Clinton's Skimpy Executive Résumé

National Review Online: Democratic Candidate Is Relatively Ill-Equipped For The Presidency

(National Review Online)  This column was written by Deroy Murdock.

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The Yellow-billed Oxpecker stands atop the mighty rhinoceros, gobbling ticks and chirping loudly when danger looms. This tiny bird would make a perfect mascot for Senator Hillary Clinton’s presidential bid. Akin to that creature, the New York Democrat leaves tiny footprints and has spent more than three decades riding aboard her outsized, accomplished husband, William Jefferson Clinton.

And, like the Oxpecker, Hillary Clinton is remarkably unprepared for the presidency. Beyond helping to secure post-September 11 recovery funds for Gotham, her legislative achievements are rather slight. Lighter yet is her executive experience, which is measurable in grams.

While Clinton has been an outspoken liberal activist since the 1960s, she never has run a business, a city, a state, or a Cabinet department. She was a partner at Little Rock’s Rose Law Firm, but did not administer it. Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families aside, she headed none of the non-profits whose boards her website says she joined.

While she conducted President Clinton’s health reform task force in 1993, the plan it concocted in secret collapsed in public. This 1,368-page prescription for government medicine quietly vanished, sparing a Democratic Congress the embarrassment of euthanizing it.

Since her 2000 election, Clinton never has chaired a Senate committee. However, she does lead the Senate Superfund and Environmental Health Subcommittee. As its website explains, the panel oversees “recycling, Federal facilities and interstate waste.”

Clinton has presided over something. She commanded the Wellesley College Republicans in 1965, and then became student-government president.

Despite repeated requests, Clinton’s campaign did not identify the executive experiences that supposedly merit her presidency.

Conversely, Clinton’s Democratic rivals display relevant résumés.

Bill Richardson was elected New Mexico’s governor in 2002. He handles a $13.7 billion budget, guides 20,816 state workers, and serves 1.9 million constituents. He was a U.S. House member between 1982 and 1996. He also gained valuable global expertise as United Nations ambassador from 1996 to 1998. Under Presidents Clinton and G.W. Bush, Richardson has negotiated nuclear issues with North Korean generals and helped free American citizens, soldiers, and dissidents from Cuba, Iraq, and Sudan. As Energy secretary from 1998 to 2000, Richardson addressed Arab-oil dependency and nuclear non-proliferation, and maintained America’s atomic arsenal.

First elected in 1972, Delaware’s Joseph Biden chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and also directed it between 2001 and 2003.

Connecticut’s Chris Dodd, elected U.S. representative in 1974 and senator in 1980, chairs the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee.

Even far-Left eccentric Rep. Dennis Kucinich was Cleveland, Ohio’s one-term mayor, years before his 1996 House win.

Elected in 2004, former Harvard Law Review president Barack Obama’s credentials are limited. Nonetheless, the Illinois senator is 2008’s “fresh face” - a phrase rarely in the same sentence with Hillary Clinton.

Clinton’s Republican competitors offer considerable executive dexterity: Rudolph W. Giuliani was mayor of New York, America’s largest city, with 8 million people. Between 1994 and 2002, he managed budgets as high as $40 billion and as many as 222,836 employees, a payroll surpassed only by Uncle Sam’s and California’s. As U.S. attorney, Giuliani supervised 130 prosecutors and some 200 support staffers between 1983 and 1989. In 2002, he launched Giuliani Partners, a security consultancy that reportedly earned tens of millions in revenues.

Mitt Romney founded Bain Capital, a prosperous enterprise, before becoming Massachusetts’ one-term governor in 2002. His final $36 billion budget funded 43,979 personnel who aided 6.4 million citizens.

Mike Huckabee was Arkansas’s governor between 1996 and 2006. His final, $15.6 billion budget financed 29,151 staffers who covered 2.8 million Arkansans.

Arizona Senator John McCain was a decorated Navy pilot and Vietnam-era POW before his 1982 U.S. House victory. He was elected senator in 1986 and has chaired the committees on Commerce and Indian Affairs.

To Clinton’s credit, she represented America as First Lady in 82 countries, perhaps her most pertinent duty. This may qualify her for secretary of State, a position she could execute with energy and discipline.

However, facing a $2.9 trillion federal budget and 5,120,688 civilian and military employees, Hillary Clinton is ill-equipped to become president of the United States, commander-in-chief of the U.S. armed forces, and leader of the free world. Her executive experience is lighter than a fistful of feathers.

