# What's the absolute minimum experience a Presidential candidate must have? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [February 28, 2015, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-absolute-minimum-experience-a-presidential-candidate-must-have/713835 "2015-02-28T06:11:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-absolute-minimum-experience-a-presidential-candidate-must-have/713835/61 "2015-03-10T14:05:02Z")
I think enough people feel that way that it has been a problem for Senators to get elected in the past. Both Senators who became President in the post-war era were unusually charismatic. I think the odds of a rather ordinary Senator succeeding is pretty slim. So I do think that experience matters in campaigns if it’s the right experience. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-absolute-minimum-experience-a-presidential-candidate-must-have/713835/62 "2015-03-10T14:09:18Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > It’s a cherry picked fact, but a fairly compelling one. No it’s not, because you left out plenty of relevant info that would invalidate the assertion. > [@](#): > > Only one legal major has been a popular President in the post-war era. Three non-legal majors have been popular Presidents. Of the unpopular Presidents, one did not have a college degree, three had non-law degrees, and three had law degrees. > > So to sum up: > > Non-law, 3 popular Presidents, 3 unpopular Presidents > Law, 1 popular President, 3 unpopular Presidents. > > So while it was my opinion, it wasn’t entirely pulled out of my ass. Looking at those numbers, it was mostly pulled out of your ass. FDR - lawyer (popular and considered a very good president) Truman – not a lawyer, and no degree, but he did serve as a county judge (considered a good president, even if he wasn’t very popular) Ike – not a lawyer (considered good president) JFK – not a lawyer (considered a good and very popular president) LBJ – briefly attended law school, not a lawyer (polarizing views on whether good or bad) Nixon – lawyer (not widely considered a good president) Ford – lawyer (not widely considered a good president) Carter – not a lawyer (not widely considered a good president) Reagan – not a lawyer (widely popular, polarizing view on whether good or bad) Bush 1 – not a lawyer (not widely considered a good president) Clinton – lawyer (widely popular, polarizing views on whether good or bad) Bush 2 – not a lawyer (very unpopular and poorly considered) Obama – lawyer (mixed popularity, polarizing views) Looking at all of this, and considering other admired presidents like Lincoln, there is no obvious correlation whatsoever. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-absolute-minimum-experience-a-presidential-candidate-must-have/713835/63 "2015-03-10T14:12:29Z")
three of your last four lawyers: two “not widely considered a good President”, the last, “polarizing”. With a 44% approval rating and not regarded by the public as either honest or competent. I’m not arguing that it’s a black and white thing, but my argument is not completely baseless. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-absolute-minimum-experience-a-presidential-candidate-must-have/713835/64 "2015-03-10T14:23:33Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > three of your last four lawyers: two “not widely considered a good President”, the last, “polarizing”. With a 44% approval rating and not regarded by the public as either honest or competent. This is just cherry-picking poll data. Gallup has him at 47% approval, and his favorability rating (different than “approval”) has been in the + for most of his time in office. You still don’t seem capable of honestly and objectively discussing Obama. You’re unable to overcome your personal negative feelings. > [@](#): > > I’m not arguing that it’s a black and white thing, but my argument is not completely baseless. If the best you can say about your own post is “not completely baseless”, then you should really set a much higher standard for yourself. The assertion was, at best, almost completely baseless. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-absolute-minimum-experience-a-presidential-candidate-must-have/713835/65 "2015-03-10T14:32:27Z")
I think posters can judge from the data you provided whether lawyers make better Presidents or not. I think most would come tentatively to the conclusion I did. at the very least, we should be getting a wider variety of backgrounds than we do. There’s just no good reason for half our Presidents and politicians in general to be lawyers. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-absolute-minimum-experience-a-presidential-candidate-must-have/713835/66 "2015-03-10T14:46:51Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > I think posters can judge from the data you provided whether lawyers make better Presidents or not. I think most would come tentatively to the conclusion I did. I seriously doubt that. > [@](#): > > at the very least, we should be getting a wider variety of backgrounds than we do. There’s just no good reason for half our Presidents and politicians in general to be lawyers. This is a fine and reasonable assertion. Why not stick to those, and not incredibly lazy, half-assed assertions based on cherry-picked information? ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-absolute-minimum-experience-a-presidential-candidate-must-have/713835/67 "2015-03-10T18:01:35Z")
I’d prefer a presidential candidate to have spent some time overseas, whether on business, serving in the military, even Peace Corps. Just some idea of life in other countries would be nice. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-absolute-minimum-experience-a-presidential-candidate-must-have/713835.md?page=3)