http://singularityhub.com/2011/05/17/eight-out-of-chinas-top... The top 8 out of 9 Chinese officials are scientists. Granted the culture and political structure are a bit different in the West vs China.

Engineers and scientists are particularly well-suited to hold office in a communist country. The very idea of managed economies was based on the idea of informed technocrats being able to make decisions to the benefit of all. In fact, in the case of the Soviet Union, it worked brilliantly... until it didn't.

The current Chancellor of Germany is a good example. I think the US is a long way from that happening though (at that level).