Theres’s a lot of talk in this election about experience. Whose is more valuable, who has more of it, who has the right type? Right now, voters who prize experience are voting more for Clinton on the Democratic side while Republicans are said to be excited about the prospect of comparing John McCain’s experience to either Democratic hopeful.
These debates tend to overlook one point: the kind of experience that will make the greatest difference in the future has little to do with policy or politics. The presidential experience that is most needed is experience understanding the conditions and attitudes of humiliated and angry people.
In Iraq? Yes. Whatever military success may occur, a political solution must go along with it. But which candidate really understands the divided and angry people of Iraq? Who has the experience to know that what’s needed is a process of citizen reconciliation, a program of community building, the goal of creating law and literacy block by block?
And not just in Iraq. Grinding poverty consumes two thirds of the human family, creating a giant tinderbox of humiliation and explosive anger. These battered billions represent the greatest threat to our future safety and economic stability. Which candidate has a realistic view of what the United States can do about that?
We need a president who understands failed communities and rudderless people at home as well. Where? Try Chicago.
Last weekend, Chicago set a new record: 37 shootings in one weekend that left 7 people dead. After the carnage, the police chief reminded citizens that crime tends to increase “when the temperature rises.” Have we come to the point in our own country where we blame desperate, callous, and violent killing on the weather?
Mayor Richard Daley decided to send in a surge of his own. He called in off-duty officers to create a dramatic show of force in high crime neighborhoods. Then he approved arming and training the city’s 13, 500 police officers with more powerful weapons including M4 carbines—the assault rifles used by Marines and capable of firing 950 rounds a minute—in order to match the firepower of the street gangs that are terrorizing neighborhoods. Surge, heavy armor, shock and awe. Sound familiar?
But the mayor understands the enormity of the challenge: changing the attitudes and behaviors of people who no longer care about life—their own or anyone else’s. “I don't know why people think you're going to end something with a lot of police...” Mayor Daley remarked. “You have to have a combination of prevention and intervention and yes, yes, enforcement, but they all go hand-in-hand."
Some read this news and jump to assign blame. Democrats look to failures of government while Republicans look to failures of individual responsibility. Who in their right mind doesn’t think both are right? Shame on all of us if we reduce the terror facing communities around the world to a debate between free marketeers and social engineers. We need a leader who gets the role of leading people toward hope and reconciliation; toward practical solutions and visionary possibilities.
Which presidential candidate could lead an American surge of “prevention and intervention” capable of combating the rise in rural poverty, the carnage in urban America, the divide between rich and poor? Which would listen to those who have lost hope? Which would be able to match listening with support, structure, and high expectations?
We’ve all been obsessed with Barack Obama’s comments about “bitter” Americans. Bitter? You bet there are a lot of bitter people in this country and a whole lot more around the world too. What we should be talking about is not whether they’re clinging to guns and religion, but what it takes to enable them to change and in turn to change the communities in which they live. Which presidential candidate has the experience to do that?
I’m not sure. Obama has worked in the neighborhoods of Chicago close to the challenges of the urban poor. Clinton has worked on behalf of women and children around the world. And just last week, McCain pledged a kind of new war on poverty to address the increasing declines in the health, the job prospects, and the life spans of America’s destitute.
But which one has a real feel for what this will take? Who understands best the inner lives of people who are desperate? Who has seen the cold stares of eyes still open but no longer seeing; of bodies still in motion but no longer capable of touch; of spirits crushed and no longer able to love? Who knows them?
The kids in Chicago don’t make headlines unless they kill each other. But the real debate in this election is who understands them - and their counterparts around the world - while they live. On that question rests not only the future of our country, but also the future of our planet.
Email Me | Del.icio.us | Digg | Facebook
Comments (19)
"Cyber-Friends of Holy Cosmic Space Ship Momma/Poppa Earth(s)":
I apologize. I did, in fact, mean that I saw your comments on other moderators' WaPo blogs.
May 1, 2008 2:01 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on May 1, 2008 14:01
rpmilwgkq zxrd lvzi ynatzxs bfqsdlkwt kyct qlvscy
May 1, 2008 1:24 AM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on May 1, 2008 01:24
Wait til the convention and then have the gallery packed with people shouting over and over, ceaselessly, for Rendel or whoever. Thats how Wendell Wilke did it.
