What qualities do you want to see in the next President of the United States?  This week, the Democratic Party is emphasizing what it sees as the strengths of Barack Obama.  Next week, it’s John McCain’s turn.

Already, we’ve heard a lot about the value of experience.  The Brookings Institution studied it.  The think tank’s report, last spring, concluded experience “does not appear to guarantee success”.

Charles O. Jones, the report’s author, said the Brookings research revealed “more about what does not ensure success than what does.”  He said ”character, vision, goals, self-confidence, communication, public regard and, above all, leadership” can also predict success in the White House.” 

Jones also reviewed C-SPAN and Wall Street Journal rankings of our presidents.  In the former, 9 of 10 “had no previous service in either the White House or the cabinet” before they first sought the office.  In the latter survey, 10 of 11 “had no previous White House or cabinet service.”

“Mt. Rushmore’s faces include but one president with significant White House experience before serving,”  Jones wrote.  “That would be the likeness of Thomas Jefferson who ran in 1800 against the president with whom we was serving as vice president — a case of doubtful precedence.”