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People cast their vote for which fictional character would make the best president

Make it so.

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Leslie Knope, Jean-Luc Picard and Kermit the Frog.

Politics are truly a mixed bag and choosing a leader can be a dodgy process. In his farewell address in 1796, George Washington famously warned the American people against adopting a two-party system, citing that opposing political parties could have a negative effect on the country. Well, no one listened and Washington's warning has been...apt, to say the least. Through the democratic process, we've had over 40 presidents who have run the country to the best of their abilities, with some garnering more popularity than others. Still, all of these leaders have left something to be desired, which has led people to daydream about who they wish could run country...if only they were real.

In 2021, a thread on Ask Reddit posed the question, "Which fictional character would make a great U.S.A. president?" Some answers were simple and lighthearted. Others were drawn out and thoughtful. Some characters are well-known. Others are a bit more obscure. Regardless, it’s a fun read and offers an insightful way to look at what it really means to be a leader.

Optimus Prime—Transformers

optimus prime, transformers, television, fictional character, gif Optimus Prime GIF Giphy

This comment was so passionate I had to keep the entire thing:

“He's the perfect balance of introspection, deliberation, decisive action, compassion, toughness, fighting spirit, humility, and inspires others to greatness not because of his ego, but because he sincerely wants the best for everyone. He's eloquent enough to work with intellectuals, strong enough to keep corruption out, hard working and honest enough to connect with and inspire the working classes, and an absolute paragon of ethics. When it comes down to it, he puts his own ass on the line without hesitation. I'd vote for Optimus Prime. I'd work on his campaign staff. I'd canvas for Optimus. I'd fight his fights. He's the heroic leader we need. I wish he were here.” – Cephelopodia


Jean-Luc Picard—Star Trek: The Next Generation

jean luc picard, star trek, star trek next generation, gif Funny Face Lol GIF Giphy

“Make it so” is an awfully good campaign slogan.“This character has informed so much of what I think of as the political ideal that's it's almost absurd.” – Tactius_AMP


Aragorn—The Lord of the Rings


@myelessar

royalty #aragorn #lordoftherings #aragornedit #viggomortensen #lotr

The King of Gondor rallied some intense loyalty and humorous political banter.

“He would have my allegiance until my sons, sons die.” – Radda210

“Well, he’s got eight years.” – AutismFractal


Captain Raymond Holt—Brooklyn 99

brooklyn 99, holt, captain, show, television, gif not bad andre braugher GIF by Brooklyn Nine-Nine Giphy

The stoic, pragmatic and serious-to-the-point-of-absurd police captain would bring a level of sophistication to the role. Plus he stands up for what he thinks is right.

The only drawback is we might have the more frivolous holidays cancelled. Like Christmas.


President Josiah Bartlet—The West Wing

west wing, aaron sorkin, josiah bartlet, show, tv The West Wing Lesson GIF by HBO Max Giphy

“During 2020 with all the presidential speeches that sounded non presidential, I kept thinking that we needed a couple of Josiah Barlet speeches during that time.” – southdakotagirl


Uncle Iroh—Avatar: The Last Airbender


@_lion.turtle_

uncle iroh, the confucius of our generation #avatarthelastairbender#uncleiroh#uncleirohedit#uncleirohlovesyou#uncleirohlover911#uncleirohwisdom#uncleirohquotes#atla#atlatiktok#atlaedit#atlab#atlabtiktok#atlabedit#atlacosplay#lionturtle#edit#editor#inspiration#corecore#hopecore#hopecoretiktok#avatarthelastairbenderedit#avatarthelastairbender🌊🔥🗿🌪#viral#blowthisup#flopera

For those not familiar with Avatar: The Last Airbender, Uncle Iroh was not just a fan favorite, but universally beloved for being the show’s moral compass and source of wisdom. Hilarious and savvy, Iroh was always standing on business, helping others grow and thrive, and kept the bigger picture of the greatest good in mind, which was pretty remarkable considering he was technically on the “bad side.”

