In yesterday's musing, I mentioned that James Buchanan was arguably the most qualified person elected to the presidency. Didn't President Obama recently opine during the election that Hillary Clinton was the most qualified? Let's consider.
James Buchanan was born in Pennsylvania in 1791. After graduating college with honors in 1809, he studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1812. He was a highly paid lawyer through the rest of the decade. Though opposed to the War of 1812, he volunteered when Maryland was invaded and took part in the Defense of Baltimore. Soon thereafter, he was elected as a member of the Pennsylvania House, where he served for 2 years (1814 to 1816). In 1821, he was elected to Congress and served for 10 years, the last two as the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. In 1832, President Andrew Jackson appointed him as the Minister to Russia. Shortly after returning from Russia, he became a Senator for Pennsylvania (1834 to 1845). When James Knox Polk was elected to the Presidency in 1844, he offered Buchanan a nomination to the Supreme Court! Buchanan declined and instead served as Secretary of State. The Polk years (1845 to 1849) were exciting ones for foreign policy, involving both a war with Mexico and resolving the Oregon Question with England. Polk had stated his intention to serve only one term. When Franklin Pierce was elected in 1852, he appointed Buchanan to be the Minister to the United Kingdom (1853 to 1856). With this immense depth of experience, Buchanan then failed spectacularly as the 15th president of the United States (1857-1861). Like George H. W. Bush, Buchanan wasn't particularly interested in domestic affairs and really wanted to tinker on the world stage.
James Buchanan was born in Pennsylvania in 1791. After graduating college with honors in 1809, he studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1812. He was a highly paid lawyer through the rest of the decade. Though opposed to the War of 1812, he volunteered when Maryland was invaded and took part in the Defense of Baltimore. Soon thereafter, he was elected as a member of the Pennsylvania House, where he served for 2 years (1814 to 1816). In 1821, he was elected to Congress and served for 10 years, the last two as the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. In 1832, President Andrew Jackson appointed him as the Minister to Russia. Shortly after returning from Russia, he became a Senator for Pennsylvania (1834 to 1845). When James Knox Polk was elected to the Presidency in 1844, he offered Buchanan a nomination to the Supreme Court! Buchanan declined and instead served as Secretary of State. The Polk years (1845 to 1849) were exciting ones for foreign policy, involving both a war with Mexico and resolving the Oregon Question with England. Polk had stated his intention to serve only one term. When Franklin Pierce was elected in 1852, he appointed Buchanan to be the Minister to the United Kingdom (1853 to 1856). With this immense depth of experience, Buchanan then failed spectacularly as the 15th president of the United States (1857-1861). Like George H. W. Bush, Buchanan wasn't particularly interested in domestic affairs and really wanted to tinker on the world stage.
Hillary Clinton graduated from Wellesley with honors in 1969 and earned her Juris Doctor from Yale in 1973. She served as an attorney for the Children's Defense Fund (established 1973). In 1974, she advised the House Judiciary Committee during Watergate. She became First Lady of Arkansas (1979 to 1981 and 1983 to 1992). During this period, she was a highly-paid lawyer at the Rose Law Firm. When her husband was elected president, she followed him to Washington where she became First Lady (1993 to 2001). She managed the healthcare overhaul that failed so badly as to trigger the Republican wave of 1994 in which the Democrats lost the House for the first time in 40 years! Her first elective office was that of New York Senator (2001 to 2009), where she served on many committees but chaired none. She served as President Obama's first Secretary of State (2009 to 2013), a tenure overshadowed by the collapse of Libya and American deaths in Benghazi.
Looks like a hands down victory for Buchanan and he proved to be a disaster as president. Of course, the man who followed Buchanan had a thin resume by comparison, having served only 2 years in Congress and 8 in the Illinois House of Representatives. On paper, Lincoln has less governmental experience than either of these two highly qualified individuals but is regularly rated among the best presidents, if not the best. Government experience is not as valuable as one might expect.
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