For the Media

Now that we are down to the last week of the campaign, the candidates' bios are well-known and each has defined the other in ways that can be recited by anyone who has only vaguely followed the campaign:

McCain is a war hero, a 36 year senator, and according to Obama, an extension of Bush. Obama is freshman senator who was a community organizer, and according to McCain a "tax and spend liberal" who is "inexperienced."

As a professor in a wonderful university I am struck by the fact that so little has been made of the fact that Obama has also been, for 12 years, a professor at the University of Chicago Law School — one of the most prestigious and influential in the country — and that he taught constitutional law, the most critical area of the law for any president to know. In plain terms, Obama has been a teacher, preparing the minds of the next generation of leadership for this country.

Yet neither the Obama campaign nor the media in general seem to consider this fact of any particular importance in defining the candidate.

Why?

Obama's "inexperience" has been compared to Palin's inexperience, given that they have both only held federal or state level office for a few years. Why has the Obama campaign — or the media —not mentioned that 12 years as a professor, studying and teaching constitutional law, is, in fact, a very important qualification for someone whose very job is to understand and uphold the constitution while managing the business of the nation? And why is the preparation (and ability) that it takes to become such a professor not considered an attribute worth noting as a key credential for being the leader of the free world?

Most recent studies of these things seem to show that professors are still held in pretty esteem on rankings of prestige (much higher than politicians, by the way). At the very least, the public thinks that university professors are "smart." Isn't that a pretty important qualification for the presidency?

Why is 12 years as a university professor not worth mentioning as a key qualification for president? Is being a professor too esoteric or ivory tower for Joe Six Pack to care about?

Is not 12 years as a teacher, helping students to understand, interpret, and use the law to further the purposes of justice and democracy experience worth touting? I'd put that up against being an office holder any day.

But maybe I am just biased.

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Wow, I never knew that Obama's academic career should be considered. That's pretty interesting...

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I escaped Communist Cuba and a few months later I was In the United States to stay. That I happened to arrive in Richmond on Thanksgiving Day is just part of the story, but I digress. I've thought a lot about the anniversary this year. The election-year rhetoric has made me think a lot about Cuba and what transpired there. In the late 1950s, most Cubans thought Cuba needed a change, and they were right. So when a young leader came along, every Cuban was at least receptive. When the young leader spoke eloquently and passionately and denounced the old system, the press fell in love with him. They never questioned who his friends were or what he really believed in. When he said he would help the farmers and the poor, and bring free medical care and education to all, everyone followed http://www.odlotowewakacje.com. When he said he would bring justice and equality to all, everyone said 'Praise the Lord.' And when the young leader said, 'I will be for change and I'll bring you change,' everyone yelled, 'Viva Fidel!' http://www.google.co.uk But nobody asked about the change, so by the time the executioner's guns went silent, the people's guns had been taken away.

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Roger says:

I agree with Nigel on the dummy-down approach. Being an educated man from the 3rd largest city in USA, he would signal fear in the minds of simple mid-western folks. However, we can all see now that he is relating to all classes. Not only the sophisticated wall street professionals, <a href="http://www.lapbandmd.net"> lapband doctors, and beaten down realors, but also the blue collar workers in Detroit, Phoenix, and Alabama. Hopefully, like Hillary said we can clean up the mess of the 2nd Bush too.

NigelEZB says:

After reading Obama's Audacity of Hope and comparing the man who wrote this book to the one I listen to on the campaign trail, I have come to the conclusion that his campaign have definitely dummied down their candidate. The average American find smart people threatening and I think if he is elected we will be very surprised how smart he really is (I am talking about our founding father's type of intellect)

Concerned American says:

I wish I could claim the writing you're about to read. I can't. This piece was written by a Cuban refuge Named Manuel Alvarez, Jr. Who escaped from communist Cuba on June 30, 1968. You will find his observations very prophetic ... And very chilling. Make sure you get this into the hands of every person you know. Make sure you get this into the hands of every State GOP official you can you reach by Email. These remarks could change the election. The Richmond Times-Dispatch Monday, July 7, 2008 Excerpt from 'Letters to the Editor' Beware Charismatic Men Who Preach 'Change' Each year I get to celebrate Independence Day twice. On June 30 I Celebrate my Independence day. On July 4 I celebrate America's. This year is Special, Because it marks the 40th anniversary of my independence. On June 30, 1968, I escaped Communist Cuba and a few months later I was In the United States to stay. That I happened to arrive in Richmond on Thanksgiving Day is just part of the story, but I digress. I've thought a lot about the anniversary this year. The election-year rhetoric has made me think a lot about Cuba and what transpired there. In the late 1950s, most Cubans thought Cuba needed a change, and they were right. So when a young leader came along, every Cuban was at least receptive. When the young leader spoke eloquently and passionately and denounced the old system, the press fell in love with him. They never questioned who his friends were or what he really believed in. When he said he would help the farmers and the poor, and bring free medical care and education to all, everyone followed. When he said he would bring justice and equality to all, everyone said 'Praise the Lord.' And when the young leader said, 'I will be for change and I'll bring you change,' everyone yelled, 'Viva Fidel!' But nobody asked about the change, so by the time the executioner's guns went silent, the people's guns had been taken away. By the time everyone was equal, they were equally poor, hungry, and oppressed. By the time everyone received their free education it was worth nothing. By the time the press noticed, it was too late, because they were now working for him. By the time the change was finally implemented Cuba had been knocked down a couple of notches to Third-World status. By the time the change was over more than a million people had taken to boats, rafts, and inner tubes. You can call those who made it ashore anywhere else in the world the most fortunate Cubans. And now I'm back to the beginning of my story. Luckily, We would never fall--in America--for a young leader who promised change without asking, what change? How will you carry it out? What will it cost America? Would we? Manuel Alvarez Jr. ____________________________________________ Let me pose a question: By the time Sen. Obama's much-promised, soon-coming (but never discussed) change takes place, and the American people are forced to take to their boats, rafts and inner tubes ... Where do we go? Cuba? Haiti? Think about that when you go out to vote on November 4 because this is the most critical election of your life. And, by the way, remember this, too. Not one single person has thought to ask Sen. Obama to be very specific in telling us precisely what changes he plans to make in our United States of America. Jon Christian Ryter

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