Memphis

When the presidential election season began in earnest last year, it’s a safe bet many Americans did not envision wealthy businessman and reality TV star Donald J. Trump being the Republican nominee on the Nov. 8 general election ballot.

Yet, here he is, giving Democrat nominee Hillary Clinton a highly competitive race to lead the most powerful nation in the world.

Because of our nation’s role as a leader in world affairs and the serious challenges we face at home, temperament and experience matter more than ever this election cycle. This is not the time for an on the job trainee.

Using those criteria, The Commercial Appeal recommends Hillary Clinton for the presidency. Her broad and deep policy and political experience, at the state, national and international level and in the legislative and executive branches of government, prepares her for the presidency.

Trump, by contrast, is ill-prepared and ill-suited for the job.

We do not suggest Clinton is without flaws. Her use of a private email server to manage sensitive, possibly classified correspondences while U.S. Secretary of State, shows alarmingly bad judgment. This incident, and others during a long career, has bred broad distrust of Clinton and it would be a disservice not to recognize those shortcomings in this space.

But we simply cannot come to another conclusion: Clinton is best qualified among the candidates who survived a brutal primary battle in both major parties.

Trump touts that he is a businessman who knows how to create jobs. Yet, his bankruptcies have cost thousands of workers their jobs.

His temperament and disrespectful statements about women, immigrants and Latinos are unacceptable and demean the office he seeks.

He’s displayed little or no understanding of international affairs.

It’s no wonder our sister newspaper in Cincinnati endorsed http://www.cincinnati.com/story/opinion/editorials/2016/09/23/enquirer-endorses-hillary-clinton-donald-trump/90728344/ a Democrat for President for the first time in nearly 100 years or in Phoenix, for the first time ever.

The Cincinnati Enquirer called Trump "a man utterly corrupted by self-interest."

The Arizona Republic editorial http://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/editorial/2016/09/27/hillary-clinton-endorsement/91198668/suggested he was beneath the nation's dignity.

"When the President of the United States speaks, the world expects substance. Not a blistering tweet."

We make no such history with our recommendation of Clinton. It is not that this newspaper hasn't supported Republican candidates - it has, for every presidential election from 1980 through 2000, for example – but, in this election, the Editorial Board simply views Clinton as the best choice.

It’s unfortunate the Republican Party didn’t nominate a more qualified candidate to face off against Clinton. Tennessee’s own U.S. Senator, Bob Corker, comes to mind as having the experience and temperament needed in these dangerous and difficult days.

It would be hard to 'trump' the words of a recent letter writer to this newspaper, a veteran no less, who, aboard a U.S. carrier in 1962, experienced the nightmare of the Cuban missile crisis firsthand, wondering whether he would have a country to return to if nuclear war erupted.

It was President John F Kennedy's sure hand and preparation that steered us through that moment, he wrote, cringing at the notion of Trump in a similar situation 54 years later.

"Donald Trump does not have the experience, intelligence or temperament to resolve any crisis with any of our enemies. His election would place not only America, but the world at risk,” said the letter writer.

Simply put, Clinton is best prepared by a lifetime of public service: During tenures as first lady of Arkansas and the U.S., she was directly involved in major domestic issues including education and health care policy.

She spent eight years in the U.S. Senate dealing with major domestic and foreign policy challenges. And as Secretary of State for four years, she dealt with major international, foreign and military issues.

We hope Memphis area voters join with those from around the U.S. and cancel the worst reality TV show in history, The Donald Trump Show. We do not gamble with this nation's safety and security.

Her flaws notwithstanding, compared with Donald Trump, there is no denying Hillary Clinton is more qualified, and prepared, for the presidency.