Of course it's deadly serious. Politicians could end the entire world with nuclear weapons. (They might still!). It is also a game, with players and objectives

Of course it's deadly serious. Politicians could end the entire world with nuclear weapons. (They might still!). It is also a game, with players and objectives, and zero-sum outcomes for the players. You either get elected, or you don't, and it's up to each player to decide what they are willing to do in order to win.