That's one of the Right's Talking Points. Speaking of which, Josh Marshall has a great rundown of other pols who got on the Big Ticket after brief to non-existent political careers:
Wendell L. Willkie: Never ran for public office before presidential nomination; nominated for presidency in 1940. Zero to sixty in zero years.
Thomas E. Dewey: First run for public office (District Attorney) in 1937, New York Governorship in 1942; nominated for the presidency in 1944. Zero to sixty in seven years.
Adlai Stevenson: First run for public office (Illinois Governorship) in 1948; nominated for the presidency in 1952. Zero to sixty in four years.
Spiro Agnew: First run for public office (Chief Executive of Baltimore County) in 1962, Maryland Governorship in 1966; nominated for the vice-presidency in 1968. Zero to sixty in six years.
Geraldine Ferraro: First run for public office (NY Congressional seat) in 1978; nominated for vice-presidency in 1984. Zero to sixty in six years."
Then of course, there's Richard Nixon, who was elected to the House in 1946 and was Ike's running mate in 1952; and George W., who'd had a failed bid for the House before becoming Governor of Texas less than 6 years before running for President.
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