EXPERIENCE,  ETC.

Posted at 10:47 p.m. ET

It was disappointing.  Geraldine Ferraro, the Democratic candidate for vice president in 1984, has been gutsy through this election season in refusing to throw her support to Barack Obama because 1) she'd supported Hillary Clinton for the nomination and 2) she had doubts about his readiness to lead.

Now, as I saw on Hannity & Colmes tonight, Ferraro has caved.  She announced she's supporting Obama.  Her reason?  Joe Biden and his "experience."

Have you noticed that Biden is given an automatic pass by the media and the political class because of his "experience"?  Sarah Palin, a governor, is constantly questioned about her "experience," but Biden is considered automatically qualified to be vice president or even president because he's served six terms in the Senate.  Have you also noticed that no one asks what Biden has done with that experience?  What judgments has he made?  How have they turned out?  What has he actually done in the Senate, and what impact has he had?

"Experience" can't simply be a matter of putting in time.  In fact, Biden's judgments have often been horribly flawed.  He opposed virtually the entire Reagan foreign policy, a policy that resulted in the successful conclusion to the Cold War.  He opposed the first Gulf War.  He opposed the surge in Iraq.  He has consistently appeased the Iranian regime.  Yet, no questions are asked.  He has "experience."

Experience can be important, but the nature and quality of that experience must be examined.  Years in grade is not experience.  It is time.

Another concept that requires a closer look is "temperament."  You've read all sorts of stories questioning whether Senator McCain has the "temperament" to be president.  He has, we're told, a sizable temper.  (So did Eisenhower.)  We're told he can be confrontational.  (So was Lyndon Johnson.)  But have you heard any questions about Barack Obama's "temperament?"  In fact, there are serious worries.  If there's one thing that defines the presidency it's pressure.  Yet, Obama seems incapable of standing up to any pressure at all.  He gets testy if someone asks him a rare challenging question.  He seems to come apart unless there's a script in front of him.  Politically, he's never shown strength of character or backbone.  But only McCain's "temperament" is examined.  Apparently, temper or lack thereof, is the only issue of temperament worthy of study.

So, two concepts - experience, temperament - have been misused during this campaign, and the misuse has benefited - shock - the Democratic side.  Write letters to your local newspapers.  Ask for some journalistic change - change you can believe in.

September 5, 2008.