# Choose a fictional President to put into the actual Oval Office **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 22, 2008, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-a-fictional-president-to-put-into-the-actual-oval-office/464746 "2008-09-22T21:54:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-a-fictional-president-to-put-into-the-actual-oval-office/464746/21 "2008-09-23T01:39:46Z")
[Prez!](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prez_Rickard) Or Captain America. Hey, he was president in an alternate future! ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-a-fictional-president-to-put-into-the-actual-oval-office/464746/22 "2008-09-23T01:40:59Z")
…Like all of those bullet holes in the roof and beer stains in the carpet… ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-a-fictional-president-to-put-into-the-actual-oval-office/464746/23 "2008-09-23T01:47:50Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > On the one hand, with no super-villains hereabouts to crimp his style, he’d mop up our current wars duing Inauguation weekend. > > On the other hand, presented with the financial crisis, he’d say, “Okay, explain to me ONE MORE TIME what a ‘checking account’ is.” Oh horse hockey. Superman has super-intelligence, AND a supercomputer in his Fortress of Solitude, AND the advice of all the Kryptonian scientists in the bottle city of Kandor, AND he can always call Batman to help out if necessary. Plus, whenever the economy slumps, he can always squeeze coal into diamonds. Come to think of it, Bruce Wayne was elected President in at least one Elseworlds story that I recall. But he never became Batman in that continuity. So, no downside. Personally I think we could do worse than the President from Clive Cussler’s adventure novels-- a quick internet search reveals his name as “Garner Ward.” No matter what the crisis facing the nation, this guy always has the right answer, and that answer is: “government-funded oceanographic research.” South American dictator holding the Vice President for ransom? Iranian militants stole a prototype fast-neutron satellite beam weapon? It doesn’t matter; somehow, government-funded oceanographic research will solve the problem. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-a-fictional-president-to-put-into-the-actual-oval-office/464746/24 "2008-09-23T01:57:47Z")
> [@Shawn1767](#): > > Morgan Freeman as President Tom Beck from Deep Impact. Yup. I feel better already: [http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/4/4d/300px-DeepImpact1.jpg](http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/4/4d/300px-DeepImpact1.jpg) Or Harrison Ford’s POTUS character in _Air Force One_, or Michael Douglas’s in _The American President_. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-a-fictional-president-to-put-into-the-actual-oval-office/464746/25 "2008-09-23T02:10:31Z")
Jack Ryan…everything always turns out just right with him, so we can count on no serious situation ever going badly. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-a-fictional-president-to-put-into-the-actual-oval-office/464746/26 "2008-09-23T02:12:44Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Oh, I don’t know. “Point Bauer at it and then observe from a safe distance” seems wise. Which is exactly why I want Jack Bauer for President. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-a-fictional-president-to-put-into-the-actual-oval-office/464746/27 "2008-09-23T02:24:31Z")
> [@JThunder](#): > > Which is exactly why I want Jack Bauer for President. But since Jack Bauer was never President in the _24_ universe, he doesn’t meet the qualifications in the OP. Howzabout [James Dale?](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116996/) He knew how to look on the bright side. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-a-fictional-president-to-put-into-the-actual-oval-office/464746/28 "2008-09-23T02:51:23Z")
Morgan Freeman was the one I immediately thought of as well. > [@Darth\_Nader](#): > > Adam Selene. But they might have to knock a few walls out to make everything fit. Adam Selene was never the President of the United States. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-a-fictional-president-to-put-into-the-actual-oval-office/464746/29 "2008-09-23T03:19:30Z")
Merkin Muffley (When I saw it in the late 70s, in my late teens, I didn’t get it. Now I wonder how the hell they got away with THAT name!?!) ---
**Author:** ![Idlewild](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8491ac/32.png) [@Idlewild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idlewild)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-a-fictional-president-to-put-into-the-actual-oval-office/464746/30 "2008-09-23T03:34:25Z")
> [@lynxie](#): > > Tom McLaughlin from the Canadian production “Trojan Horse”. > > (this is right up your alley, Skald the Rhymer) Augh, so desperately waiting for this on DVD (it’s supposed to be coming out in October.) I assume it’s worth the wait?? ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-a-fictional-president-to-put-into-the-actual-oval-office/464746/31 "2008-09-23T04:39:51Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > But since Jack Bauer was never President in the _24_ universe, he doesn’t meet the qualifications in the OP. True. I just wish that he would be. Bauer/O’Brien in 2008, folks! ---
