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!

Obama was never a POW. That is automatic win right there right?!

More forein popularity stuffL

Wow, the undecideds are WAY higher than in RD's polls, and all of the difference came from Obama in the UK and Germany.

As much as it has been the center-piece of attacks by both campaigns, experience is a heavily over-rated attribute when it comes to the presidency. The same is true of all executive positions, and I have seen countless companies run into the ground because they choose a president/CEO for the company because he had more experience than an internal candidate ... the worst thing about these executives is they generally move from one company they ran into the ground to another company where they will run it into the ground because of people’s focus on experience.

What is really important from someone in an executive position is the ability to listen to people of a wide variety of viewpoints and to be able to make (and act upon) decisions which are best suited to resolve as many issues as were brought up.

I am slightly surprised that British citizens are is as supportive of Obama as they are. I think it is fairly obvious that Obama wants to focus on our relationship with continental Europe as opposed to the UK. I suppose after the Bush-Blair years...that may be a relief for some.

I think it's more... they don't pay attention to anything the candidates actually say.  They just know that McCain is from the same party as Bush, and Obama is a nice speaker... and basically a historic candidate.  I beleive there is a bunch of stuff out there for Obama in random countries that are just about his charisma and nothing to do with any policy.

I mean... what does the US person think of Gordon Brown.  (Who's Gordon Brown?)

I'd be interested in seeing the Obama vs McCain split in Africa.

I know it sounds odd... but Bush as i recall is actually thought of fondly over there.

I seem to recall someone calling bush "The best President in the United states in regards to Africa ever."

McCain might be polling high with that group of non-voters, despite Obama being black.

I am not sure what the support is for either McCain or Obama in regards to Africa, but you are correct that Bush is quite popular there. Many have lauded Bush on his HIV/Malaria programs, his commitment to combat human trafficking, and the Millennium Challenge Account which has helped certain African nations (Ghana, Malawi, and Madagascar to name a few). 

well, tbh that foreign-country poll doesn't surpirse me one bit as the US Democratic (liberal) party is more conservative than many of Europe's Conservative parties.

I will defer to Obama on if he is qualified. I think he got it right in 2004: