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President of the United States in fiction

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People have frequently been portrayed in fiction as the president of the United States. Media include novels and short stories, comics, plays, films, and television shows. The roles include fictional presidents, fictionalized accounts of actual presidents, and real historical figures who did not in fact become president, typically in works of alternate history or comedy.

A substantial number of fictional works explore the possibility of an individual from an historically politically under-represented group, such as women or African-Americans, becoming president. Some works also center on machinations by a vice-president seeking to become president.

History

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From the founding of the United States up to the 1930s, works of fiction depicting or parodying actual presidents were commonly produced, but depictions of entirely fictional presidents were much less common.[1]

The 1931 musical, Of Thee I Sing, with a score by George Gershwin, lyrics by Ira Gershwin and a book by George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind, comically depicts the fictional John P. Wintergreen as being elected president on a campaign of love.[2] The first American musical with a consistently satirical tone,[3][4] Congress, the U.S. Supreme Court, the Presidency, and the democratic process itself were all targets of this satire, prompting original stars William Gaxton and Victor Moore to wonder if they would face government repercussions for their portrayals of President Wintergreen and Vice President Throttlebottom.[4] Specific political parties are not identified in the musical, as Kaufman and Ryskind believed that absurdity was bipartisan in Depression-era politics.[3]

While the 1932 film, The Phantom President, depicts a fictional presidential candidate, the earliest film depiction of a fictional president in office is in the 1933 film, Gabriel Over the White House.[5]

Cultural influence

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The idea of a female president of the United States has been explored by various writers in novels (including science fiction), movies and television, as well as other media. Numerous actresses have portrayed a female president of the United States. Such portrayals have occurred in comedies as well as serious works. Fictional female acting presidents of the United States are not included in this article. In the 2020 presidential election, Kamala Harris became the first woman to be elected as Vice President of the United States and was inaugurated on January 20, 2021, becoming the first female vice president in American history. On November 19, 2021, President Joseph R. Biden underwent a colonoscopy, and temporarily transferred the powers of the presidency to then Vice President Kamala Harris as acting president, becoming the first woman to exercise presidential power.[6]

Before and after the election of Barack Obama as the first African American president of the United States in 2008, the idea of a black president of the United States has been explored by various writers in novels (including science fiction), movies and television, as well as other media. Numerous actors have portrayed a black president. Such portrayals have occurred in both serious works and comedies.

As writers and directors cast blacks as president in several memorable portrayals, depictions of fictional black presidents may have accustomed Americans to accept a black man as president.[7][8][9] Actor Dennis Haysbert who played a black president on the hit show 24, said the portrayal “may have opened the eyes, the minds and the hearts of people because the character was so well liked."[10] The show also raised the issue of whether television series "like political trial ballons, can ready the populace for change."[11][12][13]

Vice Presidents

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The office of Vice President of the United States is technically the second highest office in the American federal government, and an office from which occupants may succeed to the presidency through various potentially dramatic means. Occupants of this office have also often been depicted in fiction, and it has been noted that fictional vice presidents are often depicted as immoral, corrupt, or outright villainous characters.[14] Beginning in the 2000s, with female candidates becoming more successful in national politics, these depictions have frequently depicted female vice presidents in a particularly negative light.[15] For example, in the 2011 novel, It's Classified, by former Sarah Palin advisor Nicolle Wallace, fictional female vice president Tara Meyers is depicted as mentally ill.[16]

