The democratic government in place in the United States of America allows all Americans to have their say in what occurs in this country. Through the power of the vote, Americans can decide who they want to represent them in every level of the government. Getting elected, however, is not as easy as it sounds. It would reasonable to assume that a candidate would be elected to their position if they are more qualified than their opponents. This however is becoming less and less true. Nowadays, instead of always voting for the person who is the best at handling their prospective job, people are voting for candidates who handle themselves the best during the campaign.
The candidate who is the most charismatic, funny, and outgoing is usually the person who is going to get elected. This is becoming particularly true in the case of many celebrities who have entered the field of politics. Although these people, who have gained fame in another field, are not as qualified for the job as others in the election, they find themselves capturing the majority of the vote anyway. To truly understand how people with hardly any political experience can step right into the spotlight and win an election, one must first understand what goes into a political campaign.
The first step for a want-to-be politician is to declare their entrance into the election. Many people want this to take place at a large press conference. This is a step in the election process where celebrities have a major advantage. Even if a celebrity announces their entrance into an election in their basement, they will still get massive amounts of press coverage. It is a big deal for celebrities to do something like this, especially when they have no political background. For example, when Arnold Schwarzenegger declared his entrance into the race for the governorship of California, he was the lead story on news shows all over the country for the next week.
If this was just ordinary politician letting the world know that they were running for this position, they would only receive a quick mention on the news and only in the state of California. By having their name all over the news, the celebrity is getting the voting public to at least know they are running for a certain position. After the person has entered their name into the election, they must start to campaign. There are many different ways to go about doing this, but one thing all campaign methods have in common is cost. No matter how the candidate chooses to campaign prior to the election, it is going to cost a lot of money.
There is however, one form of campaigning that reaches the most people in the quickest amount of time. Television continually proves to have the largest effect on the voting public and this proves to be another huge advantage for celebrities. Television campaigning is not limited to commercials. Interviews and talk-show appearances are more examples of how a candidate can get their face and views conveyed to the public. Television is just another way celebrities have a substantial advantage over the competition. Many shows continually request that people with star power appear on that show.
For ordinary people running for political office, this is hardly ever the case. Also, celebrities have another advantage when it comes to television campaigning. Commercials in prime-time slots can costs thousands of dollars to run. Often time, celebrities have enormous amounts of money to spend on their campaign.
Usually, an election is won by the person who is willing to spend the most money on the election. In the case of celebrity politicians, incredibly large amounts of money are able to be spent on campaigns giving them a much greater chance of victory over their opponents. With the recent news from California, when one thinks of celebrity politicians, the name Arnold Schwarzenegger immediately comes to mind. Schwarzenegger, who gained fame through his body building and movie career, had no political experience prior to entering the California recall election. Schwarzenegger soon found himself being elected governor of the state of California.
This one example goes far in showing why an American voter votes the way they do in a governmental election. Schwarzenegger declared his entrance into the California recall election on the “Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” At a time when other politicians hauled around briefcases full of 100-page platforms, Schwarzenegger spouted lines from his movies, gave no substantive interviews and agreed to exactly one debate, for which he knew the questions in advance” (Tumult, 27). However, he still managed to pick up 49% of the vote, destroying all his competition. He won in a landslide and never actually presented his feelings on issues that were important to the people of the state of California. There are many other examples of celebrities using their fame to propel them into the field of politics.
Jesse “The Body” Ventura, a former WWF wrestler, became the governor of Minnesota. Jerry Springer worked his magic to become mayor of Cincinnati. Clint Eastwood served as the mayor of Carmel, CA. Bill Bradley, who gained fame as a superstar basketball player for the New York Knicks, served as a Democratic Senator for three terms.
Sonny Bono, another famous celebrity, served as a mayor in California and also as a Congressman. Even presidents have used former celebrity status to help them win political elections. Ronald Reagan was an actor before he became governor of California and consequently president of the United States of America. Reagan was always a person who appealed to his constituents, not because he was the best politician, but because he truly connected with the voters. “Reagan demonstrated a skill that marked his career: he was a politician who didn’t seem to be a politician. He appealed to voters primarily as a human being, not as an ideologue” (Seib, 91).
To understand how these people become politicians after being famous in another field, one must first understand what goes through the mind on the American voter. Through the National Election Studies (NES), it has been determined that voters look for four specific characteristics in a candidate. The first is the competence of each candidate in terms of intelligence and knowledge. The next if the effectiveness of the candidate determines whether or not they can “get things done.” The next characteristic is integrity measured by morality and honesty. The last, empathy, determines if the candidate cares about his constituents (Miller & Shanks, 416).
