Friday, April 11, 2008

America is not a 'guinea pig'

Hillary Clinton's campaign delivered what may turn out to be the most effective pro-McCain ad of the election season - the infamous '3 am phone call' underscoring the need for an experienced President on duty in the Oval Office.

I personally was amused by the uproar, since I've had two babies in the last 5 years and have been up at 3am dealing with a 'crisis' on a regular basis. My firstborn son survived my 'learning curve', but only after a few years of parenting do I know a 'tired' cry from a 'hungry' cry. My daughter (2nd child) has greatly benefitted from and I can identify and meet her needs with more accuracy and fewer tears.

As we consider our options for President, I really believe it is crucial to consider candidates' relevant experience and what impact that would have on their administration. The U.S. Military is a multi-trillion-dollar organization with hundreds of thousands of employees in dozens of countries. Thousands of lives are at stake every day and thousands of families are impacted by every decision of a Commander-in-Chief. Family ties notwithstanding, John McCain is the only candidate with ANY military training or hands-on experience AT ALL. Not if, but WHEN something happens that requires a quick decision, who do you trust to separate a 'battle cry' from mere posturing? Who do you trust to make the right call when lives are at stake?

But it's not just military experience where McCain has the edge. McCain has 25 years of Senate experience, approximately 800% more than Obama and 300% more than Clinton. All three candidates have spoken of uniting across party lines, but only McCain has the experience, endorsements, and record to back up this claim. Not if, but WHEN misguided, potentially expensive legislation arrives in the Oval Office, who do you trust to veto it?

It's been said that good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment. America is not a guinea pig - real change has to be accompanied by good judgment, and only McCain has the experience to bring that to the Oval Office.

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