A Democrat I know voted for him because Obama was completely out of the mainstream of politics — could “think outside of the box”! His lack of experience would lead him to new and wonderful solutions for the problems in the USA. I pointed out that I had never had any political experience, either, nor run any big important enterprise. All I ever did was vote. Did that mean I’d make a great president full of wonderful new ideas and solutions? He kinda hemmed and hawed, didn’t answer. Just gave me a sickly smile. It was the dopiest explanation ever for voting (TWICE) for the guy that I’ve ever heard so far... I bet no Freeper ever heard a dumber one than that.
That is how we got Jimmy Carter.
He was a "nuclear physicist," like Obama was a "constitutional law professor," and, not being a typical politician, he was supposed to be able to provide real world solutions to the country's problems.
People may have said something similar about Herbert Hoover, "the Great Engineer," but at least he had years of cabinet experience.