--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Well, I don't think riding in a fighter…" description: "\"Well, I don't think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president,\" — Wesley Clark" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/825/wesley-clark-7521_fighter_well-i-don-t-think-riding-in-a-fighter-p_1218938.jpg" --- # Well, I don't think riding in a fighter plane and getting… ![“Well, I don't think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president,” quote by Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/825/wesley-clark-7521_fighter_well-i-don-t-think-riding-in-a-fighter-p_1218938.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/825/wesley-clark-7521_fighter_well-i-don-t-think-riding-in-a-fighter-p_1218938.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/825/wesley-clark-7521_fighter_well-i-don-t-think-riding-in-a-fighter-p_1218938.jpg) > “Well, I don't think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president,” [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Leadership requires more than combat experience; governance demands broader skills and judgment. **In simple terms:** Combat skill alone doesn't make a good president. Key Takeaway Seek diverse experience before leadership. Themes leadership politics experience Mood serious reflective Type political advisory When to use this quote - political office - military service - public policy - campaigns Key Concepts civic duty decision making Questions to Reflect On - What other qualities are essential for a president? - How does military background influence policy decisions? A Different Perspective Combat experience may not translate to effective civilian leadership. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fighter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fighter/) [Planes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planes/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Riding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/riding/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [With all the power that a president has, the most important thing to bear in mind is this: You must not give power to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/with-all-the-power-that-a-president-has-the-most-important-thing-to/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [Failure in the management of practical affairs seems to be a qualification for success in the management of public affairs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/failure-in-the-management-of-practical-affairs-seems-to-be-a/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [In America, Qualification is simply an attitude. I've adopted it. So, yes. I am qualified.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-mirman/in-america-qualification-is-simply-an-attitude-i-ve-adopted-it-so-yes/) [Eugene Mirman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-mirman/) > [The only thing that is good without qualification is a good will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/the-only-thing-that-is-good-without-qualification-is-a-good-will/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [It occurred to me that I would like to be a poet. The chief qualification, I understand is that you must be born. Well,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hector-hugh-munro/it-occurred-to-me-that-i-would-like-to-be-a-poet-the-chief/) [Hector Hugh Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hector-hugh-munro/) > [One is entitled to say without qualification that the correlation between prior judicial experience and fitness for the Supreme Court is zero.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-frankfurter/one-is-entitled-to-say-without-qualification-that-the-correlation/) [Felix Frankfurter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-frankfurter/) > [I will watch a movie that is quote unquote dark and not get the qualification of what is dark and what is not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-ferrell/i-will-watch-a-movie-that-is-quote-unquote-dark-and-not-get-the/) [Will Ferrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-ferrell/) > [Your passion is your qualification. It's your leading qualification.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-laporte/your-passion-is-your-qualification-it-s-your-leading-qualification/) [Danielle LaPorte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-laporte/) > [Irony is a qualification of subjectivity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/irony-is-a-qualification-of-subjectivity/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [There is no higher qualification than genuine inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tama-j-kieves/there-is-no-higher-qualification-than-genuine-inspiration/) [Tama J. Kieves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tama-j-kieves/) > [There is one qualification the manager cannot acquire but must bring to the task. It is not genius; it is character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/there-is-one-qualification-the-manager-cannot-acquire-but-must-bring/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [“You cannot have qualifications without experience; and you cannot have experience without personal interest and bias. That may not be an ideal arrangement; but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/you-cannot-have-qualifications-without-experience-and-you-cannot-have/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [“The characteristic qualification for the ministry, the unction from on high, is the immediate gift of the Holy Ghost, and cannot be imparted by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-henley-thornwell/the-characteristic-qualification-for-the-ministry-the-unction-from-on/) [James Henley Thornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-henley-thornwell/) > [My first qualification is I didn't go to Columbia Journalism School.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ailes/my-first-qualification-is-i-didn-t-go-to-columbia-journalism-school/) [Roger Ailes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ailes/) > [I have never worked on interrogation; I have never seen an interrogation, and I have only a passing knowledge of the literature on interrogation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-seligman/i-have-never-worked-on-interrogation-i-have-never-seen-an/) [Martin Seligman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-seligman/) ## More by Wesley Clark > [I like Hilary Clinton. I think she's - she's a fantastic leader.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/i-like-hilary-clinton-i-think-she-s-she-s-a-fantastic-leader/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [Maybe it's because I've never been in politics, but I don't believe that America is run by politicians in Washington. I believe it's run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/maybe-it-s-because-i-ve-never-been-in-politics-but-i-don-t-believe/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [When we started after Osama bin Laden, we really decided to go after the Taliban. And we seemed to be content to kick the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/when-we-started-after-osama-bin-laden-we-really-decided-to-go-after/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [There's no question that Saddam Hussein is a threat Yes, he has chemical and biological weapons. He's had those for a long time. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/there-s-no-question-that-saddam-hussein-is-a-threat-yes-he-has/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [I always said I would vote for a resolution that gave the president the leverage to go to the United Nations, and then come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/i-always-said-i-would-vote-for-a-resolution-that-gave-the-president/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [The campaign in Iraq illustrates the continuing progress of military technology and tactics, but if there is a single overriding lesson it must be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/the-campaign-in-iraq-illustrates-the-continuing-progress-of-military/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [Turkey's a NATO member. If Turkey gets attacked, we have to help defend Turkey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/turkey-s-a-nato-member-if-turkey-gets-attacked-we-have-to-help-defend/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [What I did warn about when I testified in front of Congress in 2002, I said if you want to worry about a state,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/what-i-did-warn-about-when-i-testified-in-front-of-congress-in-2002-i/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [It's important. One of the principles in the United States is civilian control of the military.