If Mr Obama had picked a less experienced man-tim Kaine, the governor of Virginia, another swing state, for example-they would be mocking the Democratic ticket as lightweight.

如果奥巴马选择了一个缺乏经验的人-比如说另一个摇摆州弗吉尼亚的州长汤姆·凯恩-他们又会说这对候选人组合份量不够。