Politics and Power

The movie The American President was released on this date thirty years ago. For my money, it’s the best movie made about the presidency. There have been others that have touched on politics and power including Dave (1993), Dr. Strangelove (1964), All the President’s Men (1976), and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939).

But I always liked how Director Rob Reiner gave a modern-day 3-D perspective of the role. The film stars Michael Douglas as President Andrew Shepherd, a widower who pursues a romantic relationship with environmental lobbyist Sydney Ellen Wade (Annette Bening) – who has just moved to Washington, D.C. – while at the same time attempting to win the passage of a crime control bill during a re-election year.

When the current times drive me crazy, I find that I return to some of the themes and quotes from The American President. I wouldn’t mind having a president like Shepherd. Of course, writer Aaron Sorkin also wrote The West Wing, which ran from 1999 to 2006. Here’s a few favorite lines from The American President and some other favorites:

The power of Democracy:

–“America isn’t easy. America is advanced citizenship. You gotta want it bad, ’cause it’s gonna put up a fight. It’s gonna say “You want free speech? Let’s see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil, who’s standing center stage and advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours. You want to claim this land as the land of the free? Then the symbol of your country can’t just be a flag; the symbol also has to be one of its citizens exercising his right to burn that flag in protest. Show me that, defend that, celebrate that in your classrooms. Then, you can stand up and sing about the land of the free.” —President Andrew Shepherd in The American President.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident,” they said. “That all men are created equal.” Strange as it may seem, that was the first time in history that anyone had ever bothered to write that down. Decisions are made by those who show up.” —President Jed Bartlett in The West Wing.

On Leadership:

“People want leadership, Mr. President, and in the absence of genuine leadership, they’ll listen to anyone who steps up to the microphone.” —White House staffer Lewis Rothschild to President Andrew Shepherd in The American President.

–“Never Doubt That A Small Group Of Thoughtful Individuals Can Change The World.” —President Jed Bartlett paraphrasing Margaret Mead in The West Wing.

–We Will Do What Is Hard. We Will Achieve What Is Great. This Is A Time For American Heroes And We Reach For The Stars.” —President Jed Bartlett in The West Wing.

On current day politicians:

–“We have serious problems to solve, and we need serious people to solve them. And whatever your particular problem is, I promise you, Bob Rumson is not the least bit interested in solving it. He is interested in two things and two things only: making you afraid of it and telling you who’s to blame for it. That, ladies and gentlemen, is how you win elections.” —President Andrew Shepherd in The American President.

–“Gentlemen, you can’t fight in here! This is the War Room!” —President Merkin Muffley in Dr. Strangelove.

On dignity and kindness:

–“If you’ve ever seen the look on somebody’s face the day they finally get a job, I’ve had some experience with this, they look like they could fly. And it’s not about the paycheck, it’s about respect, it’s about looking in the mirror and knowing that you’ve done something valuable with your day. And if one person could start to feel this way, and then another person, and then another person, soon all these other problems may not seem so impossible. You don’t really know how much you can do, until you stand up and decide to really try.” —Dave Kovic playing President William Mitchell in Dave.

–“I wouldn’t give you two cents for all your fancy rules if, behind them, they didn’t have a little bit of plain, ordinary, everyday kindness and a little looking out for the other fella, too.” —Senator Jefferson Smith in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.

Making tough decisions:

–“I think there are certain things you should expect from your president. I had to care more about you than I do about me. I had to care more about what’s right than I do about what’s popular.” —Dave Kovic playing President William Mitchell in Dave.

–“I’m the President of the United States, not the president of the people who agree with me.” —President Jed Bartlett in The West Wing.

–“We did not expect nor did we invite a confrontation with evil. Yet the true measure of a people’s strength is how they rise to master that moment when it does arrive.” —President Jed Bartlett in The West Wing.

–“What’s Next?” —President Jed Bartlett in The West Wing.

Power of the press:

–“You know the results of the latest Gallup Poll? Half the country never even heard of the word Watergate. Nobody gives a shit. You guys are probably pretty tired, right? Well, you should be. Go on home, get a nice hot bath. Rest up… 15 minutes. Then get your asses back in gear. We’re under a lot of pressure, you know, and you put us there. Nothing’s riding on this except the, uh, first amendment to the Constitution, freedom of the press, and maybe the future of the country. Not that any of that matters, but if you guys fuck up again, I’m going to get mad. Goodnight.” —Ben Bradlee to Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward in All the President’s Men.

The power of service to others:

–“Say they are smug and superior. Say their approach to public policy makes you want to tear your hair out. Say they like high taxes and spending your money. Say they want to take your guns and open your borders, but don’t call them worthless. At least don’t do it in front of me. The people I have met have been extraordinarily qualified. Their intent is good. Their commitment is true. They are righteous, and they are patriots. And I’m their lawyer.” —White House Staffer Ainsley Hayes in The West Wing.

Hope and Humanity:

–“This guy’s walking down the street when he falls in a hole. The walls are so steep he can’t get out.
“A doctor passes by and the guy shouts up, ‘Hey you. Can you help me out?’ The doctor writes a prescription, throws it down in the hole and moves on.
“Then a priest comes along and the guy shouts up, ‘Father, I’m down in this hole can you help me out?’ The priest writes out a prayer, throws it down in the hole and moves on
“Then a friend walks by, ‘Hey, Joe, it’s me can you help me out?’ And the friend jumps in the hole. Our guy says, ‘Are you stupid? Now we’re both down here.’ The friend says, ‘Yeah, but I’ve been down here before and I know the way out. As long as I got a job, you got a job, you understand?” —White House Chief of Staff Leo McGarry in The West Wing.

Humor:

–“To me being a gangster was better than being president of the United States.” —Henry Hill in Good Fellas.

–“Perhaps it might be better, Mr. President, if you were more concerned with the American people than with your image in the history books.” —George C. Scott as General Buck Turgidson in Dr. Strangelove.

–If I knew I was gonna meet the president, I would have worn a tie.” —Judd Hirsch as Julius Levinson in Independence Day.

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