Are You Experienced?

Scott Hardie | December 11, 2007
I have no doubt that running a city is difficult work, and that's especially true for a major, fractitious metropolis like New York. But does one's experience as a big-city mayor make one more qualified to be president, than, say, a state governor? The work of a governor covers a much larger territory with the conflicting demands of county governments, not to mention adherence to a state constitution and legislature. And what of a member of Congress? Is not their experience in Washington, working at the highest levels of the federal government, worth more than a mayor's background?

I ask this because Rudy Giuliani's appeal as a candidate continues to elude me, beyond the goodwill he mustered during his good days in NYC. He's too soft on social issues for his conservative base to support him, not to mention his adultery. As for the rest of the voters, blogger Matthew Baldwin put it best: "He eats power for breakfast, and shits crazy in the afternoon." This has been the conservative front-runner for most of the election so far?

And just today, now that Huckabee is surging ahead, comes a poll in which conservative voters rank former state governor Huckabee fourth in experience that would qualify him to be president. Third is former state governor Mitt Romney, who knows a thing or two about dealing with a liberal legislature. Second is current senator John McCain. Topping the list, you guessed it: Rudy Giuliani. A former mayor. His other experience includes being an attorney and businessman. He didn't even run for the U.S. Senate after flirting with the idea.

So please, someone tell me how Rudy Giuliani is the most experienced candidate on the right. Most famous, sure; most likeable, that can be debated. But most qualified? I'm baffled.

Tony Peters | December 12, 2007
experience wise I think a NYC mayor is more experienced than the governor of a small state like Arkansas. The population of NYC alone is 4 times that of the whole state of Arkansas. Now I like Huckabee but the guy is a bit out there and unlike the last Governor from that state he doesn't have the Charisma to make up for his wacky views....McCain is unelectable but likely the most experienced and Romney??? I don't trust him or his cultish religion. I didn't when he was running Massachusettes and nothing has changed since then....Rudy has a Machine working for him that is similar to the Clinton Machine....without that machine he wouldn't be anywhere near as popular as he is....