Dear runner,

Jesus wouldn't qualify as a leader. Jesus told his disciples, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6).

I don't think anyone who would make such an arrogant statement is qualified to be a leader. That quote indicates that it doesn't matter how good a life you led or what a good person you are you must believe him. I wouldn't trust anyone who would make such a statement.

In the end we must look at what far too many voters want in a leader not what we, who seem to understand far more about the subject want, they want a media driven type, one the media will like and not instantly try digging up non existent dirt on,one too afraid of falling polls to do very much other than what big money and media agrees with, voters however are about to prove that did not work by removing Turnbull

Hi David f, just out of interest who would you think fits your criteria?

Dear runner,

I can't think of anybody who fits those criteria. It's sometimes a matter of luck. Neither Winston Churchill nor Franklin Roosevelt had a sterling life before they became leaders of their countries, but they performed very well as leaders.

We can consider Herbert Hoover. He was an engineer, a good organiser and a man of great compassion. He was involved in engineering projects over the world and was certainly scientifically knowledgeable. After the devastation of WW1 he organised relief agencies to help those affected by the slaughter. He seemed to be eminently qualified and was elected president. He turned out to be one of the worst presidents that the US has ever had.

Churchill and Roosevelt rose to the occasion, but Hoover couldn't cope. I don't think anybody could have predicted the results of any of them beforehand.

Dear rehctub,

You got your hands dirty and lived an honest life as a butcher.

You wrote, "In my view Foxy a leader should have had his her hands dirty, as the best supermarket managers are usually those who started as a trolley pusher and worked their way up."

Neither Roosevelt nor Churchill did an honest day's work in their lives, but they both turned out to be great leaders. They would possibly have been poor supermarket managers.

david f

I wonder how any leader of yesteryear would match up against a 24/7 media cycle. Sometimes I think its easier to idolise those who never faced the same scrunity.