A couple of days back, I got a mail from one of my school friends, who lives in California. He was excited about Arnold Schwarzenneger deciding to put his hat in the gubernatorial ring. He loved the fact that Arnie chose to announce his candidature on Jay Leno's show.

Even though my knowledge of American politics is lesser than rudimentary, I replied to his mail (which was actually on our school's e-group). Here's that mail. Pardon my lack of grasp of power politics if it seems naive...

When you have a gubernatorial candidate announcing his candidature in a standup comedy show, you know why people say politics is becoming a circus nowadays.

Add to that a list of candidates that boasts of a "smut peddler with a heart" (Larry
Flynt), a "pornstar who wants to replace guns with X-Rated movies" (Mary Carey), a feisty columnist (Arianna Huffington), a "billboard icon" (Angelyne), a "26-year-old software engineer who sells thong underwear as her campaign mechandise" (Georgy Russell), etc. They also have a couple of candidates who are named Bob Dole and Michael Jackson !! (not the real things though)

With a circus like this, I guess California leaves behind even Florida (remember the last Presidential elections... the one that manipulated George W Bush into the White House).

I guess its "Hasta La Vista, Baby!!" to sanity which leaves the state without saying "I'll be back!!"

Indian elections see lots of circuses too... mostly with the clown acts, but this California thing is turning into an international farce!