Obama Draft Ad to Air in NH

While most of my attention is now focused on the republican nomination for president in 2008, I of course like to keep an eye on the other side of the aisle’s process as well. For many people, Hilary was the odds on favorite to capture the nomination. Personally, I think she would be easier to beat than others. She will have to move to the left to win the nomination which will impact her ability to win more moderate voters. However, recent events are having some revisit those odds.

Following an announcement in the Union Leader that a draft Obama group will air a television ad in NH, John Distaso’s column in the UnionLeader.com has followed that with the interesting question about how Hilary tops the Obama coming out party in NH last week. Personally, Obama looks like on OK guy. Young, energetic, and articulate. But where’s the beef? I don’t see it. Can anyone clearly articulate his qualifications? Do stints as president of the Harvard Law Review, a state senator, and two years as a U. S. Senator give someone the needed experience to be president? I don’t think so. Where is his leadership experience? Where is his executive and operational management experience? Where is his diplomatic experience? Does he have any military experience? None that I can see. At lease governors have most of the experience needed to be president. Even the last serious draft driven candidate, Wesley Clark, had proven military, executive and operational management, diplomatic and leadership experience.

It will be interesting to see what impact, if any, Obama has on the democratic field. Even more interesting will be to see how Hilary fares in an expected crowded and tough field.