... "A Unique political figure"....
Chicago USA Sunday 10 March 2013
Editors UK Financial Times
Gentlepeople:
The Financial Times' article "Obama’s money in politics stance criticized" [Friday
8 March 2013] quotes Bill Daley, President Obama’s former chief of staff. describing
the president as "a unique political figure." We might better understand the veracity
of that statement by reviewing his three immediate predecessors: Ronald Reagan was
an actor, but was elected governor of the largest state for 8 years. That's unique. Bill
Clinton was attorney general of a small state, but went on to serve as governor for
11 years, quite unique. George W Bush was elected governor of the 2nd largest state,
and re-elected by a two to one vote, certainly unique. A common thread here is that
all of these presidents had extensive governing experience before becoming president.
President Obama was elected to the US Senate, served only 4 years, the last two spent
getting ready to run for President. The only other position he was ever elected to was
the Illinois State Senate, a job requiring no more skill than sitting at a little desk
waiting for his party leader to come around and tell him how to vote on the next
question. The only unique experience Obama brought to the Presidency was that if
he had been non-black, he would have needed to buy his own bus ticket to Iowa in
2007, and been lucky to be met by his grandmother.
Arnold H Nelson
Chicago ah_nelson@yahoo.com
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