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Political Career Not Too Attractive for Children
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The idea of becoming the head of government of their country was not particularly enticing for people in three countries, according to a poll by Angus Reid Strategies. Only nine per cent of respondents in Canada say they fantasized about becoming prime minister when they were children.
Only eight per cent of respondents in the United States acknowledge day-dreaming about becoming president, and only one-in-twenty respondents in Britain say they fantasized about serving as prime minister.
In 2007, a story in The Hill quoted the views of some American politicians on whether they ever fantasized about becoming president.
Democratic California congressman Jerry McNerney stated: "When I was a child [I did]. But I never had an ambition for politics until about two years ago."
Republican Washington congressman Dave Reichert declared: "No. When I was young I wanted to help people and my dream was to become a police officer, which I did. I am having fun here and I’m always trying to do the best thing I can wherever I am."
Polling Data
When you were a child, did you ever fantasize about holding any of these jobs? (Positive responses only)
|
CAN - Prime Minister of Canada |
9% |
|
USA - President of the United States |
8% |
|
BRI - Prime Minister of the United Kingdom |
5% |
Source: Angus Reid Strategies
Methodology: Online interviews with 1,006 Canadian adults, 1,002 American adults, and 2,001 British adults, conducted from Aug. 27 to Aug. 30, 2009. Margins of error range from 2.2 per cent to 3.1 per cent.