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/it-s-important-one-of-the-principles-in-the-united-states-is-civilian/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [President George Bush had the courage and the vision and we will always be grateful to President George Bush for that tremendous leadership and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/president-george-bush-had-the-courage-and-the-vision-and-we-will/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [Once I started first grade, I started going to Emmanuel Baptist Church regularly. I went to Sunday school. We had Bible readings and things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/once-i-started-first-grade-i-started-going-to-emmanuel-baptist-church/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [I think there are some mass destruction capabilities that are still inside Iraq. I think there's some weapons that have been shipped over the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/i-think-there-are-some-mass-destruction-capabilities-that-are-still/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [Well we always need brave, capable young men and women who can run a tactical operation and take risks on the battlefield but you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/well-we-always-need-brave-capable-young-men-and-women-who-can-run-a/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [In my experience, in bringing coercive diplomacy to bear against Slobodan Milosevic, no bomb strike was more important than maintaining NATO's cohesion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/in-my-experience-in-bringing-coercive-diplomacy-to-bear-against/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [As president of the United States, my top priority will be to keep America safe. We're going to go after the terrorist networks. We're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/as-president-of-the-united-states-my-top-priority-will-be-to-keep/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) [Explore all 90 Wesley Clark quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) ## More Fighter quotes > [I said that I was gonna smash him in three rounds, and that's what I did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-haye/i-said-that-i-was-gonna-smash-him-in-three-rounds-and-that-s-what-i/) [David Haye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-haye/) > [It's not about size, it's a science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-ward/it-s-not-about-size-it-s-a-science/) [Andre Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-ward/) > [I'm not taking him lightly at all. I mean, Heiland, he's a good fighter. He's strong. He comes to fight every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jermall-charlo/i-m-not-taking-him-lightly-at-all-i-mean-heiland-he-s-a-good-fighter/) [Jermall Charlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jermall-charlo/) > [You've got to be careful against classy fighters, especially counter-punchers because if you go for the finish too early, you can end up getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-froch/you-ve-got-to-be-careful-against-classy-fighters-especially-counter/) [Carl Froch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-froch/) > [“I'm not an alcoholic, I am freedom fighter against the teetotal taliban.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-murray/i-m-not-an-alcoholic-i-am-freedom-fighter-against-the-teetotal-taliban/) [Al Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-murray/) > [I'm a fighter, I love boxing, it's what I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-mosley/i-m-a-fighter-i-love-boxing-it-s-what-i-do/) [Shane Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-mosley/) > [I don't mind people want to think Muhammad is the greatest fighter around. Everybody wants to make him great because of his mouth, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-frazier/i-don-t-mind-people-want-to-think-muhammad-is-the-greatest-fighter/) [Joe Frazier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-frazier/) > [I don't walk around looking into cameras and telling people I'm the best fighter in the world just to hear myself talk. I say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chael-sonnen/i-don-t-walk-around-looking-into-cameras-and-telling-people-i-m-the/) [Chael Sonnen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chael-sonnen/) > [Before The Ultimate Fighter, I was appearing before a couple of hundred people at most. Now, I'm on the card of a Las Vegas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-whittaker/before-the-ultimate-fighter-i-was-appearing-before-a-couple-of/) [Robert Whittaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-whittaker/) > [“She's not the enemy. She's just a dirty fighter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarryn-fisher/she-s-not-the-enemy-she-s-just-a-dirty-fighter/) [Tarryn Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarryn-fisher/) > [I've been able to not only be a fighter, but a thinking fighter, where I can use my insight into the business and politics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikey-garcia/i-ve-been-able-to-not-only-be-a-fighter-but-a-thinking-fighter-where/) [Mikey Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikey-garcia/) > [I was 35 years old and in a position to take a shot at whatever I wanted to try. The Air Force said I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-doyle/i-was-35-years-old-and-in-a-position-to-take-a-shot-at-whatever-i/) [Jerry Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-doyle/) > [You see, at the beginning we weren't fighters. We weren't yellers or throwers, even if we eventually came to be. It would take time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinaw-mengestu/you-see-at-the-beginning-we-weren-t-fighters-we-weren-t-yellers-or/) [Dinaw Mengestu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinaw-mengestu/) > [Therefore the good fighter will be terrible in his onset, and prompt in his decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/therefore-the-good-fighter-will-be-terrible-in-his-onset-and-prompt/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [After eight years of Obama one thing is clear: Conservatives want a fighter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-schlapp/after-eight-years-of-obama-one-thing-is-clear-conservatives-want-a/) [Matt Schlapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-schlapp/) [Browse all 2,705 Fighter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fighter/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Well, I don't think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president,", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Wesley Clark" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/well-i-don-t-think-riding-in-a-fighter-plane-and-getting-shot-down-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fighter" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/well-i-don-t-think-riding-in-a-fighter-plane-and-getting-shot-down-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/825/wesley-clark-7521_fighter_well-i-don-t-think-riding-in-a-fighter-p_1218938.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/825/wesley-clark-7521_fighter_well-i-don-t-think-riding-in-a-fighter-p_1218938.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/825/wesley-clark-7521_fighter_well-i-don-t-think-riding-in-a-fighter-p_1218938.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Well, I don't think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president,” — Wesley Clark", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Wesley Clark", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Well, I don't think riding in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/well-i-don-t-think-riding-in-a-fighter-plane-and-getting-shot-down-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/well-i-don-t-think-riding-in-a-fighter-plane-and-getting-shot-down-is/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```