Real lessons from fake presidents
By Patrick Day, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
That great experiment in federal, republic government known as the United States is largely considered a work in progress. With each new president, citizens and historians learn a bit more about its shortcomings and advantages and as every administration ends, we come together and ask ourselves: What have we learned and how can we apply that moving forward?
The Franklin D. Roosevelt presidency taught us how to flex our national might on the world stage, while the George W. Bush era has been widely hailed as a cautionary case against too much arrogance. Our history entails 43 presidents, which means 43 lessons. But Americans don’t read history, or so the conventional wisdom goes; they watch TV and go to the movies. We see presidents there, but that doesn’t count, right?
Actually, we learn from our fictional presidents. They’re made up, sure, but the movies are a font of smart information such as what to do in a zombie attack. Here are lessons learned from the most effective fake presidencies in recent memory. (Al Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
President Charles Logan (Gregory Itzin) on ‘24’
Leadership style: Dithering and weak, though that was later revealed to be a calculated front to avoid suspicion of involvement in a traitorous conspiracy.
Pivotal moment: Striking his wife, Martha (Jean Smart), and admitting his complicity in the assassination of a previous president, all while being secretly recorded.
Inspirational quote: “Martha, do you realize how traumatic this would be for the country if people were to find out?”
Lesson learned: Never underestimate the person in the Oval Office, no matter how dumb or ineffectual he or she may appear to be on the surface. (Kelsey McNeal / Associated Press)
