Cain's gaffs highlight a genuine problem with U.S. elections....

[mike_c]

As Cain himself is apparently beginning to understand-- he's outside the loop. Well outside. His not understanding the geopolitics of the middle east, or other aspects of foreign policy beg the question: do we want all of our candidates for president to be professional politicians and career Washington insiders? Former senators? Even long time governors and mayors are likely too outbred for the "gotcha" politics of modern presidential races. But if we exclude everyone who doesn't have facile answers at hand about the current situations on the ground around the world and the minutia of U.S. policy in that regard-- or even just the broad outlines-- aren't we excluding everyone but the professional politicians we often disdain and the staff members who create insider continuity on campaign staffs? Is that a good thing? Can we bring ourselves to admit that NOT knowing the answers but being able to figure one out once in office is far more valuable than having a glib, vague response to every question?

[lbrtbell]

1. That stupid people are allowed to run? - n/t

[mike_c]

3. while that was a brilliantly succinct response, I was kind of hoping...

...that folks might read and comment on the broader question. What about smart people who don't yet have all the information they need to formulate a good answer?

[CJCRANE]

7. But the Libya situation was talked about and debated for months...

it's almost impossible not to have an opinion about it.

[csziggy]

19. By the time someone runs for President they should have good information

They may not have the national security briefings, but they should be informed on the major issues of the time, the major international players and the important issues.

The current crop of GOP candidates seem to have worked hard at staying uninformed, to be as ignorant of those things as they are. But then their predecessors stayed ignorant of facts that had been given them ("Bin Laden determined to attack the US") and made up crap to justify doing whatever the hell they wanted to do - yellow cake uranium.

[TheWraith]

25. The problem is not that Cain is an outsider to politics. It's that he's a goddamn moron.

A smart person would, prior to deciding to run for leader of the free world, take the time to educate themselves about basic things like any country the US has launched cruise missiles into, and whether they supported it.

[CJCRANE]

2. You don't need to be a politician to pay attention

to what's going on in the world.

Just look at DU...

[mike_c]

6. what proportion of DUers do you think would perform significantly better...

...than Cain or Perry in front of a couple dozen reporters, lights and cameras, etc? I'm a PRO at talking to people, and I've melted down in interviews.

[CJCRANE]

12. It isn't about nerves, it's about knowledge.

IIRC correctly Cain looked fairly relaxed in the interview.

[sibelian]

4. I don't think it's just elections you;re talking about here

Really this is a problem with the entire political process, and not just in the US.

But yes, I agree.

"gotcha" politics - I like this turn of phrase.

[AmericaIsGreat]

5. They don't have to be career politicians and this has nothing to do with "minutia"

They just have to know, overall, what's gong on in Libya and what the current president's stance is/was and how he is/was involved.

And about the right of return with respect to Israel-Palestinian conflict.

These are fairly broad concepts which, if Cain wasn't a fucking idiot, he could have answered without having to go into complex details which, understandably, few people would be able to talk about.

[mike_c]

9. not a hit and run thread but I MUST run to travel to CSU East Bay...

...to walk the picket line bright and early tomorrow morning. Solidarity!

on edit-- oops, didn't mean this as a specific reply to you! That's what being in a hurry will do!

[GaYellowDawg]

8. There's no possible way to 100% prepare for the job.

But I'd like to have someone who's as prepared as they can be before they get into office. I also think that someone who isn't curious enough about the world to be informed about it doesn't belong in office. W lacked knowledge, preparation, and curiosity about the world; although those were only contributing factors in his staggering incompetence and not the sum total, those factors sure did hurt the country.

[snagglepuss]

10. That is a very sad comment becasue it suggests that world events that

should be common knowledge are in fact known only to the few. What Cain's ignorance demostrates is the pathetic pathetic level of general knowledge. When a country is spending trillions of dollars in military spending and is active in every area of the globe every literate person taking a breathe ought to be WELL versed in what is happening outside it's borders. His ignorance is contemptible.

