Fact Check 101

I’m sure those of you watching election coverage have been inundated over the past several days with the “change versus experience” narrative. You know, the story of the well-intentioned upstart sapling who wants change, Barack Obama, and the seasoned political veteran with (in her own words) thirty-five years of experience, Hillary Clinton. In this scenario, the voter finds him or herself forced to choose between someone with good ideas and rousing rhetoric but the inability to get anything accomplished, and the less inspiring but eminently capable opponent with a proven track record. What’s a poor voter to do?

Well, the poor voter’s first step is probably to turn off the damn TV and do a little de-spinning. I’d like to combat this absurd “change versus experience” lie with something I call facts. Chris Matthews, pay attention.

Fact: Hillary Clinton first held public office when she was elected as New York’s U.S. Senator in 2000. She currently has seven years of elected political experience, during which time she was directly responsible to a constituency.

Fact: Seven and thirty-five are two very different numbers.

Fact: Barack Obama first held public office when he was elected to the Illinois State Senate in 1997. He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2004. He has eleven years of elected political experience, during which time he was directly responsible to a constituency.

Fact: Prior to holding political office, Hillary Clinton worked for the corporate law firm Rose Law. Clients included WalMart and TCBY. She also served on the board of directors for several corporations – Lafarge and, interestingly, WalMart and TCBY.

Fact: While Hillary Clinton served on the WalMart board (1986 to 1992) the corporation earned a reputation as one of the most dedicated and effective union-busters in the nation.

Fact: Prior to holding political office, Barack Obama worked as a community organizer and civil rights attorney and also taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School for eleven years.

Fact: Prior to becoming president, Bill Clinton held the office of Arkansas Attorney General for two years (he ran unopposed) and Arkansas Governor for twelve years (it would have been longer, but he was voted out for a while and then came back). He had fourteen years of elected political experience, but zero years of elected political experience outside of the state of Arkansas before he became president.

Fact: When Bill Clinton was sworn in as President, he was 46 years old.

Fact: Barack Obama is currently 46 years old. If he wins the presidential election, he will be 47 years old when he is sworn in.

What can be made of all of this? Let’s see if I can play Hardball, Chris Matthews. Barack Obama has more elected political experience and than Hillary Clinton does. Where Hillary Clinton has spent her life as a shill for corporate greed, Barack Obama has spent his teaching and applying American democratic principles. Furthermore, he is probably better prepared for the presidency than Bill Clinton was when he took office.

This is why it’s called the idiot box.