Perhaps recent scandals surrounding cronyism and political incompetence are ushering in a new respect for qualifications. If that's true, it can only create skepticism toward overly-challenged politicians that got where they are mostly through connections, deep pockets, a play on popularity, or some combination of all three.
My example is pretty subtle, but I'm wondering if this viewpoint might have been involved in a virtually subliminal dig on Schwarznegger in the LA Times the other day.
Here's what I'm talking about:
On the front page of the Calendar section last Tuesday, the paper ran an article titled "Casting Call."
The subhead read:
Big names in politics are rubbing shoulders with big names in Hollywood. The presidential pre-pre-primaries have begun.
Accompanying the article were four pictures. One shot had a picture of (politician) Hillary Clinton with (actor) Ted Danson. A second shot had a picture of (politician) Al Gore speaking at an awards ceremony (described by the paper as "a gathering of Hollywood big-wigs"). A third shot featured (politician) Hillary Clinton again, this time with (actor) Ellen DeGeneres on her TV show. And finally, there was this shot of (politician) John McCain posing with Arnold.
So, the question raised is: What's Arnold?
I guess, if he is isn't just an actor, he's chopped liver.
For more of the visual, visit BAGnewsNotes.com.
(image: Chris Carlson/A.P. (Location undetermined.) Los Angeles Times. Calendar Section. p. A1.)