# Americans: which foreigner would you like as POTUS? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 1, 2007, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-which-foreigner-would-you-like-as-potus/428464 "2007-12-01T16:29:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2007, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-which-foreigner-would-you-like-as-potus/428464/41 "2007-12-02T18:23:49Z")
HRH Queen Elizabeth II You cannot get much better. Matter of fact, why not tear up your Dec of Ind and be welcomed back into the fold:D ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2007, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-which-foreigner-would-you-like-as-potus/428464/42 "2007-12-02T18:30:36Z")
[QUOTE=chowder] HRH Queen Elizabeth II You cannot get much better. Matter of fact, why not tear up your Dec of Ind and be welcomed back into the fold:D [/QUOTE] As POTUS? Elizabeth is a fine and dignified lady, but since her position inhibits her from expressing political opinions, we have no idea what her politics are. Reunification? Sure. But we still can’t compromise on the “No taxation without representation!” thing. So you have to give us seats in the Commons on a population basis. That means, let’s see, five Yank MPs for every Brit MP. In effect, you’ll be **our** colony. But we promise not to tax your tea. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2007, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-which-foreigner-would-you-like-as-potus/428464/43 "2007-12-02T18:31:03Z")
[QUOTE=chowder] HRH Queen Elizabeth II You cannot get much better. Matter of fact, why not tear up your Dec of Ind and be welcomed back into the fold:D [/QUOTE] She’s OK as a strictly ceremonial Head of State, but she couldn’t run a country. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2007, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-which-foreigner-would-you-like-as-potus/428464/44 "2007-12-02T18:41:43Z")
[QUOTE=glee] She’s OK as a strictly ceremonial Head of State, but she couldn’t run a country. :eek: [/QUOTE] How do we know that – one way or the other? ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2007, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-which-foreigner-would-you-like-as-potus/428464/45 "2007-12-02T19:58:09Z")
[QUOTE=Sevastopol] Yes, it’s a rare and precious thing to find someone with a mind open to rational persuasion when their ideology is discussed. That is plainly the chief attraction of Sarkozy to the member. [/QUOTE] If you don’t mind terribly, “the member” will speak for myself — as I did immediately before your post. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2007, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-which-foreigner-would-you-like-as-potus/428464/46 "2007-12-02T20:00:01Z")
[QUOTE=glee] Richard Branson has great publicity skill, but his company has been involved in ‘dirty tricks’ allegations [/QUOTE] Hmm… Okay, I hereby allege that you have done a dirty trick or two sometime in the past. Is it now somehow significant that you are involved in a ‘dirty trick’ allegation? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2007, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-which-foreigner-would-you-like-as-potus/428464/47 "2007-12-02T20:37:17Z")
[QUOTE=Polycarp] **matt\_mcl**. Not a joke. He’s a competent politician who could win an election, and his ideas and opinions on a variety of subjects he’d deal with as President range from ones I support strongly to ones I could live with but don’t necesssarily espouse myself. [/QUOTE] I have to chuckle, because I was going to propose him as well but only as a lark because after all this is a silly thread and **matt\_mcl** is the only foreign SDMB politician I know of. To the best of my knowledge, he’s never won an election, and he knew he wasn’t going to win the last one. He ran to raise issues. Furthermore, aside from the fact he wasn’t born in America (You know, I don’t know that for sure), he’s not old enough to run for president. And one more thing. I remember vaguely remember telling him that he had to get rid of that facial hair. That just doesn’t go well for presidential hopefulls. So you and I need to find someone else. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2007, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-which-foreigner-would-you-like-as-potus/428464/48 "2007-12-02T21:21:53Z")
Elton John, then you’d have a president and royalty in one, well - a queen anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2007, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-which-foreigner-would-you-like-as-potus/428464/49 "2007-12-02T21:35:30Z")
[QUOTE=chowder] HRH Queen Elizabeth II You cannot get much better. Matter of fact, why not tear up your Dec of Ind and be welcomed back into the fold:D [/QUOTE] A minor highjack, if you will-George III was actually quite popular in England, and was not the tyrant he’s made out to be. (I support the DI and all that, I’m just sayin’) I might not mind Bono, although he’d probably be waaaaay too leftish for this country. So again, my choice is still good ol’ Jacky-Chuck. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2007, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-which-foreigner-would-you-like-as-potus/428464/50 "2007-12-03T02:16:05Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > He’s a competent politician who could win an election **matt\_mcl** is a politician? ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2007, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-which-foreigner-would-you-like-as-potus/428464/51 "2007-12-03T02:19:30Z")
