Palin has more experience than Obama

On TV, on the radio, on the Internet, and in newspapers, I have heard way too many people criticizing Sarah Palin for having too little experience. What makes it even worse is that these are usually the same people who gush about how much they love Barack Obama.

Let's compare the two in terms of experience:

Palin:

• Wasilla city council (1992-1996)
• Mayor of Wasilla (1996-2002)
• Ethics Supervisor of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (2003-2004)
• Governor of Alaska (2006-present)

Obama:

• Community organizer (1985-1988)
• Directed Illinois Project Vote (1992)
• Taught constitutional law (1992-2004)
• Lawyer (1993-2004)
• Served on board of directors of various organizations (1993-2002)
• State legislator (1997-2004)
• Senator (2004-present)

Their levels of experience seem about equal to me, but I think Palin has a slight edge. She's served in government positions since 1992, while Obama got his first government job in 1997. Also, being a governor is better preparation for the presidency than being a senator. Governors are basically in charge of a state, which is a mini version of what presidents do. Senators are just one member of a large body that drafts legislation and votes on laws.

Plus, Obama's running for president, while Palin is only running for VP!

So if you have to criticize Palin for not being experienced enough, be consistent and criticize Obama too.

Thanks to Wikipedia for the facts used in this post.