Bitterly divided over the role of the United States from Afghanistan to Iraq, the world's commentators agree on one topic - a carnival like the California governor's race could only happen in America.

　　"A circus fit for the fruit and nut state," said a headline in British newspaper The Guardian about the 135-candidate race to replace Gray Davis as governor of America's most populous state. The Independent called it a "farcical race for California's hot seat."

　　Around the world, the campaign was viewed with amusement, bemusement - and the occasional hint of admiration.

　　Action star Arnold Schwarzenegger leads the race to replace Davis after the October 7 recall vote, and dominates the world's headlines.

　　Those headlines are remarkably similar; newspapers have been unable to resist the punning lure of "The Governator," "Total Recall" and - in the words of Greek daily Eleftherotypia - "Conan the candidate."

　　Much press coverage has focused on Schwarzenegger to the exclusion of almost all other candidates - and not just in his homeland of Austria.

　　"King Arnie - How an Austrian is conquering America's politics," said the cover of the weekly Austrian magazine News. The magazine's August 13 issue devoted eight pages to the California recall, twice as many as it allotted to coverage of the Austrian presidential election, to be held in the spring.

　　In Britain, bookmaker William Hill is taking bets on the campaign - but only on Arnie, whom it considers an 8-11 favorite.

　　"From a British point of view, he's the only celebrity angle," said spokeswoman Jenny Prest.

　　For some, especially in Europe, the election symbolizes all that is wrong with America.

　　The Italian newsweekly L'Espresso was one of several publications to call the campaign a "circus" because of the long and motley list of candidates, from former "Diff'rent Strokes" star Gary Coleman to pornographer Larry Flynt and a billboard model named Angelyne.

　　"It is hard to imagine a greater responsibility than the election of the (governor of the) most populous, rich and electorally significant state in the United States, but it is impossible to say that the current vote is serious," sniffed Russia's Kommersant newspaper.

　　California's recall effort has been fueled by a US38 billion state budget deficit and voter wrath over California's energy crisis.

　　Under state law, citizens can force a vote to recall a sitting governor if they collect 900,000 voters' signatures. To run for the office requires US3,500 and 65 signatures.