Mr. President, Have Pity on the Working Man

So according to this article, Stephen Colbert is still running for president - in the Marvel universe - at least, and has a good chance of being elected. I don't know how I feel about this. I always felt that most fictional presidents and leaders are hokey. The U.S. presidents resident in Marvel's past, as well as most displayed in the realm of comic books and film, are for the most part un-interesting, un-interested mirrors of their current real-world dopplegangers. I started thinking about some of my favorite fictional presidents/leaders, and also some of my most hated, instead of the standard, milque-toast, do-nothings.

Dick Nixon - President, Watchmen

Tricky Dick is more in the shadows than on the front page, his likeness only hinted at through the disconcerting graffiti littering the streets of Watchmen's New York. After killing the hell out of The Vietnam War, Dick's long-ass presidency (after abolishing the two-term limit) represents the neo-conservative values represented by the extremist characters populating the book. Perhaps I liked this portrayal of fictional leadership so much because there was only a hint of his leadership and decisions.

The Mayor - Ghostbusters, Ghostbusters II

A great leader who makes the right choices when necessary. He may need some pushing to do it, but he doesnt stall like so many other leaders would. When it comes down to it, he lets loose his rallying cry, "GET ME THE GHOSTBUSTERS!" His lackeys are the ones responsible for the mistakes made in arresting or holding up the Ghostbusters from getting work done, whether it be the EPA's Walter Wick, or the mayor's personal lackey in the sequel. As a foil for our universe's W., his advisors are the bumbling idiots - not the man himself.

Tim Robbins - President, Austin Powers II

Tim Robbins would never be elected president. The reason? Smarm. The guy is so smarmy it even oozes out of his paramour, Susan Sarandon's ears. He's so smarmy, jelly companies hatch plots to bottle the stuff. He lays it on much too thick when he laughs in the face of Evil.

Bonus Inanity - Robbins also plays puppet president, Norville Barnes, of Hudsucker Industries in the under-appreciated Hudsucker Proxy. Either way, he plays moronic, hubris-filled presidents, who would be out of luck if it weren't for British mystery men or magical janitors.

Geena Davis - President, That Show Where She Was President

I never even watched the show, but whatever alternate earth American population voted her into office must have been the most brain-dead populace since the civilians of Idiocracy. Who would think a snobby, goofy, fly/alien-loving psychopath could be president. She's unfortunately a step up from a moose-dressing, aerial wolf-hunting vp candidate we all know and love in this universe.

Dr. Zaius - Senate Counsellor - Planet of the Apes

Terrible. He represents all that is oppressive and evil in leadership. Close-minded, panicky, an ape. The list goes on. When Dr. Zaius accompanies Taylor to an unearthed cave within which are found human dolls, he scoffs and suggests that the dolls are merely ape toys. Even in the face of pure fact - would apes make a
doll....THAT TALKS!? - he reasons within his own worldview. If only we could blame apes today for global warming.


I was going to list some more, but I figured I'd let some commenters give their ideas. (I was going to mention President Camacho from Idiocracy but it would have been too easy. So what do you guys think? Any fictional leaders more inspiring than Morgan Freeman in Deep Impact?