For general, Obama's character befits a commander in chief
The Concord Monitor | September 25, 2007
By SHIRA SCHOENBERG
A former U.S. Air Force chief of staff told New Hampshire voters yesterday that Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has the judgment and life experience to be commander in chief.
"He's not self-centered, he's reasonable, he's not trying to prove he's tougher than his daddy," Gen. Tony McPeak told a dozen people at the Unitarian-Universalist Congregation in Franklin. "He's a guy in the Oval Office that senior military can respect and salute in a way that we've seen lacking previously."
In an election where military and foreign policy are central issues, Obama, like many presidential candidates, has no military experience. As a first-term U.S. senator, he also has little formal experience in foreign policy, although he has lived abroad, spending part of his childhood in Indonesia.
McPeak, who spent 37 years in the Air Force, sounded a common theme in Obama's campaign when he told the Monitor that Obama's life experience makes up for any deficit.
"He spent time overseas and grew up in Hawaii in a diverse culture with a lot of external influences," McPeak said.
He added that decision-making abilities and judgment are more important than legislative experience.
"A lot of experienced people voted to support the president in the Iraq war," he said, pointing to Obama's Democratic rivals Hillary Clinton and John Edwards.
Experts say that although Obama's military credentials are thin, they may not make as much of a difference as they once did. "Keeping America safe used to be putting military credentials in the spotlight, but today it has more to do with national security," said former U.S. Ambassador George Bruno, now an immigration law attorney in Manchester. "Not only America's military role, but our approach to the fight against terrorism and our desire to have a strong U.S. economy and to have secure borders."
On the trail
Yesterday and Sunday, McPeak campaigned for Obama at house parties in Intervale, Gorham, Bethlehem, Franklin and Deerfield, and he toured the New Hampshire Veterans Home in Tilton. His message, as he told Franklin voters, is that Obama is "head and shoulders above everyone else." He said Obama has good advisers, including Susan Rice, who was President Bill Clinton's assistant secretary of state for African affairs, and Zbigniew Brzezinski, who was President Jimmy Carter's national security adviser.
McPeak praised Obama's ability to inspire and his toughness. He painted a grim picture of the war in Iraq and said, "Heading off a worst-case scenario requires imagination, hard work, someone without an ideology he wants to peddle to the world and someone who will be seen as an honest broker. Barack Obama is the only one who has those qualities."
Although McPeak believes top military officials still favor the Republican Party, he said they have been turned off by the current administration and would welcome a president like Obama.
Retired Laconia voter Edwin Allard said that after hearing the general, he could see himself supporting Obama. "Who's had experience the last seven years? Rumsfeld and Cheney. Look how that turned out," Allard said. "What's important is judgment. Can you make the right calls?"
Does military matter?
The Obama campaign is not alone in needing to burnish a candidate's credentials on military matters. Democrat John Edwards and Republicans Fred Thompson and Mitt Romney also lack stellar military or foreign policy credentials.
Romney has taken flak for justifying his sons' decision not to enlist by saying they're serving the country by supporting his campaign.
On the other hand, Republican John McCain was a prisoner of war in Vietnam. Among Democrats, Hillary Clinton brings experience as a first lady, Bill Richardson was a former United Nations ambassador, and Joe Biden chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Yet experts say none of these factors is a deal breaker. "We're getting to the point where fewer and fewer candidates have any real military experience," said Matthew Masur, assistant professor of history at St. Anselm College. "Even foreign policy experience - there have been presidents not going into office with much experience."
Masur pointed to George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan as presidents who have taken office with limited foreign policy or military experience. Clinton had been criticized for not serving during the Vietnam War, and the nature of Bush's service was questioned.
"Reagan seemed to do fine in spite of a lack of experience," Masur said. "I don't think either Bush or Clinton will be remembered as great foreign policy administrations."
And, he added, President Lyndon Johnson had plenty of experience, as vice president, and will not be remembered as a success in Vietnam.
"Sometimes, people with a lot of experience don't do well. There are people without a lot of experience who do," Masur said.
America's 'fascination'
Further back, Gettysburg College History Professor Michael Birkner said Franklin Pierce's military service helped him win the presidency against a hero of the Mexican War. Dwight Eisenhower's status as a general was used against him, when opponents argued that the military should not take civilian leadership, but voters overwhelmingly elected him on the strength of his military background. Harry Truman was elected with a distinguished military record in World War I.
On the other hand, Grover Cleveland paid a substitute to fight in his place during the Civil War.
"Americans oscillate between their fascination with military characters and their revulsion against them," Birkner said.
Birkner said voters today are more concerned with military issues, which is why candidates like Obama need to showcase support from experts, such as McPeak.
But credentials beyond traditional military service may also be more acceptable.
For example, Obama could be successful in promoting his world experience and judgment, rather than his political experience, said Bruno, a former chairman of the state Democratic Party. Clinton could talk up her ability to gather talented advisers and be a leader on the Senate Armed Services Committee. Bruno said Bush's unpopular approach may also have influenced voters to look beyond military qualifications.
"Bush has been Mr. Tough Guy for six years and has been more successful in creating more enemies around the world," Bruno said. "It turns out military power and credentials can only take you so far."