[jncc1701]

I am not a supporter of any candidate yet but I find the article amusing given the godawful management mess created by our first MBA president.
IF an Ivy League MBA can''t get it done - what will :) The Republic is doomed!

[alanrobisch]

That being said, she''''s not my particular choice for the nomination, but in fairness, there is no doubt about her abilities to run a campaign or to run this government. Posted by Quatrops at 01:04 AM : Nov 21, 2007

I think you forgot her husband and I thoroughly disagree she has come up with new ideas. Her chief advantages is being a democrat and being a women. there will be many women who may not like her or who agree with most of her policies but will vote for her simply because she is a women. If she is our first women as president she will have set a bad pecedent. I have just read a oped peace by maureen dowd quite critical of her aministrative ability. Maureen dowd as you may know is a liberal columnist who writes for the NYT. In fact she calls her ascent to power as nepotism not accomplishment

[ica2101]

Mr. Murdock:

I raise my cap to you and CBS for bringing the fact that Hillary Clinton does not really, have the experience she has purposefully been deceiving the American people to believe she has, for the presidency.

However, albeit, more research on your and CBS''part would have revealed Sen. Obama''s experience in Civil Rights/Community Development in Chicago, and his years of experience as State Sen. in Illinois. Did you and CBS purposefully, leave out this information? You should have included these information in Sen. Obama''s resume, given that you mentioned Hillary Clinton''s employment with the Rose Law Firm in Arkansas.

Ignatius Anyanwu
California

[quatrops]

To answer Robisch''s question: Hillary Clinton put forth ideas that resonated with the public. She put together and supervised a staff. She found ways to energiize millions of campaign volunteers.

With all of the above, she got herself a virtual lock on the Democratic nonination. That sounds like "executive ability" to me! Have any hopeful Republicans done that?

That being said, she''s not my particular choice for the nomination, but in fairness, there is no doubt about her abilities to run a campaign or to run this government.

[kansas1946]

Akin to that creature, the New York Democrat leaves tiny footprints and has spent more than three decades riding aboard her outsized, accomplished husband, William Jefferson Clinton.
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Oh yeah. Well, your hero, George W Bush, spent four decaded riding aboard the outsized accomplisments of his daddy. That guy was so no presidential material that is was laughable. So if Hillaries mascot is an Oxpecker, Baby Bush''s should be a tape worm. At least the Oxpecker is beneficial to the ox.

[denn034]

Skimpy says it all.

[alanrobisch]

think Ms. Clinton''''s years speak as well for her as anybody elses. There is no refresher course for a job where there is only one like it in the world.

Go Hillary! Sic ''''em!




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Posted by RowdyTexan2 at 01:29 PM : Nov 20, 2007

Yes the others have had more leadership positions than she has your dismissal of all the others is simply partisan rhetoric especially about mItt romney and Gulliani. both have had sinificantly more experience. Giulliani has shown great ability in turning around NYc which was an extraordinary challenge. support ho you wish but prove why she''s better not just by dismissing the others

[tibu987]

noloyalisti............
Precisely, re-read your message and then think why we should not support Hillary. Yes, Bush had little experience, duh!
Gimme a break.

[newz4i]

The only comment Republicans make is attack Libs, Dems, et cetera. They don''t have anything to shout hurray about because THEIR ownership over the last seven years was a garbage dump of failures. American entered the 21st Century attacked by an enemy, however Republicans used enemies abroad as a vehicle to search for fear within...an us verses them debacle. Voters across the country positively changed our direction of "stay the course" in 2006. Stop Republicans'' feeble attempts of charging toward an apocalypse and vote more Repubs out in 2008. The GOP''s vision was clouded by imaginary (g)ods of the Religious Right. GOPers want to have a "born again" American. America was born right the first time. Let''s move forward with the American values that made this country great. Stand up against the Republican Party.

[noloyalisti]

It takes a lot of nerve to start talking about Hillary''s experience or any other candidate for that matter.

Here we have a current president whose only experience in every endeavor was a failure. His lack of experience allowed him to hire a huge number of ignorant bumbling cabinet and other positions.

His experience has allowed him to gut the military and budget, and start neocon wars of conquest based on a government conspiracy on 911. All of which were completely planned by these "religious" anti-government conservatives.

And we are talking about Hillary''s lack of experience. Oh my god.

[quatrops]

Since it was Prescott Bush''s fortune, derived from his lucrative business with the Nazis during the 30s, that enabled his heirs to pursue political ambitions, I guess it should be no surprise to us that Bush and his lackey Cheney (or is it the other way around?) have such a fondness for fascist concepts.

