Blast from the Past: Presidential TV Shows!

It's President's Day, and I have a surprise day off from work. So, woohoo, right? But what am I going to do for Blast from the Past this week? And even though I'm off from my regular job, I had quite a bit of weekend part-time work, so I'm brain fried. But how about this? How many TV Shows were there about the President of the United States, and/or the White House? Surprisingly, quite a few. . .


1. The West Wing (1999-2006) - Obviously, this is (so far) the most successful of the bunch. It was supposed to be just about the President's staff, but Martin Sheen was so good at being Josiah "Jed" Bartlett, he became an integral part of the show.

2. Hail to the Chief  (1985) - An attempt to do a sitcom about the first female president (Patty Duke) failed, but maybe Hillary Clinton can pull it off for real in 2016?



3. Mr. President (1987-1988) - Even with the gravitas of George C. Scott as the president, a comedy about the White House just didn't seem to take. It featured Madeline Kahn though, and for that it's worth remembering.

4. The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer (1998) - A comedy about the Lincoln White House? Yes, that happened, with Chi McBride as the president's valet, and Dann Florek as Abraham Lincoln.



5. Commander in Chief (2005-2006) - Another series, this time a drama, about the first woman president, with Geena Davis. A good show, with a West Wing vibe about it, but it didn't work.

6. That's My Bush! (2001) - A comedy about George W. Bush sounds like a match made in heaven, particularly with South Park's Trey Parker & Matt Stone at the helm. But, it was very early in Bush's run (there would be much more fodder later), and if it had taken off, they would have had to deal with September 11 and the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. A little heavy, don't you think? Featured Timothy Bottoms as Dubya.

It's worth pointing out that there are currently three shows about the executive branch on television at the moment, 1600 Penn with Bill Pullman as prez, The First Family with Christopher B. Duncan, and Veep with Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Vice President. But those shows are not a Blast from the Past, and frankly, this week's edition was laborious and time consuming. So, though there may be more examples of White House-centric television, we're going to have to leave at at six for now!

Happy Monday and happy President's Day!

Is Sarah Palin Really Running for President?

Image from source, TowleRoad

Could she take the pay cut? Seriously, since Sarah Palin bailed on the Alaska governorship, she's been raking it in, both personally, and via SarahPAC. She's released two ghost-written books, gotten a gig on FOX "News"--as all 2012 presidential candidates seem to do--and her own reality show on TLC. That's in addition to her daughter's tea bagger-fueled sure-to-win appearances on So You Think You Can Dance  Dancing with the Stars, and who knows how many other paying gigs.

I'd like to say, "Bring her on!" I once thought that a Palin candidacy would be a sure-fire way to get Barack Obama a second term.  I still lean that way, even after the GOP/Tea Party 2010 tidal wave. After all, the most extreme candidates for the most part lost. Still, Rand Paul got in. For that matter, so did the should-have-been unelectable George W. Bush, twice.  For all the bloggy goodness a Palin candidacy could bring, the possibility that this woman could actually become President of the United States scares the crap out of me. That's a charge often levelled at liberals like me. "You're SCARED of Sarah Palin!" Damned right I am.

For all the nay-saying about Barack Obama being the "chosen one," and his cult of personality, it doesn't touch the Palin cult. Not by a long shot.  There is nothing she can do, no flub too big, no faux pas that is disqualifying. They love her no matter what idiocy dribbles from her lipsticked mouth.  I'm moderately confident that the GOP won't allow it, and that if she does squeak by, that the American voters won't go for her. She is more polarizing than even Hillary Clinton after all. But after biting my nails for several months over Sharron Angle, I'm not one who wants to take that bet.

[Excerpt]

Watch: Sarah Palin Tells Barbara Walters She's Considering Presidential Run and Believes She Can Beat Obama



Sarah Palin tells Barbara Walters in a Nightline interview (airing December 9 — they're already teasing it) that she's considering a Presidential run. . .
 
Read more at: TowleRoad

Where Does Bush Rank?

Image from source, Huffington Post

Well, they gave him a higher score than I would have. These historians thought that George W. Bush sought justice? With an administration that I would like to see brought to justice, I have a wee bit of a problem with that. Still, The Decider ranks below Herbert Hoover. That's something, I guess.

[Excerpt]

Lincoln Ranked Best President By Historians

Former President George W. Bush, who left office last month, was ranked 36th out of the 42 men who had been chief executive by the end of 2008, according to a survey conducted by the cable channel C-SPAN. . .

Read more at: Huffington Post

President Barack Obama: "I Screwed Up."

It is refreshing that we have a President who not only speaks in generally correct English, but isn't afraid to admit a mistake. And without roundabout finger-pointing at someone else who's really to blame. We're only two weeks in, but I'm liking it, warts and all.

44 Presidents of the United States

This is kinda nifty. . .

Barack Obama's Acceptance Speech

After nearly a year and a half of blogging, I am thrilled to present the acceptance speech of Barack Obama for President of the United States.