So You Want to Run for President?

You might think a law degree is required, but, not necessarily.

The United States Constitution states that in order to become a candidate for president, one must: be a natural-born citizen of the United States; be at least thirty-five years old; and, have been a resident of the United States for fourteen years. I don’t believe that the Constitution also stipulates that the candidate must be older than seventy-five years, but, you wouldn’t be able to easily discount that requirement, based upon this year’s presidential contest.

Requirements for lesser public offices are apparently less rigorous: there are reported examples of several dogs serving as mayors, plus one cat, and a couple of goats - mostly in small towns in California - go figure. And, the professional backgrounds of many U.S. representatives are even stranger than that.

Rule of Three is curious about what professional experience U.S. presidents came equipped with. We know that our first president, George Washington was a planter and land surveyor (he also had a smattering of military experience). But, many of Washington’s successors were armed with a law degree, and had practiced law, in most cases. In fact, of the 45 men (and, thus far, they have all been men) who have served as president, fully twenty-seven had been lawyers.

But, democracy insists that possessing a law degree is not a requirement to run for president. So, what professions have other presidents drawn upon, prior to entering the Oval Office? Rule of Three offers up this quiz to test your presidential career-path knowledge (answer key at the bottom of this column):

Rule of Three Presidential Career-Path Knowledge Quiz

1. Many presidents included military service in their backgrounds - which three presidents built their political career almost entirely on their military success (setting aside George Washington)?

2. Which president spent a good bit of time pre-presidency as an ordained minister (Of course, this president was also a lawyer)?

3. Which president’s brand could be described as to “Speak softly and carry a big business card,” given that his resume included: historian, public servant, naturalist, military officer, policeman and rancher?

4. Which two presidents were professional journalists (Note: The journalism career of one of them was very brief, lasting less than one year, so, full credit will be awarded for naming one of them)?

5. As proof that anyone can grow up to be president, one president was a tailor by trade - who was that?

6. Only one president was a true academic, having earned a PhD, and working as a professor, as well as becoming president of Princeton University - which president was this?

7. Two presidents are credited with farming experience - one, a very specific type of farming. Which two presidents were “out standing in their field (extra credit for naming that very specific crop)?”

8. Which president was a high school teacher?

9. Four U.S. presidents engaged in managing businesses prior to becoming president - please name them.

10. The final question doesn’t seek to identify a previous profession, but rather aims to identify a missing profession: who is the only president not to have been elected to any other office prior to becoming president?

Given this diverse collection of talents, you can see that virtually any career path can lead you to the White House, but possessing a law degree wouldn’t hurt. And, if your quest to become president of the United States doesn’t work out, there’s always an opportunity for you in the House of Representatives. . .or, Burger King - I hear they’re hiring.

Rule of Three Presidential Career-Path Knowledge Quiz - Answer Key

1. Zachary Taylor (Mexican-American War); Ulysses S. Grant (Civil War); and Dwight D. Eisenhower (World War II) each led military efforts, creating overwhelming popularity which directly led to their elections as president. These were natural transitions, given that political campaigns have always seemed like battlegrounds.

2. James Garfield (the 20th president) was an ordained minister, in addition to practicing as a lawyer - I wonder to whom he billed his time in the pulpit - it’s all about billable hours, right?

3. Bully for you! This multifaceted president was none other than Theodore Roosevelt.

4. Warren G. Harding was a true journalist; John F. Kennedy toiled as a journalist with Hearst Newspapers (placed there by Kennedy’s father Joe’s friend William Randolph Hearst) for less than one year, before embarking upon his political career.

5. If you guessed Andrew Johnson, you’re correct. Johnson regularly appears high on the list of worst presidents ever, but, if you wanted a new suit, and wanted cuffs on the pants, he was likely your best presidential choice.

6. Woodrow Wilson was the most-educated president, and, unlike Johnson, typically appears in the upper tier in rankings of the best presidents. As depicted in Animal House’s fictional Faber College’s motto: “Knowledge is Good.”

7. Harry Truman was a farmer in Grandview, MO, near his hometown of Independence, MO. Truman attempted several other business ventures, including a failed haberdashery. Jimmy Carter will forever be known as a peanut farmer - claim that extra credit for recalling that fact.

8. Lyndon Johnson was a high school teacher before beginning his political career. He was also a rancher, which I think is a given for Texas residents. Wrangling surly teenagers, as well as cattle surely prepared him for the rigors of running the country.

9. Both George Bushes (the one with only one initial and the other one with a bunch of middle initials) were businessmen prior to holding political office; Herbert Hoover was also a businessman, as well as a mining engineer; and Donald Trump was a real estate developer and business owner, in addition to being a reality TV personality. Ronald Reagan was also a working actor in Hollywood, prior to his political career - remember Bedtime for Bonzo? Yeah, nobody else remembers it either, but that was Reagan, receiving second billing to a chimp.

10. That’s right - Donald Trump was not elected to any other office prior to becoming president - why not start at the top, right?

How’d you do? Here’s how to rate your performance:

• All ten correct: You need to get a hobby.

• 7-9 correct: You’re well-read, and you pay attention.

• 5-6 correct: Was your mind wandering a bit while you were taking the quiz? Perhaps multitasking with social media?

• 3-4 correct: You don’t care much about U.S. presidents, do you? Perhaps you’re more of a sports fan?

• 0-2 correct: I hear Burger King is hiring - I’ll get you their number. Why am I picking on Burger King, you ask? Perhaps you missed this piece Rule of Three published a couple of years ago - we here at Rule of Three hold Burger King in high esteem. . .

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