonstrate that superior judgement to the American people.