Why do people say that Barack Obama lacks experience to be President?

I think it is unfair to say that Senator Obama lacks the experience needed to be President. Obama is currently 45. Bill Clinton was elected President at age 46. If Obama were elected President in November 2008, he would have served four years (out of a six year term) as a US Senator. He also served as an Illinois State Senator for 8 years. John Edwards, on the other hand, has served as a US Senator for six years, and has had no other experience in public office. So why do people keep saying that Barack Obama lacks the experience to be President?

Public Comments

1. Obama lacks the experience to be Senator He would make a decent principal of a mid-sized elementary school. Thats about the extent of his qualifications.
2. Because he does lack experience. I would not want Obama to be our President.
3. Because aside from third-grade insults about his name, or lies about his religion, the right-wing has no other ammunition to use against him.
4. "I think it is unfair to say that Senator Obama lacks the experience needed to be President." I disagree with that. I think we can say BOTH Edwards and Obama are not qualified. And neither is Hillary for that matter.
5. He has almost as much senate experience as Hillary and probably did a better job for his constituents.
6. Because he's a threat and people want to find the easiest way to discredit him.
7. Mostly because being a state senator gives them no experience to speak of in federal matters. A U.S. senator has a hard enough time claiming their experience warrants consideration for the Presidency, but being a state senator is even worse as far as credentials go.
8. Rascism, perhaps? Obama's mother was Muslim. Perhaps people are trying to find any reason to put him down, and inexperience is one of them.
9. Politically, Obama is a lightweight. Just like Edwards is.
10. Because they can't find anything else to criticize him for. As you pointed out, the charge of inexperience is pretty lame, but it's all they've got.
11. Because he doesn't stand anywhere. Have you watched him in any debates? If you did, you would understand why people think he isn't experienced enough. Edit: Why do people state information that is FALSE. Ayah is WRONG....Obama's mother wasn't Muslim. She was white American. His father was a African Muslim. I read his bio.
12. Bill Clinton had run for Congress, had been Attorney General and also served as governor which in today politcal scene gives one a better tag to president since it is a executive level job also unlike a Senator. Plus Clinton's educational experience in Oxford was in government besides his service as an intern to a US Senator, he had much more experience to be president than Obama. Obama and Edwards are both very weak in experience at the national level when it comes to foreign policy and defense which wil be a major issue in this next race.
13. Looking at the top three candidates for the Democratic party, you have a former 1st lady, who served in congress and two first term senators. The no experience tag won;t stay infact that might work in his favor because the more connected you are in D.C. the more dirty you become. Ask someone like Duke Cunnigham or Mark Foley what being connected in DC means.
14. John F Kennedy was only 43 when he was elected. George Walker Bush had no experience as president when he was elected. John Edwards spent most of his 6 years as a senator, campaigning for President and vice president.