Leadership is more than 'experience'
Much is being said about the importance of experience, vision, judgment, and changing the status quo in voting for the next president of the United States.
It would seem that most of the pundits feel that experience trumps all the others in comparing the Democratic candidates to Barack Obama.
After reading "Team of Rivals" by Doris Kearns Goodwin, it certainly was not the case with Abraham Lincoln, who was irrefutably one of our best presidents.
She makes a solid case for Lincoln's "leadership style and deep understanding of human behavior and motivation."
What made Lincoln a great president was the wisdom and confidence to surround himself with a cabinet of rivals who were the right people for the right positions at the right time in our history.
Lincoln's leadership style eventually gained him the respect and admiration of his four rivals for the Republican nomination in 1860.
Perhaps it has been overlooked that Abraham Lincoln only served one term - two years - in the House of Representatives from 1846 to 1848 prior to his involvement in helping form and organize the Republican Party.
However, there is little doubt that, as president, he did help "unify" a nation torn by a civil war because of his leadership skills and style.
What we need is a president with the leadership skills and style, like Abraham Lincoln, who will effectively "unite" the United States with wisdom, sound judgment and confidence, and I believe Barack Obama is that man.
His record as an effective community organizer and conciliator as a state legislator speaks for itself. Prudent political judgment as a leadership skill, trumps experience every time.
John Sattler
Mount Prospect