Brandenberg

Jack spoke there freely, like a saintly sinner --
(jelly donuts for breakfast, and brats for dinner?)
Pronouncing to all who would listen: "Ich bin ein Berliner."

Now Obama's running, and looking like a winner
Except that, if he wasn't such a heavy spinner
He'd be forced to admit it, "Ich bin ein beginner."

Comments

[SamEllison]

He should wait until he is invited back, as president.
Brussels also.

[OrcinusOrca]

I'll take a "beginner" like Obama or JFK or Bill Clinton any day. Heck, you might want Dirty Dick Cheney for President if you love experience so much...

At the level of Presidency or CEO it's not so much the factual knowledge that counts but proper judgement. Obama has experienced guys like Biden, Richardson, Clark and Hagel around him to advise on the details. But the best knowledge doesn't help when your mindset is the wrong one to begin with.

And, btw, it's Brandenburg, not Brandenberg.

[naluca]

It is the genius of the US to make light of serious situations and elevate the silly. The Brandenburg Gate issue is important: it is a chance for Obama to say to the world "This site is an important symbol, a reference to life given and ideals truly cherished. If I am fortunate enough to be elected President of the US, and am honored to be invited to speak at this sacred place, I will do so. But now is not the time. This is not a place of promises, this is a place of horrific accomplishment and dedication and selflessness. OIwould approach it with the greatest humility.

[sparkandy]

Every time I hear that phrase I can see my daughter's fridge magnet - a smiling jelly donut saying 'Ich bin ein Berliner.' She laughs her head off every time she hears that comment.

[LizM]

You make a good point...you make a very good point. And, that is precisely why he not only needs to ask Senator Biden to be his running mate but he needs to broaden the scope of the office with a title such as Vice President with Special Portfolio on Iraq. That way, Senator Obama - and the rest of us - could afford a little presidential on-the-job training.

The problem is, though...Senator Obama may believe that foreign policy is one of his strong suits. If that's the case, I'm afraid that he may never get the opportunity to prove himself right.

[egal]

To all appearances, foreign policy IS one of Obama's strong suits. See the effects of what he has proposed, and how everything our current incompetent leadership has tried has been forced to come around to Obama's way of thinking?

This is not because he's great, but because he is an intelligent and thoughtful leader who makes a conscious effort to be informed and fair. This is the most important thing in a good foreign policy effort.

Scientific studies say unanimously: bad experience (doing things the wrong way or ineptly) is much worse than no experience at all, and exponentially worse than even the merest good experience (doing things the right way or adeptly).

In reality, there is no such thing as any other experience which prepares a person to be a president who WON'T be learning on the job--they all must, equally so. Particularly in this case, there is nobody who can train our next president on the presidency; but in all cases, there is nobody who goes into the job prepared, no matter how intensive and extensive and long their "experience", of any type.

The best qualities we could ask to prepare anybody to be president are Obama' sound judgment, his tendency to seek and value expert opinions, his inclination toward working with and for the best of all, and the experience he DOES have with crafting excellent compromises and remaining informed.

[LizM]

That was very well said and there is not a lot of what you say that I would want to take issue with.

However, I would say that the Bush administration has certainly done some number on 'experience'...they have collectively managed to render it a 'bad' word. I just think that many of us may confuse experience - of any kind - with competence.

I tend to agree with you in that no experience is better that bad experience. But, I would suggest that GOOD experience, coupled with the highest levels of competence, that has led to the kind of breadth and depth of knowledge and sound judgement that would allow for fundamental and comprehensive understanding of the critical issues and what is required to meet those challenges are the traits we should be looking for in our top political leaders. I would add that Senator Biden is the personification of all of this and so much more - sorry, but I try to squeeze that in, where and whenever I can!

I am deeply concerned by the disingenousness demonstrated by Senator Obama on Iraq - in particular, the October 2002 resolution authorizing the use of US military force in Iraq - and it has prevented me from enthusiastically supporting his candidacy. He will redeem himself, in my book, if he uses his good experience and sound judgement to select Senator Biden as his running mate and Vice President, in waiting, with Special Portfolio on Iraq.