“Calm, wise, friendly and best of all he already got all that war crime stuff out of his system years ago. He’d be the best us President in history.” – Lord Noodles

“…Iroh is the benevolent father we need, with quiet dignity and terrifying power.” – spaceman_spyff


Kermit the Frog—The Muppets

kermit, kermit the frog, muppets, fiction, frog Press Conference Kermit GIF Giphy

“The lovers, the dreamers, and me would vote for him” – DrOddcat


Steve Rogers—Captain America

captain america, steve rogers, steve, america, gif ending captain america GIF Giphy

Steve Rogers is not a perfect soldier; he's just a really, really, really good man. I mean, he's everything America is supposed to be and models those ideals perfectly. He has integrity, courage, compassion, and let’s not forget stamina. He can do this all day, after all.


Leslie Knope—Parks and Recreation

@evilhagsbae

#LESLIEKNOPE || biggest cutie and girl kisser going omg 😦 #leslieknopeedit #agathaharkness #aprilludgate #annperkins #parksandrec #parksandrecreationedit #parksandrecreation #edit #aubreyplaza #softedit #evilhagsbae #core #amypoehler #annperkinscore #annandaprilcore #aprilludgatecore #aprilludgateedit #rashidajones #leslieandben

“Leslie wouldn’t get sucked in to corruption. She would negotiate and compromise, as one should, but she wouldn’t “make deals” like most politicians. Above all else, she would always be honest!” – Happy_Camper45

“And she has binders of plans for everything” – Big_Economy_1729

(Sadly, there were very few female characters I saw on the thread. I’m hoping I just didn’t scroll far down enough.)


Captain Planet—Captain Planet and the Planeteers

captain planet, climate action, cartoon, fictional character, gif Captain Planet Film GIF Giphy

Maybe then we’d take climate change seriously.


So, maybe it’s impossible for a real-life person to 100% embody these heroic traits. But that’s the beauty of fiction: It reveals our ultimate potential (for both good and bad). It can’t always take into account all the complexities and inevitable drawbacks of the human condition. It can, however, inspire us to be better.

Maybe there is no President Picard or President Rogers out there, but seeing them portrayed in our stories is still important. Observing the virtues they represent (and let’s not forget that they are representations and symbols, rather than multidimensional human beings, after all) might help inspire the next generation of heroes, leaders and politicians. That’s what well-written characters do.

In the meantime, I’ll start working on my campaign for Ted Lasso’s Keeley Jones for President. Hey, it's fun to dream, right?

This article originally appeared four years ago. It has been updated.

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A casual, candid chat with the Bidens on their morning walk is moving people to tears

C-SPAN/Twitter

This morning, Joe and Jill Biden went out for a walk with their dogs, Champ and Major, to check out the surprise the first lady had installed overnight for Valentine's Day weekend. The White House lawn has been decorated with oversized hearts that have positive words like LOVE, GRATITUDE, COMPASSION, and FAMILY on them. The one that says HEALING is signed "Love, Jill."

As they walked along with coffee cups in hand, the first couple was met by a few members of the press. The conversation that they had has gone viral—not so much because of how extraordinary it was, but rather the opposite. It was delightfully ordinary, filled with normalcy, decency, and even a random act of kindness for good measure. And the simple goodness of it all is moving people to tears.

First, a reporter asked Dr. Biden what inspired her to have the display made, and she said, "I just wanted some joy. With the pandemic, just, everybody's feeling a little down. So it's just a little joy. A little hope. That's all."

President Biden told reporters that Valentine's Day is Jill's favorite holiday and shared how she painted "Joe loves Jill" on his White House office windows when he was vice president. Then he talked about an interview he'd done with journalist Juju Chang in which she asked about Jill and Joe's "great love affair," and how he said that he loved Jill more than she loved him.

