Does Arnie Qualify?

Molly Ivins, in her 8/26/03 column, talks about what it takes to be a governor and how well Arnie qualifies. Snippet:

This sort of "Oh, hell, anybody can run the country, you don't have to know anything" attitude is beyond ludicrous. I'm sorry, but Jesse Ventura, whom I thoroughly enjoy as a personality, was a disaster as governor of Minnesota. A few elementary basics, like understanding the school aid formula, having some idea how to set fair insurance rates, what home health care providers need and a few hundred other subjects are a minimum requirement. Sure, you can surround some attractive political personality with top-notch aides, experts, advisers and bureaucrats, and many a dim bulb in executive office has been pulled through by just such a team. But it helps, honest, if you have a leader who has knowledge, understanding and vision. I grant you, they're in short supply, but "Hasta la vista, baby" doesn't sound that good when people's lives are on the line.

I realize Gray Davis was supposed to be Mr. Experience, Mr. Detail -- and didn't he make a fine mess out of things? Yes, he did. He panicked during the energy crisis (brought about by Wilson), groveled at the feet of Southern California Edison (which wrote the electricity de-reg bill in California), begged for power to keep lights on and overpaid billions for it. Too true. But use your noggin, is that really an argument in favor of putting somebody who knows nothing in charge?

As far as I know, Mr. Schwarzenegger is as qualified as any other citizen to run for public office. So why doesn't he start with the school board or the country commissioner's office and learn something about what is involved first?