I'm not a huge Arnie fan, but the man came from nothing arriving in America with $20 and ambition. He won Mr. Universe, then rallied his winnings into a fortune by INVESTING then graduating from college with a degree in business. THEN he became a real estate tycoon speculating on property in Santa Monica (worth MILLIONS now). All before he considered going into the movie business.
"intellectual depth of a mud puddle"
Not.
Let's not confuse shrewdness and ambition with intelligence.
Arnie came to America with $20.00 alright, in addition to the tuteledge and backing of Joe Weider, who is to the "sport" of bodyduilding what Vince McMahon is to Professional Wrestling (and the parallel does not stop there). While I greatly admire the guts, determination and discipline required to become Mr Universe (Arnie also was Mr Olympia SIX times!) sculpting glutes, delts and lats can hardly be called an intellectual endeavor.
The success he realized in the field of real estate was necessitated by the fact that his first venture into film (produced by Weider, aided by Hefner and featuring Arnie as a gun-slinging cowboy from Bavaria) was a complete disaster.
Don't get me wrong - I admire the man. I simly don't think he belongs in the same class as Condi Rice, Dick Cheney or GWB.
Think for a minute about how he would handle the upcoming nominations to SCOTUS, or dealing with Alan Greenspan's successor at the Fed.