Is Obama really less experienced than McCain?

[Final-Fan]

NOTE:  This thread is ONLY about the relative experience of the two top candidates.  Palin, Biden, and Joe the Goddamned Plumber are only relevant insofar as they have or will contribute to the experience of Obama or McCain.  One might argue, for instance, that Bill Ayers shows that Obama has experience dealing with terrorists. 

Much has been made of Obama's few years in the Senate.  Many think that he is not experienced enough.  But how much more experience does McCain have on the most important issues? 

I think most of us can agree that the two biggest issues facing the United States for the next presidency are the economy and foreign policy. 

ECONOMY

This is self-admittedly one of McCain's weaker areas.  So who is he going to rely on?  His advisors, of course.  And who are his advisors?  The same sort of people who have been whispering in Bush's ear for eight years.  McCain is not Bush.  But he'll be surrounded by a lot of the same people. 

Obama will rely on his advisors, too, of course.  But they aren't the ones who IMO contributed to the problem, except by insufficiently fighting the deregulators.  (Who McCain proudly counted himself among until recently.)

FOREIGN POLICY

This is generally considered to be McCain's strongest suit.  And indeed, no one I know has denied that McCain has extensive experience here. 

But what have Republicans been attacking Obama for?  Spending TOO MUCH time abroad and being TOO popular among foreigners.  Reader's Digest recently reported that worldwide preferences run from 52%-7% (Russia) to 70%-25% (Mexico) to 85%-7% (Germany), all for Obama.  Our "Neighbor to the North" is 64%-14% despite the recent win by conservatives.  (RD had the US split 36%-38% for McCain.) 

A large part of the next administration's work will be mending fences with our allies, and of course negotiating with our opponents.  The work will certainly be made easier if huge numbers of people in those countries like America's leader. 


DISCUSS!