Does Bernie have executive experience?

[Renew Deal]

[bluedigger]

1. Yes, he does.

Mayor of Burlington, Vermont. Next question?

[Renew Deal]

2. lol, that was easy.

[bluedigger]

3. Even for me!

[whatchamacallit]

4. I don't get it

How can anyone be experienced before having said experience? As in all non-second term presidential candidates.

[Renew Deal]

5. Do you consider his time as Mayor executive experience?

Because that's really the time in question. I don't think it's a controversial question.

[whatchamacallit]

6. Sure, as a microcosm n/t

[HooptieWagon]

7. Yes, mayor is an executive experience.

Does Hillary have any executive experience?

[Renew Deal]

9. That's the question in the other thread

I say yes. SoS is a major role and she was the head of that Dept.

[HooptieWagon]

11. No, SoS is not an executive position...reports to POTUS boss.

The closest she comes is her campaigns...she's top of the decision-making process then I assume.

[Renew Deal]

12. Everyone has a boss

Even "executives" report to someone whether it's other executive or a Board.

[MADem]

18. It's a cabinet position in the (cough) EXECUTIVE (cough) branch of government.

She also did an eight year internship in the West Wing as FLOTUS (and her office was IN the WW). No, that's not the same as doing the job, but it is helpful preparation.

That said, Senator Sanders, as the mayor of the small city of Burlington VT, was the chief executive of that community, so one can accurately say he has "executive" experience. Anyone who runs a business, is "the boss" of a large enterprise, or even is commanding officer of a military installation or vessel has "executive" experience.

There aren't many jobs that can nearly--never mind completely--prepare one for the POTUS gig. SOS isn't a bad one. Neither is VP, these days (used to not be the case). Defense is a pretty complicated portfolio as well.

President Obama's "executive" experience was in community organizing. It wasn't very good prep for the POTUS job, but he had a lot of good staffers to help him out. People here on DU hate Rahm Emmanuel, but he was probably one of the most effective gatekeepers of the century. Axlerod was quite effective in his capacity as well.

[HooptieWagon]

20. POTUS is the executive, he's the final decision-maker.

The branch is named after him.

[MADem]

22. And SOS is the "boss" of every ambassador representing the USA in every country in the world.

As well as every consular officer at every consulate in the world. SOS also has a massive HQ staff, and is First Chair in the cabinet.

If you want to nitpick and complain that having authority over every employee in every American embassy and consulate in the world isn't executive experience, you go on ahead and make that claim.

I have to say, frankly, I find such a view not just blazingly wrong, but churlish.

[Zorra]

8. More than Obama had before he became Prez, nt

[Renew Deal]

10. Yes, he has much more experience overall.

Though Obama's experience was very good. Many years in the state house and a few years in the senate. More elected experience than Hillary in 2008.

[MADem]

21. Obama was a legislator in IL, he was never a governor. His "executive" experience was

community organizing. His senate experience was brief but informative.

Doesn't really matter, though--some get it, some don't. Staff helps. Being disciplined helps. Having that "vision thing" helps.

JFK brought his Navy experience to the Oval Office. LBJ brought his talent bossing around underlings in the House and the Senate (that was executive experience tucked inside legislative experience!) as well as his experience yelling at his Vice Presidential staff. Jimmy Carter ran a farm, and he also ran a division on a submarine (that's executive experience, writ very small) and he was a governor, which was good preparation all in all. Bill Clinton was a governor. So was Porgie--and his gubernatorial background didn't help him one bit, the incompetent buffoon--he let Cheney run the show for way too long until his dad cried and forced him to dump Rummy and put Gates in Defense.

[sabrina 1]

13. Well, he was never on the Board of Walmart, if that's what you mean?

[Renew Deal]

15. No, that's not what I mean

I don't know why people read into things. The first person responded correctly.

[1StrongBlackMan]

14. Yes. n/t

[Luminous Animal]

16. Getting a bit nervous now aren't you. He electrified that Iowa crowd.

Electrified.

[Luminous Animal]

19. What Bernie got done as mayor. (And it was transformative.)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/peter-dreier/bernies-burlington-what-k_b_7510704.html

[elleng]

17. Yes, as Mayor of Burlington, VT, 4, 2 year terms

not as extensive as O'Malley's 2 4-year terms as mayor of Baltimore and 2, 4-year terms as MD governor.

[mmonk]

23. GW Bush had executive experience.

[Recursion]

24. Yes, he was Mayor of Burlington, VT for 8 years

We've got a wealth of executive experience among the candidates, in fact. O'Malley was mayor of Baltimore for 8 years, and Clinton was Secretary of State for 4 years.