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Lessons on Leadership
The cover story ably examined the many ways experience can be manifested [March 10]. Senator Hillary Clinton prides herself on her experience and claims she would "be ready on Day One" to be our next President. However, her campaign's failure to adequately plan strategically and financially for post-Super Tuesday proved she is incapable of being ready on Day Two. On the other hand, Senator Barack Obama, despite his alleged inexperience, surrounded himself with extraordinary talent and had a string of primary victories. The way these two candidates have managed their respective campaigns speaks volumes about required experience.
Steve Charing,
Clarksville, Maryland

Obama brings a refreshing air of exuberance to the campaign, but where are the details of his programs? Is he waiting to see which way the wind blows before he enlightens the public with clear, concise and executable programs? We cannot afford on-the-job training and haphazardly laid out plans. We need a leader as direct and consistent as any politician can be in today's world of special-interest groups and demographically conflicting views and needs. Clinton brings to the table detailed programs and objectives. She might not be so exciting, but she is definitely what the doctor ordered.
Barry Stevens,
Arlington, Texas

Experience is a red herring. Does anyone believe that a modern President makes complex decisions without input from a team of experienced experts? The real question that should be asked is how willing a potential President is to tamp down his or her ego in order to get to the right answer using the best available knowledge. Measured that way, my vote is for Obama. He doesn't think he knows it all, and he talks and listens to people who don't agree with him. That's presidential.
Brian Weiss,
Pasadena, California

Whenever I read about Clinton's 35 years of "Experience," I think my head just might explode. Her track record consists of working on the task force for health-care reform (abandoned), supporting NAFTA (she's now against it), voting to authorize force against Iraq (which she now regrets) and endorsing No Child Left Behind (she's now against it). Let's not forget that she cast her Iraq-war vote without reading the National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq. It appears that on all the most important issues, she hasn't got one right. The one area of experience she obviously beats Obama in is testifying during investigations into possible wrongdoing.
Chris Boone,
Maple Valley, Washington

There is no doubt that the U.S. needs an experienced Administration. However, the President's job is to form his executive team, then lead and inspire it as well as the nation. So the value of leadership skills outweighs that of experience. Given that Obama has managed to go from underfinanced outsider to the Democrats' front runner and leading fund-raiser, he evidently knows how to put together a great team and make it perform. That he has achieved that as a black man with a rather difficult surname suggests he can also overcome obstacles.
Robert James-Herbert,
Ruse, New South Wales

Abraham Lincoln was a one-term congressman with little to distinguish him, yet he was our most brilliant President. James Buchanan, Herbert Hoover and Richard Nixon had excellent résumés, yet each failed when the U.S. needed strong leadership. Whether or not Obama is qualified on paper, he has all the tools for the making of a successful Commander in Chief.
Luiz Bravim,
Hollywood, Florida

If this election is a referendum on experience vs. the need for change, Obama's capacity to learn is far superior to Clinton's or John McCain's capacity to change.
Cary Glickstein,
Delray Beach, Florida

The issues at stake in this election are among the most important we'll face in a generation: the economy, health care, the environment, ending the war in Iraq and developing a foreign policy that will restore our respect and prestige on the world stage. Obama has exhibited the intellect, foresight and judgment necessary to lead the country on these matters. Clinton may have more experience in Washington, but Obama alone has the potential to change our political climate for the better and be a unifier here and abroad. His charisma, eloquence and ability to inspire, coupled with his appeal to independents and Republicans, make him the clear and best choice to be the next President of the U.S.
Michael Nassar,
Perdido Beach, Alabama

Obama carries no baggage. He has no obvious connections to any interest groups or special agendas, and his consistent opposition to involvement in Iraq will also stand him in good stead. He generates excitement and hope. He alone is in a position to chart fair, rational and even-handed policies that will perhaps restore the U.S. to its dominant role in the world.
Reggie Albuquerque,
Willeton, Western Australia

Bush's Secret Mission
I really loved Bob Geldof's article about President George W. Bush's policies for Africa [March 3]. Geldof made clear his opinion of Bush, but in the course of the article he also paid homage to some good the President has done. I am a fan of the President's, and I didn't know about the success in Africa. Too bad Bush doesn't have enough p.r. savvy to put a spotlight on this proud legacy.
Fred Ascher,
Los Angeles

After watching this administration make thousands of errors that have plundered America's treasure and reputation, it is encouraging to read about Bush's successes in Africa. It sounds like true compassion at work. I commend the President on his vision and leadership on this issue.
Randy Haldeman,
Menlo Park, California

Last month my wife and I traveled to Rwanda and Tanzania. When we told people where we are from, many smiled and responded, "Ah, yes, U.S. good country!" We had no idea what the locals were referring to until one of our guides mentioned Bush and all that he has done for Africa. Thank you for Geldof's article. Apparently "the great unacknowledged story of America in Africa" is less important to most of the media than what Obama and Clinton had for breakfast yesterday.
Tom Reynolds,
Durham, Connecticut

I had to laugh out loud when I read that "the continent's rebirth is the Bush Administration's greatest achievement." Is that the continent where there has been war after war in the past eight years, perhaps hundreds of thousands have been killed in Darfur, Kenya has been destabilized and the U.S. would not fund the distribution of condoms as the cheapest way to fight AIDS? Most of the poverty-fighting in Africa has been done by private citizens or organizations for which Bush cannot take credit. Later in the article, Geldof got to the real reason the U.S. is interested in Africa: "It's a continent of 900 million potential producers and consumers ... the continent America must befriend, if only out of self-interest." The U.S. wants to exploit Africa, especially for its oil.
Christine Halpin,
Ansonia, Connecticut

Breaking Up Is Hard to Do
Thank you, Michael Grunwald, for offering a succinct and balanced discussion of why we should be wary of Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence from Serbia [March 3]. U.S. recognition of Kosovo's secession broke my heart, not because I am of Serbian ancestry but because I am an American. Adherence to rule of law is what makes the U.S. great. Yet by recognizing Kosovo, America has turned a blind eye to the rule of law and has destabilized the globe. This is about Canada and the French-speaking Québécois, Turkey and the Kurds, Spain and the Basques. Boris Tadic — the moderate, pro-Western Serbian President — properly asked, "Who guarantees that parts of your countries will not declare independence in the same way?" We know the answer: no one.
Tina Hone,
Falls Church, Virginia

A Healthful High
Dr. Sanjay Gupta's perceptive article about the benefits of exercise didn't mention the euphoric aftermath of a workout [March 3]. As an octogenarian with more than 50 years' experience doing daily exercise, this feel-good effect never fails to reward. It is not just a satisfaction of accomplishment and knowledge that it's good for your health, but it's also a corporeal euphoria: you simply feel better physically right afterward. A 1-m by 2-m floor space is sufficient for the 20-min. routine of calisthenics I developed years ago. The human animal evolved over an unimaginably large expanse of time, during which physical exertion was necessary for survival. Simulating the evolutionary norm with only 20 min. of workout per day is a stupendous bargain, if you ask me.
Maxwell P. Iverson,
Macomb, Illinois