Dan said:
I wonder what Rem would think of this ...
Sorry Dan - I wasn't being aloof, I just missed the question.
I admit, Arnie seems a pretty strange governor and it is going to be seen as a joke by a lot of people, but as far as actors becoming politicians goes, your career before politics shouldn't necessarily exclude you from nominating and being taken seriously (unless you have made lots of dumb movies (no offence people who have made dumb movies), have an accent (no offence people with accents) and walk like a girl because your muscles are too big) (no offence girls). The Australian media is reporting it along "Only in America" lines. However, I reckon if we elected our Governors, Arnie would be a strong chance in most Australian States too.
I have often heard the criticism that much of American politics is a popularity contest - the right smile, the right sound grab writers, the right positioning - and hence it is made for actors. This was one of the debating themes over here during the design of our Republican model. We ended up with a model that wasn't supported in a referundum because it did
not provide for direct election of the President. The plan was to avoid expensive, popularity contest, election campaigns such as those in America. Instead in our republic model, the President was to be elected by Parliament (roughly the equivalent of your Congress). Hence we are still a constitutional monarchy (how embarrassing).
Australia doesn't have a history of actors/celebrities moving into politics, but we do have plenty of sportsmen and women who have entered politics upon retirement. Their popularity is no more or less a burden than actors/celebrities in America. Our nomination process within the parties is very different though - it is a small, behind closed doors, election that doesn't generate the sort of activity in the public arena your nomination run offs seem to. Having won a medal at the Olympic Games is no less useful in winning a nomination in our system than having shot and blown up a lot of towel heads in the movies, in the US.