On January 17, 2008, David Broder had a "fascinating" observation:
But it was also stunning to realize that the three current and former senators who have survived the shakeout process -- Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards -- have not a day of chief executive experience among them.
This was a serious problem.
You see:
In the past, voters have preferred to entrust the White House to those with executive credentials.
Broder hit on a real dilemma for the Democrats. The lack of "executive experience":
places an unusually heavy burden on the three Democrats to show they can do more than talk a good game of leadership -- and actually lead.
snip
The burden of proof of readiness to be president is heaviest on those who have never borne executive responsibility. And that is something voters will have to weigh, whichever of the Democrats is the nominee.
And that's because:
the public remains convinced that the Oval Office is a place for executive talents -- which makes the current Democratic field something of an anomaly.
And Broder wasn't just talkin' the talk. He backed it up:
Romney's comeback victory in Michigan on Tuesday reflects that bias [for executive talents]. He began to regain his footing after Iowa, when he subordinated his ideological claim to being the conservative champion in favor of portraying himself as a tough-minded executive....He drew a useful contrast to "broken" Washington, the home base of Sen. McCain and two of his three Democratic colleagues -- Obama and Clinton. Edwards is a former senator.
Huckabee had made a similar case for himself, citing his decade of leadership in Arkansas. And Giuliani had asserted a record of accomplishment in rescuing New York from fiscal crisis and reducing the city's crime and welfare rates.
Romney, Huckabee, Giuliani. It IS true. The public prefers candidates with executive experience.
But wait! Romney and Giuliani are out of it, and Huckabee almost so. The next president of the United States is going to be a sitting senator--Clinton, Obama or McCain. Does that mean that the Democrats have a fighting chance against McCain on the issue of executive experience?
John McCain, as he likes to remind audiences, commanded the largest squadron in the Navy air wing.
Oh, David Broder. You really are the "wise man of bloviation."