Based on what I’ve seen of him around here I think he’d make a pretty good one, too. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2007, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-which-foreigner-would-you-like-as-potus/428464/52 "2007-12-03T04:03:08Z")
Alex Trebek. Or Sean Connery. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2007, 9:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-which-foreigner-would-you-like-as-potus/428464/53 "2007-12-03T09:17:54Z")
[QUOTE=glee] She’s OK as a strictly ceremonial Head of State, but she couldn’t run a country. :eek: [/QUOTE] Well as a matter of fact she can and does it quite well. OK the nerks in Parliament draft bills and such but in the long run Liz has the last word, if she says piss off then they ask her for how long and in what particular colour she’d like the piss. Make no mistake about it, Liz is one astute chick ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2007, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-which-foreigner-would-you-like-as-potus/428464/54 "2007-12-03T09:26:18Z")
Derren Brown, using mind control over Alanis Morrisette. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2007, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-which-foreigner-would-you-like-as-potus/428464/55 "2007-12-04T01:33:22Z")
[QUOTE=Hostile Dialect] **matt\_mcl** is a politician? [/QUOTE] Yes, if I recall correctly. I can’t remember quite what his position is, but he’s a rep for some county in Canada. Or something like that. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2007, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-which-foreigner-would-you-like-as-potus/428464/56 "2007-12-04T02:58:30Z")
[QUOTE=Guinastasia] Yes, if I recall correctly. I can’t remember quite what his position is, but he’s a rep for some county in Canada. Or something like that. [/QUOTE] Let’s limit this discussion to real countries. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hypnagogic_jerk/32/4252_2.png) [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypnagogic_Jerk)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2007, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-which-foreigner-would-you-like-as-potus/428464/57 "2007-12-04T03:29:39Z")
[QUOTE=Guinastasia] Yes, if I recall correctly. I can’t remember quite what his position is, but he’s a rep for some county in Canada. Or something like that. [/QUOTE] I think he’s run for Parliament at least twice, but didn’t get elected, and didn’t expect to be elected either. This said, I’m sure he’s quite active in his party, the NDP. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2007, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-which-foreigner-would-you-like-as-potus/428464/58 "2007-12-04T06:19:48Z")
My nominee for the president, veep, and cabinet: The editorial board of _The Economist_. I have more trust and faith in them than any comparable publication. I may not agree with all of their positions (though my disagreements are few), yet they are all rationally — and extensively — thought out and eminently defensible. Though I may have a myopic view of the world, I find them to be extraordinarily balanced, even when they are advocating a particular outcome. That is, even though they are strongly in favor of free trade, for example, they are not zealots and take protectionist arguments into account. Family values shmamly values – they are firmly and honestly, supportive of human rights, democracy, and, though in politics it’s oft used and trite to say, of freedom. I’m sorry if this isn’t quite in line with the exact hypothetical of the OP, but I hope it fits with the spirit of the thread. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2007, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-which-foreigner-would-you-like-as-potus/428464/59 "2007-12-07T09:50:05Z")
[QUOTE=Rhythmdvl] I’m sorry if this isn’t quite in line with the exact hypothetical of the OP, but I hope it fits with the spirit of the thread. [/QUOTE] I think I can manage to allow it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2007, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-which-foreigner-would-you-like-as-potus/428464/60 "2007-12-07T12:04:15Z")
[QUOTE=chowder] HRH Queen Elizabeth II You cannot get much better. [/QUOTE] Yes, but then after she left office, some fools would run Chuck for President, and given that we quite obviously _haven’t_ learned our lesson after the John Quincy Adams debacle, I’m afraid that we’d wind up with him and Horseface in charge. While it’d be admittedly be _entertaining_ to have them occupying the Oval Orifice, I think that we’ve had enough elected disasters to last us for another 176 years, thank you very much. I’ll take: Sean Connery (“Connery, President Connery.” has nice ring to it.) Richard Branson (At least he understands the benefits of a space program.) HM Juan Carlos I (Anyone who’s not afraid to smackdown Chavez is alright in my book.) Václav Havel (A brilliant man.) Gary Kasparov (Another brilliant man.) Or my dream ticket: Zombi Winston Churchill, President Zombi Douglas Adams VP Not only would we have two brilliant (and funny) leaders, but the zombi factor would allow us to “out crazy” the terrorists, thus giving us an edge they could never hope to beat. 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-which-foreigner-would-you-like-as-potus/428464.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-which-foreigner-would-you-like-as-potus/428464.md?page=4)