With Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump turning the US presidential campaign into an overnight comedy success, it goes without saying; anyone else would have been a better presidential candidate as against the two.
Now everyone wants to be the president! Arnold Schwarzenegger recently revealed in the October 24th issue of Adweek, saying:
“If I’d been born in America, I would’ve run. Because now? This was a very good time to get in the race.”
On Voting
Arnold Schwarzenegger is a Republican and has voted for the Republican candidate all his life since he became an American citizen. Unfortunately, this year his voting trends will come to a halt, as he stated on the 8th of October via twitter saying:
“For the first time since I became a citizen in 1983, I will not vote for the Republican candidate for president. As proud as I am to label myself a Republican, there is one label that I hold above all else: American. So I want to take a moment today to remind my fellow Republicans that it is not only acceptable to choose your country over your party—it is your duty.”
On Personal Branding
Arnold believes in personal branding, not just getting your image out there with all sorts of negative publicity, but setting yourself apart in a way that reflects your policies.
“I realized early on in bodybuilding that you have to be able to sell yourself, your ideas, your position to the public,” he says. “You have to set yourself apart, whether it’s policy or movies. How do you make them remember you?” He says.
Trump Out, Arnold In
Being a Republican, if Arnold was actually eligible to run for president, he would have done so under the Republican ticket, kicking Trump out of the picture and going head on with Hillary Clinton. Can you imagine the difference that would have made? It would have been a totally different story; from what we see on the news, to the strategies and approach of the campaign from each party.
Arnold Schwarzenegger is so far winning over Trump on various grounds. He was recently given the role to take over Trump’s position in the NBC’s Apprentice franchise. Trump’s behavior behind the scenes is part of the ongoing controversy about his treatment of women and minorities, which could only cause more harm than good to the future of the show.
The executives of the show believe Schwarzenegger replacing Trump would boost the show’s rating. They heard that Schwarzenegger, already a fan of the show, was interested and “jumped at the chance” to hire him, says Paul Telegdy, president of NBC’s alternative and reality group.
“He is incredibly famous and represents action, adventure, athletics, culture, business, politics, and family, as well as struggle and triumph,” says the executives, noting that Schwarzenegger has a well-rounded and extremely well-known brand with many touch points, which makes him accessible and relatable to the masses.
“Having the Terminator and Expendables star attached has brought worldwide interest in the show,” Telegdy adds, “combining two strong brands,” which boosts its revenue potential at a time when networks are under growing competition and intense financial pressure.