Obama Experience Just To Get Up to Speed

Barack Obama's career timeline compares favorably with JFKs in terms of experience prior to making a time-consuming bid for the Presidency. I remember watching JFK in the Senate when he was newly elected in 1952. JFK's six years of service in the House of Representatives was not so interesting to him that he applied himself rigorously. But even by 1952 he had shown a capacity to write and speak with conviction and effect.

Barack Obama became a State Senator for the Hyde Park area of Chicago in 1996 and has been a US Senator only since 2004.

Abraham Lincoln was for many years a member of the Illinois House of Representatives. He then served in the US Congress for a single term -- two years. His efforts during the 1850s to win election to the US Senate failed.

Hillary Clinton's total legislative service wss less than that of Obama. She was elected in 2000 and reelected in 2006. That adds up to seven years.