Does the U.S. President Need a College Degree?

[Coolidge/Dawes '24]

Article here.

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker has buzz. He has impressed conservative activists in Des Moines and is the front-runner for likely Republican Iowa caucus-goers, according to a Bloomberg Politics-Des Moines Register poll published this weekend.

Supporters say the 47 year-old has more diverse qualifications than the other Republicans: A non-Washington Republican who has won tough contests in a blue state, taken on labor unions and has appeal to the conservative faith community and the business constituency.

There is one credential that he doesn't have: a post-high school education. America hasn't elected a president without a college degree since Harry Truman.

Privately, some strategists in both parties suspect that this could increasingly become troublesome for voters, a little in the nominating process, more so in a general election, particularly in battleground upscale suburban areas.

Walker attended Marquette University for more than three years. He dropped out to take a job. He's about a year short of a degree and has raised the possibility of completing it while governor.

Actually, there is one other major presidential candidate who doesn't have a college degree: Kentucky Senator Rand Paul. He never completed his undergraduate degree at Baylor University but scored so high on his medical school entrance exams that he was admitted to the prestigious Duke University Medical School, where he completed his training as an ophthalmologist.

Some of the great American successes are men and women without college degrees: Microsoft's Bill Gates, Steve Jobs of Apple and Oracle's Larry Ellison. The same goes for leading entertainers such as Clint Eastwood, Julia Roberts and George Clooney. Add to the list of distinguished non-graduates the late Walter Cronkite and today's leading anchorman, Brian Williams.

The question of Walker's missing diploma has arisen occasionally in Wisconsin. Opponents charged that there was something untoward about his dropping out of Marquette. He then authorized the university to release the records as proof there was no hidden story behind his departure. The governor has said that a college education isn't a "base requirement" for high office.

History might help Walker. There have been 12 presidents without college degrees, starting with George Washington and 10 others, including Abraham Lincoln, elected in the 19th century.

 

[Ronin Truth]

Why would a sock puppet need a college degree?

Lamb Chop for POTUS.

https://www.google.com/search?tbm=i...sedr...0...1ac.1.34.img..0.9.1908.j0_A8d1cR_0

 

[philipped]

Idk tbh (answering the question)

 

[acptulsa]

That's a bloomberg link for those who prefer to know what they're clicking.

And Rand Paul may not have a college degree, but you don't become an ophthalmologist without a university degree. Just in case you see someone trying to twist the facts.

 

[Ronin Truth]

Idk tbh (answering the question)

Thanks for dropping by and sharing that.

 

[RJB]

I think it's a sign of commitment, discipline, and dedication to maintain a D average and a B.A.C. of 0.15 continuously over a 5 year period.

 

[acptulsa]

I think it's a sign of commitment, discipline, and dedication to maintain a D average and a B.A.C. of 0.15 continuously over a 5 year period.

But mostly it's a sign of privilege these days--or at least a sign of a willingness to sign one's soul over to the banksters. God forbid we have a president who is neither part of the oligarchy nor beholden to them.

 

[Vanguard101]

Are they really mentioning Rand Paul? He left because MEDICAL SCHOOL ACCEPTED HIM. 99.99999999 percent of Medical School graduates have undergraduate degrees with high gpas, and the ones that do not generally leave school early because they had such high grades and they get into a good med program. Holy crap this article is retarded.


As for Walker, he probably has a good reason for dropping out

 

[William Tell]

Of course not.

 

[Uriah]

You do not need a college degree to be president.

 

[tod evans]

Festus for prez!

 

[fisharmor]

What part of a college degree gives you the magical power needed to sign the veto line on bills?

 

[Ronin Truth]

You do not need a college degree to be president.

Probably just required in order to get elected.

 

[RonPaulFanInGA]

Of all the stupid things to focus on, who cares if someone spent a bunch of money to screw around for four years and get drunk?

 

[Crashland]

No, because a piece of paper isn't an education.

 

[euphemia]

The only requirements are that the President be at least 35 years old and a natural born citizen of the United States. There are no academic requrements at all.

 

[Millennial Conservatarian]

I think to be taken seriously and get elected (especially as a Republican) you need to have one. Imagine the field day the media would have with a GOP Presidential candidate who doesn't have a degree. It's just asking for it. I like Walker as a governor of my neighbor state, but he can't win because of this (and he's showing his colors as a neo-con so yeah).

 

[phill4paul]

It's not needed to conduct affairs of national interest. However, it is needed to get elected.

 

[francisco]

We should give 2 free years of community college to any candidate that doesn't have a college degree.

 

[TommyJeff]

Millions of people graduate from college without a basic understanding of economics nor having read the constitution. So why does the degree matter? I guess the pro-degree people thing Obama is a better choice than Bill Gates. (Not that id vote for either).