Editorial | Our Primary picks: Clinton and McCain

Hillary Clinton has the experience necessary to achieve her vision

Pennsylvania Democrats are confronted with a tragedy of riches: two incredibly appealing candidates for their Party's nomination.

We want to believe that Sen. Barack Obama can accomplish all he promises. His soaring rhetoric and compelling vision have inspired us and many other students.

But while Obama's charisma far outshines that of Sen. Hillary Clinton, her public service, political experience and tenacity tell us not only "Yes we can" but also "How we can." As such, we endorse Clinton for the Democratic Party's nomination for president.

Our endorsement is not a rejection of Obama's leadership qualities. But choosing the president of the United States is too important a decision to make based on hope alone. After finishing his term in the Senate and better showing us what he can do for the American people, Obama could one day be a remarkable president.

Clinton, on the other hand, is ready to lead this nation now. A successful champion for change, her experience in the Senate and as first lady gives her a better understanding of how Washington works. She has the ability to turn policy into reality. And her mastery of causes central to the Democratic Party's platform makes her better suited to challenge presumptive Republican nominee John McCain.

Take her leadership on health-care issues. In 1993, then-first lady Clinton urged America to embrace universal health care during her keynote speech at Penn's commencement. Unfortunately, she was far ahead of the times. Her proposal was met with fierce resistance and ultimately rejected.

Refusing to give up, Clinton helped to expand children's health insurance in the late 90's instead. More than a decade later, her new policies - and the concept of universal health care itself - enjoy wider support because of her past work. Indeed, of all the candidates still in the race, she offers the most comprehensive health care proposal. And as with most of her plans, she also has a way to fund it.

Some doubt Clinton's ability to bring the country together. But, in New York, her senatorial campaigns united a surprisingly wide coalition of supporters across political and socioeconomic boundaries. She can do the same this November.

Others are concerned with her support for the Iraq War Resolution. But since then, she has pressed the Bush administration for accountability and demanded a responsible end to the war. She also has far more exposure to national security and foreign policy.

Ultimately, we are confident in Clinton's ability to implement her agenda. It's this quality that has brought leaders like Mayor Michael Nutter and Governor Ed Rendell to her side. And it's this quality that convinces us to support her as well.

John McCain is a principled and independent leader

By now, Senator John McCain has all but locked up the Republican nomination.

But we were rooting for him all along.

As one of the few Republican candidates to recognize the problem of global warming, understand the promises of stem-cell research and take a principled stand against torture, McCain has often openly defied his Party's conservative base.

That independence and willingness to cross party lines is attractive to a generation tired of partisan bickering in the White House and on Capitol Hill.

More importantly, McCain's unparalleled foreign policy experience put him head-and-shoulders above the other Republican candidates in the field.

The Arizona senator not only criticized the failed Rumsfeld strategy early-on in the Iraq War, but also supported a politically unpopular surge that later proved successful.

In short, McCain has the experience and credibility necessary to lead our country in the War on Terror without tarnishing America's image abroad.

It's not just that McCain's policies often appeal to people on both sides of the political aisle.

The Senator has also brought a much-needed sense of honesty and candor to the 2008 election season.

During his visit here last November, McCain wasn't afraid to give straight answers or admit that he disagreed with students on certain issues. After all, there's a reason they call his campaign the Straight Talk Express.

His personality is reflected in his steadfast (and sometimes obstinate) stance on the Iraq War. Still, it's refreshing to see a leader who is willing to stand up for his principles, even when those principles become unpopular.

With high registration and turnout numbers for Democrats, an unpopular incumbent and a faltering economy, many pundits have argued that the Arizona Senator faces an uphill battle.

But if McCain continues to play up his foreign-policy credentials and capture the attention of America's centrist middle, he will prove a major force to reckon with in the general election.

This is part four of a four-part series. On Monday, we had a guest column by Senator John McCain. On Tuesday, we had a guest column by Senator Hillary Clinton. On Wednesday, we had a guest piece by Senator Barack Obama.

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