Which illustrates the point that what matters is not moral/intellectual qualities of politicians, but the quality of political institutions. US politics sucks not because people of questionable moral/intellectual fibre run it, but the other way around - the system is corrupt and corrupts those who are a part of it, regardless of their personal characteristscs. Bush or Reagan are perfect fits - not only because their philistinism fits the nature of the system, but mainly because their intellectual ineptitude allows the assorted monied interest and grey eminences to run the show with minimal interruption from those hired to act as leaders.
Wojtek