Obama's Dilemma

The problem with being elected President of the Untied States is that you then have to do the job. For that, experience helps - a lot.

During the past twelve years, two Vice Presidents (Gore and Cheney) have become extremely powerful figures because they were able to fill significant gaps in their Presidents' experience.

Senator Obama's experience is vanishingly close to zero in two critical areas.

First, he has never had a job where he had to run anything. The jobs of Community Organizer, Senior Lecturer at the University of Chicago Law School, State Legislator and United States Senator are hardly positions requiring management skills and talent. Second, his foreign policy knowledge is lacking. Although he has been the Chair of the European Sub-Committee of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, he is not known for any major legislative or oversight achievements.

The gaps in his resume, then, lead to speculation in the press about possible running mates. Senator Joe Biden and former Senator Sam Nunn are the most frequently mentioned Vice Presidential candidates who can shore up his foreign policy weaknesses. Several State Governors have been mentioned to help him supplement his lack of executive experience.

The problem is that neither Senator Nunn nor Senator Biden have ever run anything. Nor do any of the much touted Governors have any significant foreign policy experience.

The missing player - rarely mentioned as a possible Vice President but eminently qualified - is Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico. His executive experience also includes service as Secretary of Energy in the Clinton administration and he has foreign policy credentials as Ambassador to the United Nations as well as legislative experience as a Congressman. Then, given that he is of Hispanic descent (through his mother), his selection would seem to be not only obvious but might well attract some non-traditional voters to Obama's cause.

We shall see next week at the Democratic Party Convention beginning on Sunday August 24.