April 29, 2008 11:22 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on April 29, 2008 23:22
Jr is the most arrogant, stupid, worthless President in Americas history. Obama is an American Hating left wing socialist loony. McCain is a dumb, hot tempted old man not fit for any office. Hillary is an lying piece of trash!
April 29, 2008 7:27 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on April 29, 2008 19:27
George Bush is a baffoon. Dick Cheney a knucklehead. John McCain is crazy...let's just call him Crazy John. Hillary is as phony as a $3 dollar bill. The racists attacking Obama need to be called out, including those who have only used Blacks and Latinios and others to stay in power. The Clitns are shameless. Is it any wonder Hillary leads with the undereducated? She is a monster. It is written.
April 29, 2008 6:20 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on April 29, 2008 18:20
George Bush is a baffoon. Dick Cheney a knucklehead. John McCain is crazy...let's just call him Crazy John. Hillary is as phony as a $3 dollar bill. The racists attacking Obama need to be called out, including those who have only used Blacks and Latinios and others to stay in power. The Clitns are shameless. Is it any wonder Hillary leads with the undereducated? She is a monster. It is written.
April 29, 2008 6:15 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on April 29, 2008 18:15
George Bush is a baffoon. Dick Cheney a knucklehead. John McCain is crazy...let's just call him Crazy John. Hillary is as phony as a $3 dollar bill. The racists attacking Obama need to be called out, including those who have only used Blacks and Latinios and others to stay in power. The Clitns are shameless. Is it any wonder Hillary leads with the undereducated? She is a monster. It is written.
April 29, 2008 6:14 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on April 29, 2008 18:14
George Bush is a baffoon. Dick Cheney a knucklehead. John McCain is crazy...let's just call him Crazy John. Hillary is as phony as a $3 dollar bill. The racists attacking Obama need to be called out, including those who have only used Blacks and Latinios and others to stay in power. The Clitns are shameless. Is it any wonder Hillary leads with the undereducated? She is a monster. It is written.
April 29, 2008 6:14 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on April 29, 2008 18:14
Tim, I’ve always said that you would make a great president - you have the fortitude, wisdom, forward thought process, ethical integrity, political understanding, perseverance and indomitable spirit that would help this country back on its feet. You could even bring back your father’s idea of abolishing poverty. What do you say? Four years from now?
April 28, 2008 10:34 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on April 28, 2008 22:34
Ken, that's the American political process for ya. Richardson, Biden, and Dodd all have years more experience than Hillary or Obama do. But, they got voted off of the island (so to speak). I don't know who from the Republican side would have been the equal to any of the Dems running - John McCain is certainly the most qualified of any of the Republicans that ran.
The reason that Rendell isn't in the race is that he didn't choose to run. Neither did other outstanding candidates, like Al Gore, Russ Feingold, Richard Lugar, or Chuck Hagel. Certainly there are other women who have had more experience than HRC - most of the women in the Senate other than Claire McKaskill and Amy Klobuchar have served longer than HRC or Obama. The system is skewed to keep the best ones out of the running this year. We are left with the media-anointed candidates.
April 28, 2008 5:53 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on April 28, 2008 17:53
"The presidential experience that is most needed is experience understanding the conditions and attitudes of humiliated and angry people."
Exactly.
The current understanding is that no one in the US suffers from these conditions, and any perception that they do insults both the people and the US as a whole. These "conditions" are understood as no more than the excuses used by losers to justify welfare that will enable them to avoid honest work. Their leaders are elitists who expect to be able to take charge of the greatest country in the world without actually being qualified.
How do you deal with this kind of an understanding in a democracy when the people who believe this way are the majority? I am humiliated and angry.
April 28, 2008 5:10 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on April 28, 2008 17:10
It is shameful that a Nation that produced Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhauer, and Ronald Reagan as leaders, can only come up with the three loosers, still standing, for the next election. I know we have more well qualified candidates than the current crop of three clowns. Why doesn't some one nominate Gov. Ed Rendell, He would get us out of Iraq in something less than thirty days after the swearing-in ceremony, and by the end of that year
he would have us in a balanced budget situation,
with the price at the pumps back down to one dollar.
