My Sun-Times column this week is about Barack Obama’s possible run for the presidency. There is much more to it than the excerpt here so go read the whole thing before you comment, please. I chose this excerpt because the issue of Obama’s experience has been so hotly debated in the comment section and around the nation.

The experience issue is less of a problem for me. Abraham Lincoln’s sole governmental experience was eight years in the Illinois House and just two years in Congress, yet he was one of our greatest presidents. Besides, more “experience” wallowing through the disgusting cesspool that is Washington may only hurt Obama, not help him.

According to Tom Schwartz, the Illinois state historian, 19th century voters didn’t view politics as a profession, so they didn’t expect presidential candidates like Lincoln to have extensive political experience. The issue never came up in the 1860 campaign, Schwartz said.

After telling Schwartz that I was trying hard not to add to the hype by comparing Lincoln to Obama, Schwartz shared some surprising thoughts.

‘’What Lincoln brought to the presidency, which was very much needed at the time . . . [was] a very fine ear for listening to the public’s concerns and then being able to articulate responses that created consensus that was able to move the country forward in positive ways,'’ Schwartz said. Schwartz then said that he saw a direct comparison to Obama’s calls for unity and the way Obama had sparked so much interest from people who normally don’t care for politics.

As I make clear in the column, the main sticking point for me is the Rezko land deal. Eric Krol has more on that angle in his column today.

Potential script for a new TV campaign ad, probably viewable only in January 2008 in Iowa, New Hampshire and on YouTube:

Cue bouncy music, something along the lines of 1950s advertisements or the “Leave it To Beaver” theme. Voice-over from a paternal-sounding announcer … “Meet Barack Obama. He bought a $1.65 million mansion. Meet his neighbor, Tony Rezko, indicted on major federal corruption charges that he traded his influence with a politician for kickbacks.” (Note: don’t mention that the politician is actually Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, not Obama. This is a campaign ad, after all.)

“Senator Obama couldn’t quite afford both that house and the well-groomed vacant lot next door, so he persuaded the seller to give him a $300,000 discount on the house. But his savvy and sleazy real estate developer friend, Rezko, cheerily offered to pay full price for that empty lot. Now they’re neighbors.”

Music turns dramatic, as does announcer’s tone. “Indicted pals. Insider real estate deals. Is this the type of politician you want to elect president?”