It seems appropriate in the wake of certain recent events in European politics to ask a quick meme this week:
Who's your favourite TV politician? Or your least favourite?
I'm suspecting there'll be more than a few West Wing responses, but don't forget the likes of State of Play, Yes Minister, Yes Prime Minister, Party Animals, GBH, A Very British Coup, 1984 et al (depending on how left/right wing you are). If you prefer to hit the movies for Dave, The American President, etc, feel free
As always, leave a comment with your answer or a link to your answer on your own blog.
June 10, 2009 | Reply
Senator Clay Davis from The Wire. Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-it.
June 10, 2009 | Reply
I'll open up the gates with my two favourite cartoon politicians. Both from the same series:
Al Gore - First Emperor of Earth's Moon and my all time favourite. Earth President Richard Nixon.
A Head in the Polls - the episode where he gets re-elected remains one of my favourite episodes all time.
"NIXON'S BACK!"
June 10, 2009 | Reply
"Senator Clay Davis from The Wire. Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-it."
Man, that's a good one. But I'd have him more as someone I love to hate alongside Carcetti.
Very fond of David Aceveda (The Shield) now I think about it.
June 10, 2009 | Reply
A three-way tie: President David Palmer (jinxed, but a top bloke), President Nixon (Futurama's head-in-a-jar version) for sheer staying power, or Peter Cooke's PM in Whoops Apocalypse for distributing umbrellas to the population to protect his countrymen from a nuke.
June 10, 2009 | Reply
It's probably O'Bvious, but I'll go with Josiah Bartlet (Martin Sheen) of 'The West Wing'. Considering his character was supposed to be ancillary to the stories of those working in the West Wing, (and the pilot is a good example of this), he certainly came to dominate the entire series. With all of his faults and foibles, Jed Bartlet was still a man who should have existed in real life.
In a general sense, I always liked how the office of the mayor of Rome, Wisconsin, was portrayed on 'Picket Fences'. With a revolving door of calamities to befall whoever had the job, even the characters in the show could see that the position was cursed!
June 10, 2009 | Reply
Francis Urquhart.
Not that I'd particularly want him as my MP. But he got things done.
June 10, 2009 | Reply
Oh yeah, Francis Urquhart from House of Cards, what a bastard!
"You might think that; I couldn't possibly comment."
June 10, 2009 | Reply
Nathan Petrelli?
Don't think I have ever watched anything else where a politician was a notable character. He's not terribly good at being a politician though.
Obama is a tv politician, isn't he?
June 11, 2009 | Reply
I could go on for hours about politicians, since I pretty much love political dramas and comedies. But I'll nail a few to the mast.
UK: Harry Perkins (A Very British Coup) still brings me out in goose-bumps. That live news conference when he was supposedly resigning STILL makes me punch the air. And the loathsomely charming, ultimately haunted Francis Urquhart was just a masterful performance!
US: Bartlet - for the love; and for the 'thank heck he isn't my politician', I'm agreeing with Aaron and Rev/Views - "Senator Clay Davis from The Wire. Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-it." (god, he was self-serving). For laughs, I still chuckle at the Mayor and Deputy Mayors from Spin City.
Favourite political operative for me of course would be Josh Lyman (but that's probably based on my love for BW)