The rise of the celebrity politician

THE Republican hopefuls for this year’s American Presidential election haven’t really caught the population’s imagination thus far. That is why Noel Gallagher’s assertion, that he would run for the post if Barack Obama failed to win a second term, has not been treated with the amazement it deserves. It seems like everybody wants to run for public office at the moment.

In every prominent and newsworthy election these days, there seems to be a famous face putting his/her reputation on the line to try their hand at the political cavalcade. Years of experience honing one’s talents in the backbenches and civil service, is being overlooked by voters in favour of exciting, brash marketing campaigns and monster rallies.

Ronald Reagan brought the phenomenon of the ‘celebrity politician’ to prominence. As a former actor, he knew how to get his message across with clarity and poise. He compensated for his lack of political experience with an assured manner.

One must admire the ‘cojones’ of these people to turn their back on the stardom they have achieved in their respective fields, and open themselves up to renewed attacks on policy and personality. Why do they do it? Is it purely to massage their throbbing egos or is it a genuine urge to help change things for the better?

World Champion boxer Manny Pacquiao stated his intentions clearly in 2007 when taking his first shot at the political game. He stated, “I will run because there is so much fighting between sectors. What the people want is peace and the help of the national government.”

Of course, the sentiments of Pacquiao are echoed by almost every other election hopeful. Reality bites once they enter the actual playing field. Things aren’t always how they hoped it would be.

George Lee lasted only nine months in Irish opposition. Frustrated by the lack of influence he held in the Fine Gael ‘engine-room’, his Economics expertise meant nothing to those who had served their constituents for a number of decades.

In terms of ego, the curious case of Arnold Schwarzenegger is vital. The body-builder turned actor turned politician stunned the political elite with his election to Governor of California. Like his muscular figure, his over-eager personality has had to be toned down over the years- but not by much.

Speaking at a shopping centre in his home state in 2004, he called his opponents “girlie-men”, and promised that he would “terminate” them in the next election. This all happened because they disagreed over his budget. Nice to know that he had not forgotten where it all started.

Considering the fact that these people have been trained to deal with the media, some tend to make rookie errors when it comes to their time in front of the microphone. We saw it with entrepreneur Sean Gallagher last year. He was left tongue-tied by a refutable tweet, and is now trying to recover his lost credibility in a battle against the national broadcaster.

One of Vladimir Putin’s competitors for the recent Russian Presidential election, Mikhail Prokhorov, has also undertaken novel methods of garnering votes. The billionaire and owner of the New Jersey Nets basketball franchise in the US showed he was ‘down with the kids’ when rapping on a native TV programme.

No matter how woeful his singing talents are, public performances such as these are more likely to attract the attention of younger voters than announcements on policy reform.

The United States seem to have embraced the celebrity politician more so than other countries. Hollywood stars, billionaires, athletes and television personalities have all had a go at it.

Entrepreneur and TV personality Donald Trump distanced himself from a possible shot at the Oval Office last May. In a statement, he proclaimed, with no degree of modesty, "I maintain the strong conviction that if I were to run, I would be able to win the primary and ultimately, the general election.”

The degree of success which these politicians have achieved is difficult to interpret. Political success is relative to those it affects. What can be determined is the track record of these candidates when it comes to elections. Some have been more successful than others. For every Arnold Schwarzenegger there has been a Carl Lewis- the nine-time Olympic gold medal winner who made a fruitless attempt at running for the New Jersey Senate in 2011.

Respect for politicians is very rare these days, but Manny Pacquiao most definitely has the admiration of his voters. He is a demi-God in his native Philippines. He is one of the few who attempts to juggle sporting and political commitments, with his boxing coaches lamenting his over-eagerness to return home and serve his people.

In general, however, the intensity of media coverage following these prominent candidates works against them. It can also be a deterrent to some hopefuls, who fail to see enough of an upside to the career.

On the other hand, money talks. Fundraising for candidates is becoming a major priority as they attempt to relay their message to the voters by any means of media necessary. High profile candidates have the ability to call on wealthy associates, as well as their own healthy bank balance, to bankroll their election bid. The average civil servant hoping to make a political bid finds it difficult to compete with that financial pull.

One need only look at the finances generated by the various Republican candidates in the Primary season to see the influence which money has in politics these days. In February alone, Mitt Romney’s campaign raised almost $12 million.

The life-long politician of yesteryear is under pressure. While the success of celebrity politicians thus far has been questionable, they are on the charge. The hand-shakers and pot-hole fixers should be worried.