Would One Candidate Make a Better CEO?

It's all about leadership. Business & Media Institute columnist and businessman Dan Kennedy looks at the candidates the way the media should. Who is the best leader?

Kennedy cites former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, who created a stir when she said none of the candidates were CEO material. He then fills in the gaps in the leadership record of all four people on the tickets.

On Obama:

Sen. Barack Obama has zero experience running anything but his presidential campaign - which has the most bloated staff and largest budget of any, is out-spending his opponent by a wide margin but failing to gain proportionate market share. His wife mentioned that Barack would be surprised at the amount of money she spends on their children's activities, so he's obviously not running their household or its budget.

On McCain:

He has actually managed something in addition to his smaller, leaner funded presidential campaign; he had military command, responsible for troops and assets. He has at least been within sight of business and might have picked up something about how business works, thanks to wife Cindy's family's adult beverage distributorship. Thin credentials I admit for a CEO, but still superior to none. I also view his admission that the complexities of the economy are not his strong suit as a plus. Knowing what you do not know is a very important type of knowledge. It leads to care, caution, and consultation.

This is the analysis the MSM are skipping in their headlong rush to coronate Obama.