We've heard a lot about the alleged experience gap between the two mainstream presidential candidates in the upcoming U.S. election. So I thought I would take a look at the facts.
McCain clearly has much more Washington experience than Obama. 30 yrs vs 4. He is also 72 years old (and would be the oldest person ever elected to the office should he win). Obama is 47, which land him a several years short of the historical average - just a year older than Clinton was when he assumed the office.
Three of the youngest presidents we have had are: Teddy Roosevelt, John Kennedy and Bill Clinton. Though generally well-respected, all three of these presidents fit more comfortably in the 'controversial' category, and were all basically moderate (by the standards of their times) democrats.
Abe Lincoln was in and out of politics throughout most of his adult life, but only served for four years in the federal legislature prior to winning the presidency. Like Obama, Mr. Lincoln served most of his political time in the Illinois state legislature, and came to politics from a legal career.
James Buchanan - arguably the worst president in U.S. history (though it will likely be a good ten years or so before any of the recent presidents will be considered competition for this honor) had almost as much experience as McCain, and is generally considered to be the most experienced career politician the U.S. has elected to the presidency.
Gerry Ford, Richard Nixon and George H.W. Bush also rate highly in terms of Washington insider experience. Interestingly - all republicans. I won't comment on their records.
George H.W. Bush also joins Buchanan, William Henry Harrison, Reagan, Eisenhower and Truman in the list of oldest elected presidents. - A mixed bag to be sure.
George Washington, though well-known as a military and political leader throughout the revolution, had little actual experience as a politician and disliked the label.
Yes, the U.S.A. is a very different country today than it was in 18th and 19th centuries. And yes, the consolidation of power in political parties was something that most of the country's founders resisted early on. But has politics itself really changed that much?
It seems to me that age and experience are not clear-cut indicators of performance or appropriate decision-making when it comes to the executive branch.
Any thoughts?
Tags: