Let’s get clear about something: Some things can be learned, taught and studied. They are a matter of information, memory and ideas, a matter of intelligence. Other things, not so much. They are more a matter of ‘who you are’ as a person things like personality, empathy, intuition, flexibility, patience and self-control have less to do education and more to do with innate qualities. When you think about a presidential candidate, a world leader who has to lead this country and be respected across the globe, you have to think beyond the kind of ‘issues’ that candidates debate. Those things, while important at the moment, vary from generation to generation and from country to country.

As thoughtful voters we can not afford to get stuck on single, emotional, social, political or financial issues no matter how important they may be. Because those issues change with the social and political climate. What is more imporant and what is universally ignored, what goes beyond opinion and proposals is the nature of the person’s character, morality and personality. It’s not about how smart or well informed they are – yes it’s impressive when candidates can rattle off facts and figures and pronounce the name of every leader, country and capital with searing linguistic accuracy, what’s most important has not been addressed except in passing, slurs or inferences delivered in mini-soundbites.

Here’s the thing.

In addition to intelligent, our president needs to be:

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