Since talking some trash about Obama’s support in a previous post, I’ve spent some more time examining the various candidates. While I’m still favoring Bill Richardson, amongst the top tier of Democratic candidates (Clinton, Edwards, and Obama), I think Obama leads the pack on issues I’m concerned with. Here are some things Obama supporters might want to emphasize:

1. Obama has the most experience in elected office than the others. Between his time in the Illinois Senate and the US Senate, Obama has 10 years experience in elected office. Clinton has only 6 (in the US Senate) and Edwards has 8 (also in the US Senate). Of the GOP top tier (Giuliani, McCain, Romney), only McCain has more experience. Clinton and Giuliani can play up their non-elected experience, and both Clinton and Edwards can play up the fact that they have more experience at the national level, but the fact remains. Obama is seen as a new comer because he hasn’t been on the national scene as long, but he should definitely play up this experience and his voting record there (for progressives, an emphasis on his work against the death penalty could be key, but could hurt him with moderates).

2. Obama’s differences in the US Senate. Obama and Clinton have very similar records in the Senate. So Obama really needs to play up those few points of variance. Two things that really strike me:

He co-sponsored the SAFE Act (Wikipedia article). To be clear: the Patriot Act does not need to be sanitized, it needs to abolished. And Obama was among 19 other co-sponsors. But this would have been a step in the right direction, and I can’t find much leadership (if any) from Clinton on this issue.

He introduced (along with Tom Coburn) the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act.

So Obama has been trying to make it harder for the government to spy on citizens, and make it easier for citizens to find out how government is spending money. Meanwhile, what has Clinton been up to? Trying to ban violent video games and flag burning?

Another interesting strike against Clinton: I couldn’t find a basic “on the issues” type area on her web site. If Obama’s supposed to be weak on the issues, then where is Hillary’s sophisticated platform? I’m not seeing it.

Some further resources:

On the Issues (“Every candidate on every issue”).

Project Vote Smart (includes voting records).

A comparison of votes by senate Dems running for president in 08.

Iraq votes of Clinton and Obama compared.

Iraq votes of Clinton and Edwards compared.

Related posts (autogenerated):

1. Obama’s Transparency Promise: We’re Still Waiting
2. Obama’s drug policy: a little better, a little worse, mostly the same
3. Obama Backs Extending Patriot Act Spy Provisions
4. Obama administration issues new policy on medical marijuana
5. End of the War on Drugs? Dream on.