Obama vs. Palin Experience Debate Can Only Harm Democrats

Like many political observers, I immediately thought that the appointment of an unknown governor from Alaska to the national spotlight was the result of a mild stroke rather than a stroke of genius.

Now that I have had a few days to reflect, it may be a stroke of genius that plays well with the experience debate.

Arguing whether Obama or Palin is more experienced will do a great deal of harm to Obama's campaign. He cannot afford to be compared to the VP pick on the republican side. He is running for president and needs to be compared to John McCain on both experience and policies.

If the republicans can portray Barack Obama as the equivalent or just nominally superior then Sara Palin, it forces the democrats to cede the experience debate to John McCain.

Try on the following logic:

• Democrats argue Palin is too inexperienced to be a 72 year old heartbeat away from the presidency
• Republicans argue Obama has minimally more experience than Palin
• America decides that John McCain is more experienced by default.

The democrats need to make sure that Obama does not go on the defensive in an experience debate with Palin and that they continue to compare him to John McCain and let Palin be compared with Biden.

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