Is political experience necessary to run for a major office

[LynneSin]

Poll question: Is political experience necessary to run for a major office

I'm not talking about the local stuff, but someone who is running for a major office (we'll consider any position that is elected statewide: Governor, US Senate, President, etc).

Is politican experience necessary before you can run for a major office?

[goobergunch]

1. Yes if it's a competitive race...

I don't care as much if it's a "second-tier" race.

[CMT]

2. I tend to prefer someone who has a record in elective office

As Sam Rayburn once said of some of the aides around JFK, "it would be nice if one of them actually ran for sheriff" becuz he found them to be ineffective due to a lack of political know-how.

[mjb4]

3. Not in America -- land of the stupid

...

[Feanorcurufinwe]

4. Not enough choices.

[burr]

17. Experience helps...

but it isn't everything.

In states where the Democrats hold few or no state offices, officeseekers need to provide the voters with an alternative vision of the incumbent party.

Unfortunately, the state Democratic party in Georgia is more concerned with holding office in the short term than presenting a long term vision for how to govern the state. The state Party puts holding the state House and winning back the state Senate above winning back Congressional seats or even winning Zell Miller's Senate seat.

Winning back the State Senate is crucial, but not at the expense of opposing much needed state tax increases and avoiding issues like natural gas deregulation. The Democrats cannot hold the State House on tradition alone, they need an agenda. Finally they need a strategy to win the two competitive Congressional districts, and to make winning this open U.S. Senate seat a priority.

<http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/insider/index.html>

[_NorCal_D_]

5. Generally, I think that

heart is much more important than experience.

[NewJerseyDem]

6. I prefer experience

However, isn't a requirement. I am sometimes a little bothered by rich businessmen who think that they are completely qualified to run for senate or governor. However, my two senators, Corzine and Lautenberg, are very good senators and neither had held any elective office before their election to the senate. I think it would be better if they started in the House or in the state legislature.

[Kahuna]

11. Two excellent examples of how two people without..

political experience ran to do good for the country. And they are two of the best senators in the senate.

Go Corzine and Lautenberg! You do NJ very proud! :bounce:

[LynneSin]

12. I absolutely adore Jon Corzine

And I forgot Lautenberg was experienced himself.

Biden spent 2 years as a County Commissioner, which isn't a whole lot of experience. Wellstone was very experienced in politics either.

[DrFunkenstein]

7. The "Manager" Theory

This is the idea that a political leader doesn't need to be involved in the sordid details of legislation, but should be able to manage a team of smarty-pants effectively. I don't buy it.

[ewagner]

8. Pol experience not necessary

Just the so-called "skill sets" of a politician.

Sincerity
People person
energy
quick witted
indefatigable
more, but they escape me at the moment
Oh yeah! Good memory!

[Avalux]

9. by political experience

do you mean held office previously? The reason I ask is because there are other ways to define political experience. If I may refer to Wesley Clark. As an army general, he was not an elected official. However, he has dealt with many who have held office in this country and other countries. He has negotiated with military and civilian leaders alike. Being the commander of NATO gave him the experience needed, IMHO, to be president. He also has a master's degree in politics.
The only thing the man doesn't have experience in is running a campaign. After yesterday on CNN though, don't think he'll have a problem catching on.

[LynneSin]

13. Technically Clark has no political experience

and this isn't being critical of Clark. If he runs he'd be #2 on my list (I'm still a Dean fan). Political experience should be any office a person actually ran in a public election for (my years as Student Council Secretary probably don't count)

[Warpy]

10. There are two ways

...to look at this. Either you think anyone with political experience is likely to be a party hack who has lost touch with ordinary mortals, which is all too likely; or you think an idealistic neophyte will get into the office having no idea what he can and cannot do and have to rely on advice from party hacks who have lost all touch with ordinary mortals.

Once in a great while you may get a talented amateur or a committed professional. These are the folks who need our support.

[samsingh]

14. experience is necessary

to be effective once elected.

[VermontDem2004]

15. I think Governor, US Senate, and President require political experience

but not someone who is running for US congress, but I voted yes on the poll.

[LynneSin]

16. But what if your experience is real world?

Running a Fortune 500 business, Heading up a non-profit organization or (thinking of Wesley Clark), being a general in the army.

These offices were never designed for lifetime appointments but an opportunity for anyone to run for political office.

[Mairead]

18. That's where fascism comes in

[VermontDem2004]

19. Like Bush?

Who ran 2 oil grouds into the ground including a major one, Harken energy. What about evicted hundreds of taxpayers out of their homes so Bush could build a stadium. A General is a huge + and can beat Bush, but if someone wants to vote based on what they are going to do in the future, they need to be able to see what he has done politically in the past.

[LynneSin]

21. Or like Jon Corzine

I mean, that whole "business experience" is a crap shoot when you get right down to it. (His experience: former co-chairman and co-chief executive officer of the investment company Goldman Sachs. And BTW, never bust on my dude Jon Corzine - he's one of my favorites in DC)

[GreenArrow]

20. Professional politicians are one main problems in this country

The Constitution requires that a candidate for the presidency must be a "natural-born" citizen of the United States, at least 35 years of age, and a resident of the United States for at least 14 years.

Basically what it comes down to is money and connections--the "old boy network" that is currently driving this country to Hell. We need 100 percent public financing of elections now.