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In politics experience is not always a virtue

I agree, but I would say inexperience is never a virtue, especially for the office of President. It's like saying being an experienced driver doesn't mean you can race at Daytona. True, but you better have experience if you want to race there.

In the political realm, it is easy to get "experience" while being useless. But the Presidency is not a job that just anybody can step into. You need a lot of skills, and a lot of experience with a lot of different things, in order to be able to do that job on day one. It's not a job you can spend a year learning while doing it.

I’ll take anyone with knowledge of/willing to follow the Constitution and ability to tell the truth no matter what....

Again, I agree -- but I want that, AND experience. Surely in a nation of 300 million people, we can find someone with both. Frankly, I believe Rick Perry fits that bill just fine. So does Rick Santorum, although not with executive experience. So would have Haley Barbour. Tim Pawlenty I believe did as well (I note that those two items don't equate to being a solid social and fiscal conservative).

Which is also something I want, a solid fiscal, social, limited-government conservative. On that regard, so far as I can tell Cain is fine, I believe Perry, Santorum, and Bachmann also pass that standard with flying colors.

Heck, the only reason Perry gets attacked on those matters is because he was a leader for 10 years, so he has a record. But his record is one of solid accomplishments, with a couple of questionable decisions. We have no idea how many questionable decisions Cain would make if he ever had the chance to be in power.

Look at Allen West. Solid conservative, darling of the tea party, but once elected, voted for, and lobbied for support of, the debt ceiling bill. Lots of people here got really upset at him for that.

Cain of course supported TARP. If he had been in the senate, he would have voted for TARP, so he'd have that major ding against him in the record. That's the one we know for sure about. What others would there be?