[jon2012-2009]

The whole point of Murdock''s article is an attempt to expose what Republicans think is one of the myths about Hillary. Of course, it is not based on lies. They will come at her again and again using new lines of attack. They will spout outright distortions and falshehoods later in desperation if it comes to that. Confuse voters, make them fearful, angry even. This is a proven tactic which makes this country divided more than ever. Democrats are not as proficient at this and I don''t know if I would want that. Many Americans are easily conned--they send money to greedy ministers, believe in supernatural events, are in general poorly skilled at evaluating logic and evidence. Their political choices hurt not just themselves but everyone else.

[tibu987]

Subject: who''s the fool

"Who is the more foolish...........the fool or the fool that follows him(her)?
(Star Wars)

[tibu987]

Let me ask this question. Does Hillary have enough experience to be president?
Hillary keeps talking about how much experience she has.
I fail to see how her position as the First Lady during the Clinton years in the White House translates into the great amount of political experience she would like to have people believe.
I doubt that she sat in on Cabinet meetings, meetings with the military leaders, international leaders, debriefings by the FBI, the CIA, the SEC, NSA, and many other important meetings and issues.

Let''s not be swayed by what Hillary and her backers would have you believe about her experience.
What it amounted to was a social experience and a brief term as a New York Senator from a relatively unimportant area.
Being Bubba''s wife does not entitle Hillary to bash any of the other candidates for their lack of experience.

[tibu987]

As an independent voter, male, old timer, veteran, someone who follows all the candidates records as much as possible, I worry about how the 2008 election may turn out.
Many women will be voting for Hillary simply because she is a woman and no other reason.
Liberal and Blacks will vote for Obama simply because he is black and eloquent.
Southerners and some women will vote for Edwards
simply because he is a good ''''ol boy from the south and nice looking.
Celebrity mongers would vote for Thompson simply because they recognize him from the Law and Order TV show.
And so on.
The average American voter does not read much, is uninterested in following politics, watches too much TV and movies and/or, if they vote, may vote a straight ticket. This bodes ill for the literate, intelligent voters out there who are in the minority.
Cynic that I am, I do not look forward to what the 2008 election will get us.

[ccthis]

Based on my previous comment, for your benefit, here is a short rundown of Ron Paul''s resume:

Air Force Captain - He didn''t obtain draft deferments like many others did at the time. He proudly served his country in the U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard.

Doctor - and has delivered 4000 babies - yes read right.

10 Term Congressman - serves on the House Committee on Financial Services and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

He is known as Dr. No for sticking to the constitution and voting No to Patriot Act, Iraq War, raising taxes, unbalanced budgets, dipping in to Social Security%u2026

He voted YES to hunting Bin Laden and Al Qaeda.

[rowdytexan2]

You can''t have it both ways!

First they say she''s a part of everything bad about the government. Then they says she''s not even a part of the government.

Then they compare her records to WHAT?
Guiliani--the 9/11 Photo Op King (crook)
Biden--never did anything but be a representative
Dodd--same as Biden
Kucinich--has a little experience
Obama--has been a representative
Romney--he''s been a governor, big whoop
McCain--don''t see a lot of expeience there
Huckabee--governor, big whoop
And of course then there''s--BUSH (I won''t even go there)--failure in every endeavor undertaken
Richardson--seems to have a lot of good experience

I think Ms. Clinton''s years speak as well for her as anybody elses. There is no refresher course for a job where there is only one like it in the world.

Go Hillary! Sic ''em!

[ccthis]

Great article, however in your rundown of the Republican candidates, you have conspicuously left out Ron Paul, and his resume, which if you haven''t seen it, is quite incredible.

I would appreciate it if you can look in to it.

[noloyalisti]

You cannot separate the GOP voters or their candidates from the extreme right wing neocons who have decimated our economy and world standing. So don''t try to distance yourselves from these criminal elements.

Of course the decimation started with Reagan and his hatred of government (even though that is where he worked his whole life) and essentially since then we have had nothing but Republican corporatists (Bushes and Clinton) running the show.

I think it is time to cut personal spending, boycott large multinationals and start thinking about general strikes. Don''t forget to march with the union folk.

[Netterz]

The past 20 years has been run by either a Clinton or a Bush... Thats 20 years of watching our country go in the crapper, at the hands of both. Its time to brin n fresh blood, and get these 2 names off the slate, and all the names that rode in with them. Wake up people... 20 years of outsourcing, mass failure, loss of jobs, healthcare, national security, serious tax increases, trillions being shipped over seas, while our own country goes to H3LL. We need NEW leadership, not his rotation of blood from one party or another.