Qualified for President?
The statements are bantered about: “He is qualified, he is not qualified. This leads me to ask: “What are the qualifications to be President of the United States?” The Constitution of the United States says the President must be a natural born citizen, at least 35 years old, and an inhabitant of the United States for at least 14 years. The only other qualification mentioned is in Amendment 22 that limits a President to two terms.
So, what qualifications have past Presidents had? We have had some who were military officers, some who had served as governor of a state, and some who have served the Senate or House of Representatives. Did any of those experiences satisfy most Americans of their qualifications? Ulysses. S. Grant was a successful general, Jimmy Carter was Governor of Georgia, Richard Nixon was a congressman and Vice President yet many people claim they we poor presidents.
Abraham Lincoln was never a general, governor or senator and served only one term in the House of Representatives, yet most people would count him as one of our greatest Presidents.
It is clear to me that whether a person is “qualified” to be President is a matter of opinion. I think a President must be our leader. A leader should have our confidence, inspire us, should be able to stimulate our imagination and excite our dreams. Such qualities are not best judged by a list of jobs held. These qualities constitute personal traits, talents, gifts. Maybe the best qualification for President is character.