A lot has been discussed lately regarding Senator Obama's experience and ability to govern "from day one". The pool of Presidential candidates from both parties has offered the voters mostly U.S. Senators or State's Governors, past or present, for the past 50 years.
Some people believe that the Senate is the natural stepping stone to the Presidency. Others say that since the President is an executive first and not a law maker, per se, that a Governor's experience is more relevant to the job of running the country. And that point of view has been borne out, since JFK was the last sitting Senator to be elected President.
Well, this time it's already been decided that our next President will come from the Senate. And I'm hoping that it will be Senator Obama that is sitting in the oval office on "day one" next January.
It's true that Senator Obama hasn't had decades in the Senate, and I think that's a good thing. He hasn't been worn down into a "Senator Foghorn" by all the years of compromise, constantly raising re-election money, and playing the other Senatorial games.
What's going to be most important in shaping an Obama administration will be who he chooses for the key positions in his administration.
I'm hoping he will bring in experienced, capable people from both parties to help him take our country out of the dangerous swamp that Bush & Company created.
I wish I knew who all those talented advisers, Cabinet Members, and diplomats will be. I hope they are people like Bill Richardson for VP or Secretary of State, Sam Nunn or Joe Biden for Secretary of Defense, and Jennifer Granholm, Tom Vilsak, Russ Feingold, George Mitchell and others for key positions.
Those are just some names that I can think of, for starters.
Who do you think should play a key role in President Obama's administration?