George Clooney has 'no interest' in presidential office

George Clooney has given up any dream of becoming President after witnessing Barack Obama's struggle to tackle the "impossible" mission of governing America.

The Ocean's Eleven star has been interested in politics for years and has been a leading voice in the campaign for peace in the Sudan, prompting speculation he will one day swap Hollywood for public office - and many pundits believe he could follow Ronald Reagan's ascent from Tinseltown to the White House.

But Clooney, who plays a presidential candidate caught up in a scandal in new political drama The Ides of March, insists life will never imitate art.

Speaking at the Venice Film Festival in Italy, he says, "There's a guy in office right now who is smarter than almost anyone you know, who's nicer and who has more compassion than almost anyone you know. And he's having an almost impossible time governing. Why would anybody volunteer for that job?

"I have a really good job. I get to hang out with very seductive people. So I have no interest."

Clooney directs and stars in the movie new adaptation of Beau Willimon's play Faragut North, which opened the Venice Film Festival on Wednesday (31Aug11).

Clooney was joined on the red carpet by co-stars Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Evan Rachel Wood and Marisa Tomei. His other leading man, Ryan Gosling, was unable to make the trip to Italy due to filming commitments.