**Author:** ![Sr\_Siete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Sr\_Siete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sr_Siete)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-a-fictional-president-to-put-into-the-actual-oval-office/464746/32 "2008-09-23T07:09:46Z")
Why, President Schwarzenegger from “The Simpsons” movie, of course. > [@](#): > > Russ Cargill: [enters the Oval Office] President Schawarzenegger. > President Schwarzenegger: Ja. That is me. > Russ Cargill: The pollution in Springfield has reached crisis levels > President Schwarzenegger: Ach! Everything is “crisis this” and “end-of-the-world that”! No one opens with a joke! I miss Danny DeVito. > Russ Cargill: You like jokes, huh? Well, stop me if you’ve heard this one. > [holds up cage with the mutant squirral] > President Schwarzenegger: [gasp] Look at all those angry eyes and pointy teeth! It’s like Christmas at the Kennedy Compound! > Russ Cargill: Mr. President, you chose me, Russ Cargill, most successful man in America, to head the EPA, the least successful organization. That’s why I’ve narrowed your choices down to five unthinkable options. > [spreads the files on the President’s desk] > Russ Cargill: Each one will cause untold misery and… > President Schwarzenegger: [points to File #3] I pick Number Three! > Russ Cargill: Really? You don’t want to read them first? > President Schwarzenegger: I was elected to _lead_, not to _read_. Number Three! ---
**Author:** ![lynxie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e99b99/32.png) [@lynxie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lynxie)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-a-fictional-president-to-put-into-the-actual-oval-office/464746/33 "2008-09-23T08:43:49Z")
> [@Idlewild](#): > > Augh, so desperately waiting for this on DVD (it’s supposed to be coming out in October.) I assume it’s worth the wait?? Well, I think it is - I loved it. Of course, I love almost any thing Paul Gross is in. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-a-fictional-president-to-put-into-the-actual-oval-office/464746/34 "2008-09-23T09:35:04Z")
Off the top of my head: Gina Davis from her presidential series. Morgan Freeman from Deep Impact. Bobby from Jack & Bobby. Laura Roslin from BSG (despite the physical resemblance to Palin)! ---
**Author:** ![Idlewild](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8491ac/32.png) [@Idlewild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idlewild)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-a-fictional-president-to-put-into-the-actual-oval-office/464746/35 "2008-09-23T11:38:00Z")
> [@lynxie](#): > > Well, I think it is - I loved it. Of course, I love almost any thing Paul Gross is in. 😃 I have absolutely no idea what you mean. 😉 I loved H20, I’m just hoping McLaughlin as Presidential candidate can live up to McLaughlin as Prime Minister. As fabulously Machiavellian Prime Minister. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-a-fictional-president-to-put-into-the-actual-oval-office/464746/36 "2008-09-23T13:19:51Z")
The un-named president played by Alan Alda in **Canadian Bacon**. There’s nothing wrong with the US economy that couldn’t be fixed by invading Canada, and those Canucks are pre-occupied by an election at the moment, so they wouldn’t notice the Michigan National Guard advancing across the Detroit River until it was too late. ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-a-fictional-president-to-put-into-the-actual-oval-office/464746/37 "2008-09-23T13:45:02Z")
“Gee Brain, what do we want to do tonight?” “The same thing we do every night, Pinky, try to rule the U.S.!” President Brain, VP Pinky, Narf! ---
**Author:** ![Atrael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Atrael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atrael)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-a-fictional-president-to-put-into-the-actual-oval-office/464746/38 "2008-09-23T13:54:42Z")
Mike Sterns from the _1632_ universe. Of course the problem isn’t the presidency, but rather the entire government. So I’m not sure how well this would really work out. But fun to try! ---
**Author:** ![Just1Lurk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c0e974/32.png) [@Just1Lurk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just1Lurk)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-a-fictional-president-to-put-into-the-actual-oval-office/464746/39 "2008-09-23T14:47:08Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by **mobo85** : > I agree with David Palmer…however, there is the unfortunate fact that he is dead in the 24 universe. No problem, just take him to the \*Futurama \*universe and… ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-a-fictional-president-to-put-into-the-actual-oval-office/464746/40 "2008-09-23T15:19:33Z")
> [@Atrael](#): > > Mike Sterns from the _1632_ universe. > > Of course the problem isn’t the presidency, but rather the entire government. So I’m not sure how well this would really work out. But fun to try! ummm Mike Stearns vs The entrenched bureaucracy and accumulated incompetence of one of the biggest government in history… Those poor buggers wouldnt know what hit them [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-a-fictional-president-to-put-into-the-actual-oval-office/464746.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-a-fictional-president-to-put-into-the-actual-oval-office/464746.md?page=3)