You get the academic credentials by going to a liberal institution;.............................. Ever hear of Pete Dawkins, a real Rhodes Scholar. He wasn’t from a “Liberal” Institution.
You may be as old as I am--sure I remember Dawkins but he was in fact a real Rhodes Scholar in every respect including his real athletic credential which he got with his pants on as distinguished from Slick Bill.
But the rules and the committee have changed radically from Dawkins' period.
I have been there seeing the product of the current academic environment. Much of my experience is in the law firm hiring context. But I have also seen the system in connection with my own son in the current iteration.
The real bottom line is a scratch each others back system. The academic environment is now run exclusively by political Liberals. Dissent and real academic inquiry is not only discouraged, in many cases it is prohibited.
The individuals that are promoted and rewarded with the grades that are intended to pave the way for advancement are politically Liberal. For the most part, their academic experience really doesn't expand their capabilities. In the case of affirmative action, promotion is automatic whether or not there is educational progress or production.
The observation that Bill Clinton is smart based on his academic credentials is misleading. He is more effective than many of his peers but Yale Law School and Georgetown are not exactly learning environments.
The real issue is Mrs. Clinton who is really not very smart or effective and who would be a worse disaster as a political leader than Zero is.