The Giant Pumpkin in the room

In the next four months of furious campaigning for the Democratic Primaries one word is going to be key -- experience.

Over Labor Day weekend a major shift took place in the stead fast machine known as Hillary Clinton's campagin for President. A shift that will press the point of her experience in Washington over her opponents -- most notibly Presidential hopefuls Senator Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and former senator John Edwards (D-N.C.).

"I know some people think you have to choose between change and experience," Clinton said on Sunday at a rally in New Hampshire according to the Washington Post. "Well, with me, you don't have to choose. I have spent my whole life fighting for change." Without directly naming her Democratic opponents, Clinton took the first steps towards a more aggressive stance on her past experiences as First Lady and Senator of New York.

I've always found this arguement interesting, the idea of who has the most "experience." If voters really look at the top three candidates, none boast a strong past in Washington Politics. At best they all hold Senate experience and are heavy on domestic issues. But in a time of war and conflict internationally, who is best to take over?

I once had a great Poltics professor here at Ithaca say to me during a discussion of Clinton's experience compared to the other candidates, "She's not the goddess of experience ya' know." And I can't help but think of that when reading the coverage of her weekend in New Hampshire. The New York Times also pointed out Clinton's references to "working the system." This I have to agree is something she does know more about than some of the others in the ring. As First Lady she tried to stage a major overhaul of our nation's healthcare and bombed miserably. Now most who don't understand the circumstances blame her and her "socialist" ways for that. But sadly, Clinton had to learn the hard way how to play with the big dogs on Capitol Hill.

In the end I think the holiday weekend was a successful next step in her campaign. Along with meeting various voters she and her husband also had time to stop and peruse the local state fair. Washington Post reporter Dan Balz had an interesting take on the power couple's outing that I think everyone should read for a good laugh.