# Can we end up with another "Jimmy Carter"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 6, 2008, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-end-up-with-another-jimmy-carter/462346 "2008-09-06T15:35:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-end-up-with-another-jimmy-carter/462346/81 "2008-10-01T19:35:06Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > So anybody ever elected to the Senate is qualified for the White House, based on that alone? Uh-_huh_. > > Regards, > Shodan Well, so far that is John McCain’s stand on it. Hell, He doesn’t think his running mate needs any experiance at all! ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-end-up-with-another-jimmy-carter/462346/82 "2008-10-01T19:57:21Z")
> [@Algorithm](#): > > Look, why is this so hard for you? People are refuting your assertion that Obama’s first encounter with “political reality” will be in the Oval Office. It isn’t hard for me at all. Going thru a political campaign is something that every single solitary candidate for the Oval Office has done. And it has almost nothing to do with the process of being President. Being President is the “political reality” that Obama faces. Not campaigning. Not writing a book. The actual process of being the guy in charge of something big. He’s never done that. McCain has done that. Palin has done that. Obama has not. It’s like a job interview. “What experience do you have running a grocery store?” “Well, I filled out the application form, and I went thru the interviews with HR.” “That’s not qualifications.” “Well, they were really tough interviews!” Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![R.P.McMurphy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@R.P.McMurphy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R.P.McMurphy)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-end-up-with-another-jimmy-carter/462346/83 "2008-10-01T21:28:29Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > It isn’t hard for me at all. Going thru a political campaign is something that every single solitary candidate for the Oval Office has done. And it has almost nothing to do with the process of being President. > > Being President is the “political reality” that Obama faces. Not campaigning. Not writing a book. The actual process of being the guy in charge of something big. > > He’s never done that. McCain has done that. Palin has done that. Obama has not. > > It’s like a job interview. “What experience do you have running a grocery store?” > > “Well, I filled out the application form, and I went thru the interviews with HR.” > > “That’s not qualifications.” > > “Well, they were really tough interviews!” > > Regards, > Shodan Mind Wide Shut. End of discussion. Might as well lock the thread. ---
**Author:** ![Algorithm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/algorithm/32/12204_2.png) [@Algorithm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algorithm)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-end-up-with-another-jimmy-carter/462346/84 "2008-10-02T02:45:42Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > It isn’t hard for me at all. You completely sidestepped the point that Obama has been involved in state level and national level politics. Are you asserting that serving in the State Senate of Illinois and the U.S. Senate does not expose one to “political reality”? ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-end-up-with-another-jimmy-carter/462346/85 "2008-10-02T19:38:54Z")
> [@Algorithm](#): > > You completely sidestepped the point that Obama has been involved in state level and national level politics. No I have not. Obama’s national experience, as mentioned previously, consists of losing a race for the House, and part of a term in the Senate. His experience at performing the kinds of tasks typically expected from an executive, at any level, is zero. > [@](#): > > . Are you asserting that serving in the State Senate of Illinois and the U.S. Senate does not expose one to “political reality”? I am asserting that serving in the state Senate of Illinois and the US Senate does not expose one to the kind of tasks typically performed by an executive. The Presidency is an executive position. Obama’s executive experience at the national level - zero. At the state level - zero. In the military - zero. In business - zero. Would you like to continue to argue the notion that running for President is executive experience? Then McCain has roughly twice the executive experience from that source alone. So does Lyndon LaRouche. Would you agree that he has executive experience? Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Algorithm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/algorithm/32/12204_2.png) [@Algorithm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algorithm)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2008, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-end-up-with-another-jimmy-carter/462346/86 "2008-10-03T04:01:51Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Would you like to continue to argue the notion that running for President is executive experience? You’re implying I’ve done so in the first place, which I have not. Just define what you think “political reality” means and why Obama has not been exposed to it. That’s all I want. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-end-up-with-another-jimmy-carter/462346.md?page=4)