Walter Shapiro of Salon has a great write up of yesterday's NPR debate. In it he highlights how different a radio debate is from the TV debates we've had. Unlike debates where there are tight time limits and dozens of subjects touched on only briefly, the NPR debate only covered three substantive issues in two hours.
But for two hours Tuesday afternoon, Biden and Dodd made the case that traditional political experience matters in choosing a president. From the subtleties of Iranian policy (where Biden excelled) to the nuances of academic studies on illegal immigration (where everyone deferred to Dodd), the two senators sounded knowledgeable in answering questions rather than as if they were reciting "Canned Debate Answer No. 623."
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NPR's gift to Iowa voters may have been creating the setting for the campaign's first "Experience Counts" debate. Tuesday's broadcast served as a reminder that the leading Democratic candidates all boast unconventional political résumés -- Clinton's eight dramatic years as first lady; Obama's three-year skyrocket from obscure Illinois state senator to top-tier presidential candidate; and Edwards' own rapid transition from trial lawyer to 2004 vice-presidential nominee. But as Biden and Dodd demonstrated -- during an afternoon that probably will be no more than a political blip -- there are benefits to a long apprenticeship on Capitol Hill for the presidency.
Dodd's experience as a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is yet another aspect of how his tenure in Congress has prepared him to be President. He's prepared to lead from Day One, just as much on the Constitution and the economy as he is on foreign affairs and national security.
Our country faces profound challenges. We need a President who can confront them from the start and not waste time with on the job training. Chris Dodd is that candidate. He's gotten results as a Senator and he'll bring the change America needs as President.
