A reality based independent journal of observation & analysis, serving the Flathead Valley & Montana since 2006. © James Conner.

10 June 2016

Dump Trump for Walker? And, “so qualified,” Obama’s term of art

Donald Trump is not officially the Republican nominee — and might not be. In theory, notes David French at the National Review, the delegates at the Republican convention could decide to nominate someone else. The likelihood that will happen is perishingly small, but it’s not impossible. It’s clear that no matter how many times his handlers apply a lather and rinse, or dip him in Old Spice, Trump will emit the aroma of a pit bull that got too close to a polecat. At some point, the stink of having him on the ticket could be worse than the stink raised by dumping him in a convention coup.

If that happened, whom might the conventioneers chose to replace him? French's NR colleague, Dan McLaughlin, has a name: union buster Scott Walker, governor of Wisconsin. If nominated, Walker could choose South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley as his vice president, and run as the right to work ticket.

Which Democratic presidential candidate has the most political experience? Yesterday, in his video endorsing Hillary Clinton, President Obama said, “I don’t think there’s ever been someone so qualified to hold this office.” That’s an artfully worded statement. Although she has experience governing while Donald Trump has none, she has far less experience in elected and high appointed office than her Democratic rivals, Bernie Sanders and Martin O’Malley.

experience_table

I’ve omitted her eight years as first lady, where her most memorable accomplishment was botching health care reform. She undoubtedly learned some things about governing during her tenure as the president’s wife, but “was married to” is not an acceptable experience category on a political résumé.

Obama’s phrase elides experience while employing intangibles. Clinton’s campaign will repeat it so often and emphatically that many voters will come to believe that she had more political experience than Sanders and O’Malley. As a campaign tactic, it will be effective. But as a matter of truth, it will be at best debatable.