Have David Palmer and Wayne Palmer - two powerful, admirable, African-American Presidents on Fox's 24 - contributed to Barack Obama's success as the first African-American candidate with a real chance to win the White House?
Win, lose, or draw in the important primaries tonight, Obama has a already made an undeniably extraordinary impact. I happen to think (and hope) he is the next President, but even if he doesn't get there, his candidacy has already changed American Presidential politics forever, and for the better.
As a professor and author of books about popular culture and its impact, I take a keen interest in the way of our media fiction influences our real politics. I've already blogged here about the importance of the Obama Girl videos in the early days of Barack Obama's campaign.
As I also reported here last July, Obama Girl producer Ben Relles told my class at Fordham University that the original "I've Got a Crush on Obama" song was "I've Got a Crush on Jack Bauer". So Obama's candidacy and 24 were linked from the start.
More important, I'd say, was the image of African-American Presidents conveyed by David Palmer (superbly played by Dennis Haysbert) and his brother Wayne Palmer (superbly played by D. B. Woodside). Although David was assassinated and Wayne wound up in a coma, their behavior as Presidents always showed a highly intelligent Commander-in-Chief will to take on acutely difficult and internationally threatening issues, and handle these crises with grace and aplomb.
That had to have some kind of positive, educational effect on 24's millions of viewers.
Keith Olbermann on MSNBC's Countdown is fond of citing 24 for stirring up fears of nuclear terror (at one point even absurdly implying that 24's producers were in league with the Bush administration). But the far greater truth - or only truth - about 24's impact on real American politics may be the role it played in making all Americans more comfortable with the prospect of an African-American President.
A woman in the White House was powerfully presented in the excellent Commander in Chief on ABC, with Geena Davis just outstanding as President Mackenzie Allen. But that series didn't even survive one complete season...
6 comments:
I thought the same thing actually. Though I have to disagree with you on the merits of the Palmer brothers. David seemed like a great president, but his younger brother was indecisive, reckless and arrogant. He was better than Logan, but that's not exactly a high bar I guess.
Well, I of course agree that David was better than Wayne ... but Wayne in the end was able to stand up to some pretty powerful forces...
Did you happen to see these t-shirts Paul?
Ha - no, I hadn't - thanks for the link, Matt!
As always, good points, well made, Paul.
(I've had to take a leave of absence from your site, for a while, because we've been behind on every single damn series!)
Did you happen to read this:
IDo We Really Want Another Black President?"
Ah, balls, that link didn't work, sir.
It's to an Onion article, called "Do We Really Want Another Black President After The Events Of Deep Impact?"
Longform link is here... hoping it doesn't break your design.
http://www.theonion.com/content/opinion/do_we_really_want_another_black?utm_source=EMTF_Onion
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