The amounts they could make in speaking engagements and book deals and the like though pale in comparison to the money many of these high spending political candidates have already made in various kinds of businesses.

It seems to be more about the public perception that they have more power in such political offices even though they could have more real power in the form of being CEOs of some Fortune 500 company.

The American cult of celebrity though adheres more to certain political offices like US Senator or US Representative or POTUS or State Governor than say a CEO of Apple Computer.

I have been listening to a series of CDs on Roman History by the Teaching Company and am amazed at how many pivotal moments in Roman History came down to someone's ego and how others viewed these people.