Vice presidents are often depicted as having ambitions to become president, sometimes scheming to cause the removal of the president in order to ascend to that office, and sometimes becoming president, either through such machinations, or through unforeseen circumstances. In the musical Of Thee I Sing, Vice President Throttlebottom is briefly excited at the prospect of becoming President when party members conspire to impeach and remove President Wintergreen.[2]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Jeff Smith, The Presidents We Imagine: Two Centuries of White House Fictions on the Page, on the Stage, Onscreen, and Online (Univ. Wisc. Press, 2009).
  2. ^ a b Dan Dietz, The Complete Book of 1930s Broadway Musicals (Rowman & Littlefield, 2018), p. 294.
  3. ^ a b Kantor, Michael and Maslon, Laurence. Broadway: The American Musical. New York:Bullfinch Press (2004), p. 139-41. ISBN 0-8212-2905-2
  4. ^ a b Bloom, Ken and Vlastnik, Frank. Broadway Musicals: The 101 Greatest Shows of all Time. New York: Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers (2004), p. 228-29. ISBN 1-57912-390-2
  5. ^ Michael G. Krukones, "Motion Picture Presidents of the 1930s", in Peter C. Rollins and John E. O'Connor, eds., Hollywood's White House: The American Presidency in Film and History (2010), p. 151.
  6. ^ Kate Sullivan. "For 85 minutes, Kamala Harris became the first woman with presidential power". CNN.
  7. ^ Tony Norman, "A black president? Only on television" (February 11, 2003), Opinion Column, Post-Gazette (Pittsburgh).
  8. ^ "Rather fittingly, it was Hollywood that first dabbled with the subject. In fact, you could say it was America's dream factory – a major contributor to Obama's campaign – that first prepared Americans, and the rest of us, for the possibility." A black president: From fantasy to fact: Obama is the personification of a powerful idea. Now the hard work starts November 04, 2008 Opinion Column Vancouver Sun "A black president: From fantasy to fact". Archived from the original on March 27, 2009. Retrieved January 28, 2009.
  9. ^ Israel, Solomon (June 4, 2008). "Precedent for black president in US film and TV". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved January 20, 2009. As Barack Obama clears yet another obstacle to becoming America's first black president, he can look for inspiration to a tradition of black American presidents before him - in American film and television. ... If life truly does imitate art, Barack Obama can rest assured that the long-standing American tradition of black presidents on both the big and little screens has accustomed Americans to the idea of an African-American leader. As the presidential campaign moves into its next phase, Obama's operatives can only hope that American voters will choose to identify him with their favorite film and television presidents - and turn out to vote as faithfully as they tune in to watch.[permanent dead link‍]
  10. ^ "President David Palmer’s term in office lasted only a few seasons on the Fox series “24.” But the image of a black president may have helped pave the way for Barack Obama’s historic election, according to the actor who portrayed the popular character." Bill Burke Did Dennis Haysbert’s ‘24’ president pave the way for our 44th?: A leading role January 20, 2009 http://www.bostonherald.com/entertainment/television/general/view.bg?articleid=1146411 Archived 2012-09-13 at the Wayback Machine
  11. ^ " '24' could become a natural talking point and cultural reference... it brings up this notion of whether television series, like political trial balloons, can ready the populace for change, soften up the collective conscience to accept an idea it has not acted on, truly, in the history of the country." Tim Goodman, '24' reflects post-September 11 mind-set January 8, 2007, San Francisco Chronicle http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/01/08/DDG3SND9CA1.DTL
  12. ^ Maureen Callahan, "A president in real-time, did '24' help Obama's candidacy?", February 24, 2008, NY Post http://www.nypost.com/seven/02242008/postopinion/opedcolumnists/a_president_in_real_time_98988.htm
  13. ^ Joel Stein A black president? Seen a few "Hollywood has warmed us up already, namely with Morgan Freeman in 'Deep Impact' and Dennis Haysbert in '24.'" January 11, 2008 Opinion, Los Angeles Times http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-stein11jan11,0,1716590.column?coll=la-opinion-rightrail
  14. ^ Bradley, Laura (July 1, 2016). "Why Are Fictional Vice Presidents Always the Worst?". Vanity Fair.
  15. ^ Anderson, Karrin Vasby (August 16, 2020). "Watch more TV to understand the backlash against women running for vice president (and president)". Sun Port Charlotte.
  16. ^ Suddath, Claire (October 5, 2011). "Q&A with Palin Advisor-Turned-Novelist Nicolle Wallace". TIME. Retrieved November 26, 2011.

Bibliography

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