Asked how he would extend that love story to the American people who are feeling so down, Biden replied, "Tell them there is hope," he said. "There's hope. They just have to stay strong. A lot of people have gone through unbearable suffering. They've lost their families—lost their children, lost their husbands, wives, moms, dads—and it's almost unbearable. The one thing I can say to them is they're still in your heart...they really are."

The president speaks from personal experience, having lost his first wife and baby daughter in a car accident shortly after he was first elected to the Senate, and then losing his oldest son to brain cancer in 2015.

Following that serious moment, the first couple and the reporter chatted a bit more, with the reporter joking about bringing coffee for everyone. After talking about the couple's German Shepherds—Champ, who is 14 years old, and Major, who is a young rescue dog—President Biden walked over and handed his cup of coffee to the reporter, promising that he hadn't drunk out of it yet.

Looking through comments on the video, that act of kindness moved many people to tears. In fact, the whole video had people way up in their feelings, with some people saying that the decency and normalcy were "overwhelming" after the past four years.







It shouldn't be overwhelming to see a loving first couple out for a walk with their dogs, sharing coffee and chatting with people, but it is. Some people commented that they feel like they've just gotten out of an abusive relationship (and indeed, there are many analyses that point out the similarities between what America experienced the past four years with the dynamics of an abusive relationship), so this normalcy and decency is refreshing, if perhaps a bit jarring. It's going to take time to adjust to not feeling traumatized every time the president talks to a reporter.

The word HEALING on the heart behind Biden as he chats with a reporter feels rather fitting, considering the reactions to this clip. Who knew how truly healing a pair of jeans, a pair of dogs, and a simple gift of a cup of coffee could feel?

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First Doggos Champ and Major have officially moved into the White House

The Oval Pawffice/Twitter

President Trump has exited the White House as the first president in 100 years to not have a pet. President Biden is bringing the presidential pets tradition back, but with a special "first" of his own.

Champ and Major, the Bidens' German shepherds have officially moved into the White House, with Major being the first rescue dog to live there. The Bidens adopted the now 3-year-old good boy from the Delaware Humane Association in 2018.

Anyone who's ever moved with a pet knows that transitions can be tenuous. New sights, smells, and sounds, in addition to the change in routine, can be stressful for animals. And when you're a human who is not only moving into a new home, but also starting a new job as the president of the Untied States, you might need a little time to adjust right along with your pets.

That's why the Biden family took some time to fully transition their two dogs into the White House this week. Though the president and first lady moved in on January 20, the first doggos didn't officially move in until five days later, after a gradual introduction to the building and grounds to get them used to their new home.

They sure do look happy to be with their people in The People's House now, though.

There are even social media accounts dedicated to the DOTUS on Twitter and Instagram, including The First Dogs of the United States and the oh-so-punny The Oval Pawffice.

(The COTUS reference here refers to Winston, the Bidens' granddaughter Naomi's cat. Winston will serve as First Cat until the Bidens bring in a kitty of their own, which they've talked about doing.)

Much has been made of First Doggos during the presidential transition. Major had an honorary "Indoguration" that raised more than $200,000 for the Delaware Humane Association. And The Oval Pawffice even shared a "Pawnstitution" that reads:

"We the Pets of the United States, in order to form a more purrfect Union, establish mixed breed equity and fur color Justice, ensure domestic and wild Treatquility, provide for the common pawtection, pawmote the animal Welfare, rescue and adoption, and secure the Blessings of Liberty of Nom Noms to ourselves and our pawgenies, do pawrdain and establish this Pawnstitution for the United Pets and Wildlife of America."

Not only that, they even shared their oath: "We do solemnly woof / meow that we will faithfully execute the pawffice of President of the United Pets, and will to the best of our pawbility, preserve, pawtect and defend the Pawnstitution of the United Pets and Wildlife of America."

Goodness.

The last president to not have a pet in the White House was William McKinley, who was assassinated in 1901. When President Trump was asked about not having a dog, he replied that he didn't have time.

