Foreign Policy Teams of the Candidates

The Washington Post published a list of the foreign policy advisers to the leading candidates from president in September of last year. I think experience has shown that a president needs a strong set of advisers on foreign policy these days, given the complexity of the issues and the gravity of presidential decisions on so many matters. Ideally one would want a president who consults widely, and then makes decisions based on his fundamental beliefs which had been formed over decades.

The lists are also interesting in that our most experienced foreign policy leaders are giving public support to these candidates. I would be hesitant to choose a president who is not judged to be worthy of such support by a significant number of foreign policy leaders that I respect.

Three candidates stand out for the depth and quality of their teams of foreign policy advisers: Clinton and Obama among the Democrats, and McCain among the Republicans. Edwards does not seem to have been that successful in enlisting high level foreign policy advisers, nor do Giuliani and Romney (in my opinion). Huckabee and Paul were not deemed worthy of attention by the WP four months ago.

Read a little more about the foreign policy credentials of the candidates.