Are You Experienced

Are You Experienced?



Just cribbing someone else's homework and using the excuse to play some Hendrix:

Barack Obama already has more pre-presidential experience in government than three of the four guys on Mount Rushmore. Of those greats, only Thomas Jefferson surpasses Obama's 11-plus years in elective office, comprising almost eight years in the Illinois Senate and 3 1/2 years in the U.S. Senate.



In contrast, how about this for experience: member of the Pennsylvania Legislature, the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate (with multiple terms in each body), not to mention secretary of state, ambassador to Russia and ambassador to Great Britain.

Sounds pretty solid, right? It seems to have it all: state and federal, legislative and executive, domestic and foreign. It's even more impressive than Sen. McCain's 25 years in Congress. In fact, it's arguably the most extensive and expansive government resume of anyone ever elected president of the United States.

And it belonged to James Buchanan – often ranked by modern historians as the worst president ever.

They oughta print a three dollar bill someday with Buchanan's picture on it.

Here's my favorite mediocrity: a steady, incremental rise over 24 years, no one step seemingly beyond his reach, no one job held for more than three years. City council, city attorney, clerk of court, state representative, mayor, state senate, lieutenant governor, governor, vice president. The resume of... Calvin Coolidge.