Politics: Comparing the Experience of Gov. Palin and Sen. Obama

No doubt about it, Gov. Palin was a surprise pick.

The immediate criticism of her was her lack of experience.

Of course, that charge has been leveled at Sen. Obama!

Obama's "resume"
Community organizer in a Chicago non-profit
Law school teacher
Illinois State Senator
US Senator

Palin's "resume"
Wasilla City Council Member
Wasilla Mayor
Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission
Governor of Alaska

How "big" is the job of Alaska governor?

Alaska's budget is more than 11 billion, and the state employs 15,000 people. HT: HH FYI: Alaska FY2009 budget summary.

In all fairness, Alaska's budget is 1/10th the size of California's budget but it is not trivial and the dismissive attitude of Gov. Palin's critics is unfair to the good people of Alaska and to her role as the chief executive of that state.

Fairness also requires us to admit both resumes are relatively thin in terms of a lifetime of experience compared to both Sen. Biden and Sen. McCain.

However, I think for Obama supporters to claim their candidate for president has vastly more experience than McCain's vice-presidential pick is a stretch. Given that they are running for a position in the executive branch one could say Palin's experience as a mayor and governor is a plus for her.

As a side note, the current President was Governor of Texas, and before Bush 43 was President Clinton who served as Governor of Arkansas. And prior to Bush 41 (who was a VP), President Reagan was governor of California who followed President Carter who was governor of Georgia. The voters seem to like governors for president for some reason?

Of course, the reality is that people vote on more than just experience.

Obama's spectacular rise in the Democrat party is clearly not due to his tremendous experience. How he has gotten to this point is a tribute to his rhetorical skills and an admittedly compelling biography and sense of political timing.

In the last analysis, if experience is the most important criteria, would one vote for Obama because of Palin's small state roots? Or would one vote for McCain because of Obama's thin resume?

Tonight, Gov. Palin speaks at the convention and the viewing audience will get to see who she is beyond the media feeding frenzy.

This will be her chance to either confirm the worst criticisms of her or she will shine and shed the "not ready for prime time" image that Dan Quayle was never able to shed.

Stay tuned for yet another chapter in one of the wildest presidential election cycle in modern American politics!