7 Celebrities Who Should Run For President
Published on July 4, 2014.Arnold Schwarzenegger’s surreal transformation from action hero superstar to California governor showed the world that nothing is impossible in the world of American politics. There have long been whispers that Arnold, a naturalized American citizen, could one day run for the nation’s highest office with some tweaks to the U.S. Constitution. Though the notion has never really taken hold, it does suggest an entertaining question: which celebrities would make the best (or most entertaining) heads of state? In these topsy-turvy times, America needs a strong voice — someone who isn’t afraid to tell it like it is. Here are 7 candidates who would look great on the obverse side of a dollar bill.
7. Clint Eastwood
Though Eastwood is getting on in years, his bizarre and now-infamous “empty chair” speech showcased his political side to the world. A dedicated Republican, Eastwood has big-name recognition and some wacky ideas that would seem to fit in well with the increasingly out-of-touch GOP. In his empty chair speech, Eastwood said, “It may be time for someone else to come along and solve the problem.” Why not you, Mr. Eastwood? Who better to fill the empty chair than the man himself?
Jaguar PS / Shutterstock.com6. Alec Baldwin
Baldwin is well-known for his outspoken opinions, and has openly stated that he’s considered running for political office in the past. He even considered taking a stab at New York City’s mayor’s chair in 2013, but ultimately decided he had a cushier gig as the star of 30 Rock. With that hit series having ridden off into the sunset, maybe now is the time for Baldwin to dust off his political ambitions and consider throwing his name into the hat for the 2016 Democratic primary.
Featureflash / Shutterstock.com5. Oprah Winfrey
Oprah is one of the most successful television and media moguls in American history, and she’s no stranger to playing politics. She’s got the poise and experience to perform flawlessly in front of the cameras, and there’s little doubt her candidacy would generate huge support among African-American and female voters. Despite the notorious struggles of her cable TV channel, Oprah has very, very deep pockets and could singlehandedly finance whatever kind of campaign she wanted to run.
Featureflash / Shutterstock.com4. Michael Moore
The divisive documentarian behind Bowling for Columbine and Fahrenheit 9/11 obviously has a vested interest in American politics. He even used the Academy Awards as a sounding board for his opposition to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, albeit to the dissent of many of the conservative-minded members of the live audience. If Moore ever made it to the Oval Office, he’d finally have the chance to put his money where his mouth is. Chances are he’d find that solving the nation’s problems is a lot harder when you’re sitting in the White House than they are when you’re in an editing bay.
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3. Tina Fey
Now that Barack Obama has broken the presidential racial barrier, what America needs is a female president. Tina Fey has emerged as a popular possibility on blogs, message boards and social media websites the world over. Her hilarious and outrageous mocking of former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin made her a household name, and actually inspired Forbes magazine to run an article titled “Tina Fey for President” in 2008. While this is obviously the longest of longshots, having a comedienne running the show would almost justify the circus-like nature of American federal politics.
Jaguar PS / Shutterstock.com2. Jon Stewart
Jon Stewart’s wildly popular The Daily Show makes a regular mockery of global politics, and despite Stewart’s satirical take on world events, he is very much in the know. After Barack Obama won a second term in office in the 2012 election, numerous media outlets reported that Obama’s most difficult interview during the campaign trail came when he appeared on Stewart’s show. With Stewart’s rapier wit and sharp intelligence, it would also be great fun to watch him utterly destroy his rival during a televised presidential debate.
Featureflash / Shutterstock.com1. Stephen Colbert
In 2008, TV satirist Stephen Colbert bowed to intense public pressure to launch his own presidential campaign. Staying in character the entire time, Colbert finally agreed to run, so long as actor Viggo Mortensen, in the character of Aragorn from The Lord of the Rings trilogy, publicly agreed to give him the rights to the legendary sword known as Anduril. Colbert also announced that he would simultaneously seek both the Democratic and Republican nomination in South Carolina, but balked at paying the $35,000 registration fee to run a GOP campaign. Clearly, there’s some history here.
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