These four characteristics are the top qualities the voter looks for in a candidate. Although they seem very important, none of these traits truly prove if a candidate is actually the most qualified person in an election. To be elected, the candidate must express to the voter that they have these four important traits. To get this word out, the candidate must effectively use every available medium.
Whether it is a televised debate or a radio address, the candidate must somehow show the voting public that they possess competence, effectiveness, integrity and empathy. Ronald Reagan was one of the first politicians to use mass media outlets as a way to get elected. As a former actor, Reagan was a master of controlling the airwaves to his benefit. “Reagan’s career as an actor served him well. He could deliver a line with the appropriate degree of conviction.
He understood what the camera could do for him and do to him” (Seib, 90). President Reagan was the first politician to use the television to his advantage. He made himself appear much more qualified for the job of president while making his competition seem much less qualified. The television, if utilized correctly, can be the most influential tool in political elections.
The television can be used to cover up a lack of qualifications in a candidate and make it appear as if they are totally prepared to be a politician. “The biggest effect television has had on our politics has been to lessen the substance of the campaign itself. Its consequences are not less serious because they are inadvertent. A serious discussion of an important issue rarely will get much air time” (Reich ley, 57-58).
Other celebrity politicians, since Ronald Reagan won the presidential election in 1980, have used to same blueprint of success. They often mask the true issues and replace them with a “show” presented through mass media circuits. Using the television and other communication methods to your advantage is only part of the game. What is presented through the media is what determines the true outcome of an election. For example, throughout the campaign in California, Arnold Schwarzenegger continued to present the idea of being a “macho man” rather than present himself as a true politician. His advantage throughout his career as an actor was that he was always a much more handsome and he was much stronger than his counterparts.
He used this to his advantage to land himself very masculine roles such as the “Terminator” and “Conan the Barbarian.” He continued to use this to his advantage during his campaign. He never stooped to the level of a “normal politician” but instead kept his macho man persona. This went a long way in getting him elected governor of California. Rather than voting for Arnold Schwarzenegger, the man who had sexual harassment allegations tossed at him, the constituents voted for the manly character that he played in movies.
The same type of campaign was orchestrated by Ronald Reagan for the 1980 presidential election. After becoming famous around the country as a very masculine hero in movies such as “Hellcats of the Navy” and “This is the Army,” Reagan found himself entering the field of politics. First as a governor of California and then as the president, Reagan continued his masculine image throughout his political career. Clint Eastwood is another movie star who was known for his heroic roles.
He used the same method of success. Even celebrity politicians who did not star in movies use the same recipe for their victory. For example, Jesse “The Body” Ventura never starred in movies but did work for years as an entertainer in the WWF. He has perceived as a hero in the World Wrestling Federation and he used his “gentle giant” image to propel himself into political success. All these celebrity politicians had an obvious method for success. By keeping their macho images in tact throughout their political campaigns these men were able to not only win, but in many cases destroy the competition.
The reason that these campaigns are a success does not lie in the candidates but instead in the mind of the voters. Over years of watching movie stars or any type of entertainer in movies and television and seeing their face all the time on magazine covers people begin to gain a para social relationship with the stars. They feel as if they know the star on a personal level and some go as far as to consider the celebrity a friend. Their relationship triggers voters to vote for celebrities in an election.
For example, in the California governor’s race, people voted for Arnold Schwarzenegger because they felt as if he was a personal friend they had gotten to know very well over the years. For this reason, celebrities often campaign using the same characteristics as their movie characters in campaigns. These characters are the people voters have “gotten to know on a personal level.” The movie business itself is a close cousin of politics, both in terms of networking and the art of making – and remaking – your own public image” (Fine man & Breslau, 30). Another reason the macho man persona is continually portrayed in campaigns is because the voting public always seems to vote for the beautiful candidate rather than the weak, feeble candidate. Although it is known that looks have nothing to do with ability to complete a job in politics, many voters seem to always vote for the people who look the most beautiful. This applies to all politicians, not just those who were formerly famous.
For example, John Fitzgerald Kennedy and Christy Todd Whitman are both beautiful people who were victorious in their respective elections. By continuing the macho man persona, celebrities continue to come across as beautiful people during their campaign allowing them to gain many more votes when election time comes. In the case of many celebrities who run for political office, campaigning as a character they play and accentuating their good looks cause many votes to be cast their way. Movie stars and entertainers are not the only celebrities who have gotten elected to political office. People such as John Glenn, who gained his celebrity status through the NASA space program, served in the government. People such as Glenn use their celebrity status in the election in a different way.
