John Steele Gordon makes some very slight edits to the NYT’s 2000 endorsement of Al Gore over George W. Bush:
Mr. Obama has asked to be judged by something more than his positions. He offers himself as an experienced leader who would end the culture of bickering in Washington and use wisdom and resoluteness in dealing with domestic social problems and international crises. But his resume is too thin for the nation to bet on his growing into the kind of leader he claims already to be. He does have great personal charm. But Mr. Obama’s main professional experience was a few undistinguished years as a back bencher in the Illinois and U.S. Senates. His debates with his primary opponents exposed an uneasiness with foreign policy that cannot be erased by his promise to have heavyweight advisers. John F. Kennedy, as a far more seasoned new president, struggled through the Cuban missile crisis while his senior advisers offered contradictory advice on how to confront a Soviet military threat on America’s doorstep. The job description is for commander in chief, not advisee in chief.
The Senator from Arizona has admitted to his limitations as a speaker. But John McCain has a heart—and a mind—prepared for presidential-scale challenges. When it comes to the details of policy making, he will not need on-the-job training.
Compare it to the original at Gordon’s site. While we almost assuredly won’t see the Times make the same argument against Obama this time, the original proved rather prescient.
Photoshop courtesy Unconfirmed Sources
