Barack Obama has inserted himself into the debate as to who has the most experience: he, or Sarah Palin.

As the head of the Democrats’ ticket, he should view himself above such a question, and focus only on his credentials to lead. Instead, he has again made the issue of experience the campaign meme, which is a factor he is going to lose time and time again, especially since he is not running against Sarah Palin for president.

This is playing out like I envisioned, and opposite to how the punditry on a sordid series of cable news shows predicted. Whatever experience Palin lacks does not take the issue off the campaign table. If Obama confronts it, it places the issue squarely in front of the voters. If he thinks that Palin is inexperienced, and pushes that attack (like he did in his initial press release on Friday), a rational voter must then wonder what he thinks of his own life preparation for the White House. If she is “inexperienced”, then what is he? Slightly less inexperienced? More inexperienced? Or perhaps it’s a wash?

Whatever way you choose, John McCain comes out ahead. And with the economy improving, Iraq becoming more secure daily, and oil prices still trending southward, experience begins to trump change. And even still, with Palin on the ticket, change is no longer the sole provisio of Lord Obama. Even if the sycophants on MSNBC won’t acknowledge it, he and his campaign certainly realize his candidacy is in trouble.