[Brother Buzz]

15. It's not rocket surgery

Even an illiterate person can become well versed in the happenings of the world with a little diligence and a modicum of curiosity.

[snagglepuss]

18. I totally agree. It's my bad for seeming to suggest that illiterate people

are clueless.

[madinmaryland]

11. I would have to disagree. Someone who is running for office should at least

have a general knowledge and understanding of what is going on. Using the "I gotta consult my advisors" is a copout. Either you know what's going on or you don't. And if you are running you should damn well have a position on something that has been in the news for nine months.

I don't believe that you have to a wonk like Lawrence O'Donnell or Washington insider to have the understanding to grasp the issues involved in a campaign. Maybe we are finally seeing the end of the STUPIDS running for President.

I prefer having the smartest fucking guy as President.

[izquierdista]

13. Consider Noam Chomsky, he's outside the loop

But his understanding of political topics would put most Cabinet members to shame. I would reckon there are a dozen profs on any college campus that are as well versed as Chomsky. Elizabeth Warren is one of them.

[mike_c]

22. exactly so, but Chomsky is an academic who has spent his career...

...immersed in many of the same issues as career politicians. Would that the Chomskys of the world would run for office, but absent that-- and remember, Chomsky and lots of others would then be criticized for a host of other sins, not the least of which was inhaling when they toked.

Cain is an idiot, really. But his candidacy, more than any other in recent memory, has me asking whether the American people would be able to recognize a genius in this context, or whether the career mediocrity of life-long politicians is what we're asking for, instead.

[subterranean]

14. I don't think this excludes outsiders.

Being a non-politician does not preclude knowing basic facts about events in foreign countries and U.S. foreign policy. The fact that Herman Cain is ignorant about these things does not mean all political outsiders are. Anyway, I don't think his lack of knowledge about foreign countries has hurt Cain's position among Republicans. It's the sexual harassment charges.

[noiretextatique]

16. he is not "outside the loop"...he is just ignorant

and arrogant. he has the hubris to believe he can win because he is "their black." he should be embarrassed by his lack of knowledge instead of whining about "high-tech lynching" and other nonsense.

[MedleyMisty]

17. I'm not an insider

I made friends with Libyans on Twitter and I know their situation very well. Granted, I haven't watched Western mainstream media news in over a decade and that YouTube video with Obama and Clinton talking about Libya interspersed with video of beatdowns at Occupy was the first time I'd ever seen clips of Western politicians talking about it, so I might not be too up on what Obama thought about it, but I know what Libyans think about it and I think that's more important.

It's not hard, and I don't think that just knowing some very basic kindergarten level stuff is too high of a bar when you're running for President.

[Old and In the Way]

20. I think it's possible to intelligently state you aren't up to speed on specific questions and issues

but Cain's problem is that he can't answer the question that might have him credit Obama's performance. It's not in the Republican playbook. Lets say that Obama was asked the same question and Bush was the President. I'd fully expect him to give Bush credit if he agreed with the policy or disagree with it if he did. But if he'd disagreed, he'd have a specific reason for his position...and it wouldn't be "what's Bush's position on it, again?"

[PAMod]

21. The problem with electing an incurious rube...

to be president - especially someone like Cain, who is eager to let his advisors do the thinking - is that often advisors disagree with one another.

Then the rube has to be the decider (word chosen to illustrate the point about incurious rubes in the WH.)

[mike_c]

23. that's an excellent point....

eom

[canetoad]

24. Yes, because

Being glib; having an answer, any answer whether it be true, thought-out or not, gives the impression of command.

Not really being in command, but coming up well in a sound/vid bite. Not appearing to hesitate - equals, in these days - being decisive.

Another question; what do Americans expect of their president? One third of government or a God? Despite the voices running down various monarchies, it seems to me that far greater than monarchial powers are invested in the POTUS.
Maybe only in the minds of some citizens, but you guys have built yourself a deity of a position there.

It seems to me that the office of the Presidency has lost its mojo. OK, no one person is expected to do it all, therefore must be surrounded by knowledgeable advisors. Good question you asked, wish I had answer.