You make some valid points, but the qualified foreign policy expert seeking the office of president is a rarity. Governors are the closest thing to presidents despite the negative results you point out. And governors are extremely popular candidates if recent elections are any indication.
As for foreign policy, all the voter can rely on is the campaign rhetoric and judgment of the candidate to surround himself with able people. But it will always be a crapshoot for the voter, as even the president cannot control world events.
The media loves big government and has a long history of suggesting that governors are the best qualified. We hear it so many times that few people question if it is true.
Governors are similar in that they are the leaders of the executive branch in the state, and they have to deal with the legislature and judicial branches.
Fred Thompson was a US Senator for most of a decade. He also worked with the administration to prepare judicial candidates for confirmation proceedings. We worked with the administration on forming foreign policy.
He also worked as a lobbyiest. Although that has a bad connotation to most, it means he has experience trying to convince the US congress and parts of the executive branch to support something.
He has experience dealing with the federal government as an outsider, as part of the administration, and as a member of Congress.
He has real foreign policy experience.
He was tasked to prepare a Supreme Court candidate for nomination hearings because he understands the constitutional role of the courts. He understands the judicial nomination process at the federal level.
He has real legislative experience at the federal level.
The only thing he doesn't have direct experience with is being the top guy in the executive branch. He doesn't have experience being a leader with no one above him in the chain of command.
Well, Bush was governor of Texas? What do you think of his leadership on Federal issues? Both Romney and Huckabee have more liberal records as governors than Bush had.
It's not just leadership we need, but effective leadership by someone who understands how the federal government should work and also how it does work. I see nothing in Huckabees record or character that leads me to believe that he will be even as good as Bush.
Since Romney has a history as a successful businessman I have more hope for effective leadership, but little faith in where he will lead us.
Fred has considerably better qualifications to be president than Huckabee, and even better qualifications to be president than Romney.