If "experience" (or "wisdom," or "honesty," or "integrity," or "legislative accomplishment," or "leadership") was the key to the race in Iowa, the chattering classes would be focused on Sen. Joe Biden.

Martin Edwin Andersen
Churchton, Maryland

Well, Mr. Biden does have a whole bunch of experience of sorts and he does seem like an honest feller, too. But them folks in Iowa gotta be lookin' 'round outside of their state and they don't see Mr. Biden gettin' a whole lotta tracshun anywhere else either and they gotta be sayin' to themselves, 'well, why is that?'

Well, I think I knows the anser to that there question, 'cuz, you see, 'experience' is something that them Republicans put a whole lotta value in, but Democrats always seem a mite wary about how much experience their folks get in politics.

Take that McCain feller. See, Republicans are seriously considerin' nommynatin' this cranky ol' codger from my own glorious state of Arizona and mostly it seems that they put some stock in his experience of livin' in a box in Vietnam isolated from the whole rest of humanity for a few years and livin' in a box isolated from the whole rest of humanity is purdy much a standard metric for most Republicans.

But Demmercrats kinda like to think outside of the box and so we don't put quite so much stock in experience, although I must admit that livin' in Delerwhere is a little like livin' in a box so maybe if Mr. Biden were to run himself as a Republican, them people up there in Ioway might be more inclined to pay attention.

I kinda like the guy myself and I think he does a great service to this here nation by representing the good people of Delerwhere, but he seems to be lacking this thing called mystique and I don't rightly know what that is my ownself, but I'm willing to bet that this is what he should be workin' on next time around - 'cuz it don't look like he's got a shot this time around.

And, if you think he does, then in all honesty, I think it's 'bout time you take a peek outside that little box you're livin' in and look around. It just might be an experience and as you already know, experience is generally one way or the other considered a good thing.

After he partitions Iraq he needs to partition this country and put procurement out to pasture. http://www.menofletters.org

Why, I declare, Mr. or Ms. ducadmo, you done said a mouthful. I never seen such a bunch as the voters of this once great country. The whole lot of 'em are sittin' 'round looking at the folks outside the box and thinkin', my, don't they stick out like a sore thumb out there outside this here box. Should we oughta make fun of 'em or ignore 'em? Anyways, none of 'em are brave enough to join 'em, 'cause they don't wanna get caught dead stickin' out like a sore thumb!

Then they re-commence complainin' about how they hate this damn ol' box.