The Weekly Standard has a fairly detailed, and relatively sympathetic, review of Barack Obama's books, particularly his earlier autobiographical one.
The overall feeling you get, though, is that his life experiences so far mean that he is not exactly ready for the Presidency.
My only thought on this is that no one is every ready for the Presidency (or Prime Ministership).
ReplyDeleteThese are not jobs that anyone really has suitable pre-requisites or experience.
Same with becoming a CEO. It's not simply a step to the top of the ladder.
These are jobs you only learn once you get there, even for those who have carefully planned and fulfilled what they believe to be the perfect CV progressions.
Nothing really prepares people for these jobs.
I'd almost argue that too many decades as a politician is almost the worst "preparation" - they're a too sullied and blinkered by the time they get to the top job.
.... should have read "ever ready" ....
ReplyDeleteI take your point, Caz, up to a point. Many US Presidents have the background of being a state Govenor, and at least you can see that that job often has a "life and death" seriousness about it (especially in those States where they are able to stop executions!)
ReplyDeleteAlso, at least with a longer time in politics, their personality and behaviour under pressure may be more apparent for all to see.
Yes, certainly agree with your points too.
ReplyDeleteIn America they have more opportunity to be genuinely tested though, with real authority and real power.
For us, what you see is people in "opposition", rather than actually running anything, so it's all hyperthetical and bluster, they don't have to be responsible for anything other than making a lot of noise. The risk is much greater in our system.