Silently grieving: Cyrano.
April 28, 2008 3:46 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on April 28, 2008 15:46
It is shameful that a Nation that produced Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhauer, and Ronald Reagan as leaders, can only come up with the three loosers, still standing, for the next election. I know we have more well qualified candidates than the current crop of three clowns. Why doesn't some one nominate Gov. Ed Rendell, He would get us out of Iraq in something less than thirty days after the swearing-in ceremony, and by the end of that year
he would have us in a balanced budget situation,
with the price at the pumps back down to one dollar.
Silently grieving: Cyrano.
April 28, 2008 3:42 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on April 28, 2008 15:42
The President needs to be able to understand how the global economy works, how to fix the trade deficit (s)he needs to have profound knowledge - know what a system is, know the difference between tampering and fixing - understand the psychology of people, and how to decrease unnecessary variation to increase productivity and quality, know what makes positive change possible.
April 28, 2008 3:23 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on April 28, 2008 15:23
Although he has very little "Washington" experience, Obama worked for many years as a community organizer in Chicago. He came into contact with poor people every day. Remember that his Harvard law degree was a result of scholarships and student loans - not because his family was wealthy enough to afford to send him there. Hillary Clinton did a lot of good work for poor women and children in Arkansas and in the White House. Not to mention the Clinton Global Initiative, which is more of Bill's territory than hers.
OTOH, John McCain probably never even MET a poor American. I think that his idea of a poor person would probably someone with only one home. His father and grandfather were Admirals. His wife is worth about $100 million. (Cindy McCain, this Bud's for you!)
But McCain has the nerve to lecture Obama on being an "elitist". Sheesh.
April 28, 2008 2:41 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on April 28, 2008 14:41
Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rice, Powell, Bush - all have experience in government and governing supposed to be in varying degrees and look where they took us. America is a dire situation, direst in any other time in the late 20th century, early 21st. Cheney especially lulled people into thinking that his long years in government has given him MATURITY AND JUDGMENT (JUDICIOUS JUDGMENT) to do what is good for the country, the entire country; not just for a few selected few i.e. corporatists, lobbyists, military industrial crooks, etc. Experience abused like Cheney etal is no good. I'll pick an idealist with great intellect and honesty, not yet corrupted by Washington experience. WE should shun the experience of someone like Cheney etal.
April 28, 2008 12:02 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on April 28, 2008 12:02
Question:
You saw my Work "..on OTHER BLOGG(S)"? Not WAPO? impossible!
Unless the Borack Team is upto no good, like Plagrizing, Copy Cating etc.., out of Jealousy!???
Please Tell Me Where. Thank-o-Sham!
Hint: "i" am very LOYAL to NEWSWEEK therefore "i" Only (EXCLUSiVELY) "BLOGG" here with WAPO & no place else!
Please show me. Else you meant other 'Moderators' Here/local on "WAPO-Computers".
April 28, 2008 12:02 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on April 28, 2008 12:02
Tim Shriver wrote, "The presidential experience that is most needed is experience understanding the conditions and attitudes of humiliated and angry people." Though I disagree that it is the MOST needed experience, nevertheless it should be pretty obvious that a man who was a POW in North Vietnam has some of the best credentials possible in that regard. But is he and the Democratic party willing to eliminate (through drug-crime and morals-supporting legislation, beefed-up police forces funding, and championing of virtuous behavior by citizens) the circumstances that promote the societal toleration of the drugs-and-gangs subculture and their resultant, tragic human death toll? I hope so!
April 28, 2008 12:01 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on April 28, 2008 12:01
Well said, Mr. Shriver.
As for "Cyber-Friends of Holy Cosmic Space Ship Momma/Poppa Earth(s)": I have seen your posts on a number of other blogs and can make neither heads nor tails of what you are saying. If you are, in fact, in support of Hillary Clinton, you are not making a very good case for her.
April 28, 2008 11:34 AM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on April 28, 2008 11:34