He fed off the idea of being a true American hero in his campaign. After being the first American to orbit the Earth, Glenn instantly became a national hero. Using this heroic status, he was elected as a U. S. Senator from the state of Ohio. Many votes were obtained in his case because he was a national hero.
People adored him because he was a “true American” and this helped him get elected into the U. S. Senate. The election is only half the battle for celebrity politicians. Once they enter office they must truly begin to transform themselves from an actor who portrayed themselves as a character in a campaign to a true politician. They must be able to make choices the not only affect them and their personal image but also their constituents.
A lot of this has to do with surrounding themselves with people who are extremely knowledgeable about every possible subject. However, while in office, the celebrity’s past plays a major roll in determining the popularity of the politician. Being able to deliver speeches and answer questions with enormous amounts of scrutiny on them is a major key in determining the public’s opinion of the politician. A celebrity has been under this kind surveillance their whole life, so to be quick witted and smart in front of the camera and large audiences is nothing new to them. No one was better at this than Ronald Reagan.
“Never had a politician used the media as successfully as Ronald Reagan. Both as a candidate and an officeholder, Reagan used both news and paid media – particular television – to build and fortify a remarkable political career” (Seib, 90). Because of their ability to act composed and conduct themselves well in front of large audiences, celebrity politicians can often get into political office and keep their constituents very satisfied once they are in office. Being a celebrity in office helps the politician to be much more successful showing why the idea of celebrity politicians is a never ending cycle.
Not only do celebrities aspire and often succeed at becoming politicians, but politicians want to be, and often act like celebrities. Doing everything from television appearances to always dressing perfectly, politicians will do whatever it takes to achieve celebrity status. Politicians must act like celebrities to achieve success in office. When an actor wants to plug an upcoming movie or a musician wants to let the public know about a new album they appear on talk shows and do many interviews. They must get their thoughts and ideas out to the public. They must let the listeners know what is out there and what it is about.
This is the only way to gain support for their work. The same is true for politicians. When they want some form of legislation passed, they must appear before many people and talk about their feelings. Politicians must work hard and make many appearances if they want their bill or act to be successful. The same is true for celebrities. Besides having to act the way celebrities act, politicians must work hard to achieve the heroic status many celebrities have.
Often times in the United States, politicians are viewed as liars who will do anything to get a vote. Celebrities on the other hand, are held much closer to the publics’ heart, especially those who play hero type characters in movies. These types of celebrities are adored by fans all over the country and many people consider these celebrities to be almost like their personal friends. Ordinary politicians work extremely hard to get this close with their constituents. A great example of this is President George W. Bush’s response to the September 11 th attacks on the World Trade Centers in New York City.
Bush started by making many television appearances to give the country heartfelt speeches about what occurred and what the countries response would be. Then Bush did something remarkable. He went to visit the sight of the World Trade Center rubble to meet with the men and women who were working to find any survivors. Bush arrived and began hugging the workers. He then put a hard hat on his head and climbed atop a pile of rubble and delivered a speech to the workers. This was a very symbolic moment in United States history and made the public look at Bush in a whole new light.
Instead of a politician he became a personal friend and hero to many around the country the way many celebrities do. The idea of celebrities becoming politicians has been around for a long time, but it recently became major news when Arnold Schwarzenegger was elected governor of California. Celebrities have a leg up on the competition when it comes to campaigning. Being famous with lots of money allows celebrities to make many television appearances throughout their campaign.
Taking advantage of television is very important in the election process in that television is by far the most influential way of mass communication. Money and fame are not the only advantages celebrities have when it comes to running for office. Many celebrities have a very “personal” relationship with their fans. Celebrities who are involved in an election use their loyal fans to propel them into victory by staying in character throughout the campaign. Many times voters are voting for a movie character in the case of a celebrity running for office rather than the actual person. The fans have gotten to know the character and this is who they adore.
Not only do many celebrities want to be politicians but many politicians want to be celebrities. While in office, many politicians work hard to gain a fan base that many celebrities bring with them into office. Often times, when famous people run for political office, they are not nearly the most qualified for the job. They usually do not have experience in the field of politics and they are not the right choice. However, they often get elected.
This occurs because celebrities can do many things throughout the course of an election that most ordinary politicians can not do. Celebrities have a very special way of interacting with their constituents and this helps them to get elected and succeed once they are in office. There is a reason many politicians work hard to achieve celebrity status once they are in office.