Truthfully both candidates are lacking valid executive experience. Its pretty rare to have a Senator become president. I like the fact that Obama hasn't been in Washington politics for decades. I really liked him until this cave in to FISA. Mccain i even liked until recent history when he abandoned his maverick ways and became a bush puppet. Mccain is riding on the war hero thing just way to much. Just because you fought in a war and were a POW doesn't mean you love this country more or would be a better president. Not only that but if you watch his speeches from the 2000 campaign its pretty apparent he is going senile.

>> does experience in national politics = successful presidency? <<

the argument is that experience is not necessarily correlated with success. but statistical correlation doesn't require a 1-to-1 relationship. so the argument is empty. and it is counterintuitive. experience is never a bad thing. I can't see any rationalization for picking someone based on ignorance. so again, there is no cogent reason to downplay Obama's lack of experience.

so let's put it this way. it depends what you think you're voting for. if you want a strong administrator then that executive should be familiar with how the system works. and the only real way to be familiar with the system is to work in it. if on the other hand you're reconciled with placing a face controlled by the machine into office then go for it. it's painfully obvious that obama will have to have some kind of democratic version of Cheney to run the show. so you'll end up with a scenario like what we have now with lots of experienced administrators butting heads. I think it is a recipe for another disaster. others don't.

"does experience in national politics = successful presidency? "

No one said it did, but I would wager that it helps