Too-busy-for-a-dog seems like odd reasoning from someone who played 261 rounds of golf while president and who theoretically could afford to hire someone to take care of a pet's every need while still enjoying the companionship and happiness that pets bring, but okay.

People are going gaga over the return of first pets to the White House, for both the light-hearted fun of it as well as the care and compassion that they represent. There's just something comforting in seeing people's bonds with their animals, and it's clear that Champ and Major are attached to their humans. Science has also shown that dogs can sense when a person is untrustworthy, so seeing the leader of the country happily hanging out with dogs is a good sign.

Welcome to the White House, Champ and Major. Glad to see such good boys at our president's side.


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Amanda Gorman left Anderson Cooper absolutely speechless in her post-Inauguration interview

Anderson Cooper 360/Twitter

Anderson Cooper has interviewed hundreds of people, from top celebrities to heads of state to people on the street. He is fairly unflappable when it comes to chatting with a guest, which is what makes his reaction while interviewing inaugural poet Amanda Gorman all the more delightful.

Gorman stole the show at President Biden's Inauguration with a powerful performance of her original poem, "The Hill We Climb." People were blown away by both her words and her poise in delivering them, especially considering the fact that she's only 22 years old. But it's one thing to be able to write and recite well, and another to be able to impress in an off-the-cuff conversation—and Gorman proved in her interview on Anderson Cooper 360 that she can do both at a level most of us can only dream of.

In the interview, Gorman explained how she dove into research to prepare her poem to fit the occasion, and then how that work was disrupted by the attack on the Capitol.

"I'm not going to say that that completely derailed the poem, because I was not surprised at what had happened," she said. "I had seen the signs and the symptoms for a while, and I was not trying to turn a blind eye to that. But what it did is it energized me even more, to believe that much more firmly in a message of hope and unity and healing. I felt like that was the type of poem that I needed to write and it was the type of poem that the country and the world needed to hear."

After explaining how she used tweets and articles and messages about the Capitol insurrection to hone parts of her poem, she shared thoughts on reclaiming the power of words.

"To me, words matter. And I think that's kind of what made this inauguration that much more sentimental and special. We've seen over the past few years the ways in which the power of words has been violated and misappropriated, and what I wanted to do was to kind of reclaim poetry as that site in which we can repurify, resanctify not only the Capitol building that we saw violated, but the power of words, and to invest that in kind of the highest office of the land."

Cooper and Gorman discussed the last few lines of her poem before delving into Gorman's speech impediment. Cooper shared that he himself had a form of dyslexia and a slight stutter as a child, and Gorman shared that even up until a few years ago she would drop entire letter sounds from her speech. In fact, she said, writing and reciting poetry served as a kind of speech pathology for her. The "R" sound gave her particular trouble even into college, so she would practice singing along with the song "Aaron Burr, Sir" from Hamilton because it contained so many "R" words. (She also included allusions to Hamilton lines in her inaugural poem, which Ham fans quickly noted.)

But the part of the interview that got Cooper tongue-tied was when Gorman shared the mantra she says before every performance. Watch:

Gorman said she closes her eyes and says, "I am the daughter of Black writers. We are descended from freedom fighters who broke their chains and changed the world. They call me."

Cooper had to take a moment before saying, "Um, wow...just...you're awesome. I'm so transfixed." So funny to see one of television's most familiar faces being so awestruck. He's not the only one, though. She is truly mesmerizing.

"Your mom must be so proud of you," Cooper added. Gorman mentioned in her poem that she was raised by a single mother, and considering how proud the whole country is of this young woman, her mom is undoubtedly bursting with pride. Gorman shared how "a village" of support has helped lift her up to where she is today, and that her mom was right there with her filming her as she did this interview.

Anderson Cooper was all of us here. Amazed by Amanda Gorman's talent. Stunned by her grace and wisdom at such a young age. Moved by her personal story. Awed by how she captured this significant moment in our nation's history so beautifully.

Pure brilliance. We will definitely be keeping our eye on Ms. Gorman as we work to build the brighter future she envisioned for our nation.

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