Begs a pretty good question!

So one of our esteemed followers here brought up Ilham Omar's resume (garnering it word by word from Wikipedia). Apparently this was done because he found it impressive. To be clear, Omar graduated from one of the worst High Schools in Minnesota, and there is no mention of any honors or scholastic achievement. That being said, if she actually graduated from Edison with the ability to read, write, and do basic math we could call it a win.

Omar went on to go to North Dakota State University (Go Fighting Sioux - oops I mean Fighting Hawks) where she, um, graduated. Again, no mention of academic achievement or anything else. North Dakota State University is one of the most prestigious and well thought of schools in the country, if you want to go there to play hockey. Otherwise, not so much.

Lastly she went to the Humphrey School of Public Affairs. This is a basically a political science school, dominated and dedicated to people working in and around politics (mostly local Minnesota Democrats). Most people go there part time while working in or around politics. It can be a difficult place to get into, but not necessarily because you need good academics. Had Omar not been Somali or Muslim, it's unlikely she would have otherwise been offered a spot.

Lastly, Omar's professional political experience was that she worked for a State Senator in the capacity of a campaign Manager. Personally knowing someone who also works for a State Senator, I know that the State Senate budget only allows for one employee. So whatever it is that you want to call her, she was no different than the "one employee" of every State Senator here in Minnesota. Campaign manager. Chief of staff. Secretary. Errand boy. All the same job.

For the record, the person I know who works for a State Senator graduated near the top of his class in what is considered one of the best High Schools in Minnesota, graduated from a prestigious private college here in the Midwest, and also was accepted to the Humphrey School. But, there is nobody knocking down his door, trying to get him to run for Congress (or even State Congress).

All of this begs the question. What made Omar so special, as to go from "working" for a State Senator to becoming a Congresswomen representing Minnesotans in Washington? Why, for instance, was an employee working for a State Senator chosen "over" the actual State Senator she worked "for" as the logical person to be running for a Congressional Seat? What made Omar so qualified to be that person who made such a daunting leap from lowest level political grunt to being one of the few people in Washington who now have a majority name recognition nationally?

Was it her immigrating here under a false last name? Was it that degree from Edison? Was it that degree from NDSU? Was it marrying her gay brother? Was it that experience working for a State Senator? Was it the fact that she has no understanding of American marriage laws? Was it the fact that she has no understanding of American tax laws?

Or was it perhaps the concept that she is an immigrant who wears a hijab?

Either way, it all begs a pretty good question! A question that has an obvious answer.