Eisenhower had never held elective office. The most important experience a president can have is experience managing a large, recalcitrant bureaucracy. Eisenhower, as had of the Allied Forces, and then as president of Columbia, had that in spades. I won’t claim working for Pepsi or running the Godfather’s chain rises to that level. But it’s experience, nonetheless - certainly far more than The One had.
I mentioned retired military commanders.
Barry didn't have to have "expereince"...the crowd around him though was powerful and got him thru the mechanics of manuvering the walk...the "talk" he already had under his belt. Cain isn't going to make it to the end...though he certainly can raise peoples attention to what matters in our country and is doing just that. Would be all our business owners have Cains's insights.