It's my contention that the courage he displays throughout the movie shows a lot of integrity and courage. He sticks to his guns. Fights the good fight against outrageous odds. But, in the world the politics, is that enough to secure the oval office (with a left and right and a middle)? In the real world, does Jefferson Smith have any shot in hell of becoming the President? In a sequel?
shareWell, Jimmy Stewart was only 31 years old when he played in this movie and his character, Jefferson Smith, might be two or three years younger than that; so FDR doesn't have anything to worry about 'cause he'll be dead by the time Jeff hits 35 (minimum age allowed for POTUS) in 1945!
Seriously, however, I think a snowball in hell has a better chance than Smith does for the White House. Our presidents may be elected, but they are first hand-picked by the Jim Taylors of this world. A president who doesn't play ball with the elite club who backed him will go the way of JFK. So Jeff is best off sticking with Congress.
Have to add that I like your sentiments and I truly do wish that, in this day and age, we really could have men like Jefferson Smith in the Oval Office. But the wheelings-and-dealings of FDR, JFK, LBJ, Nixon, Clinton, et al, have rendered that ideal as probably impossible to attain. Reagan came closest, but even HE had his Contra-Gate scandal.
Harry Truman might have been the last POTUS who, whether right or wrong, governed by his conscience; he was not subject to the new presidential term limit amendment that had been added to the Constitution during his administration, but opted out of running for a third term, almost without a doubt because he was tired of contending and compromising with the political hacks and powerful but corrupt business/industrial moguls of his day. (Not to mention, to paraphrase "Give 'em Hell Harry," his wife (he called her "the Boss") would probably have killed him if he ran again!)
>>> almost without a doubt because he was tired of contending and compromising with the political hacks and powerful but corrupt business/industrial moguls of his day.
The Senator from Pendergast knew very well how to deal with political hacks and powerful but corrupt business/industrial moguls of his day. Without them he wouldn't have been a senator to start with. That was the easy part.
Perhaps more to the point was he simply would have lost the '52 election. The polls had him down at 23% approval. Against Ike he couldn't even have been certain of Margaret's vote.
It's a wise man who can read the writing on the wall. And act on it.
I recently finished reading David McCullough's Truman, and appreciate your thoughts. How could you not like a high school graduate, turned farmer, turned WWI hero, turned judge of Independence, turned senator, turned vice president, turned president.
shareWell, Jimmy Stewart was only 31 years old when he played in this movie and his character, Jefferson Smith, might be two or three years younger than that ______________________________________________________
A senator must be at least 30 years of age
Well, Jimmy Stewart was only 31 years old when he played in this movie and his character, Jefferson Smith, might be two or three years younger than that ______________________________________________________
A senator must be at least 30 years of age
Yep! But we were talking about Jeff Smith for President, remember? One need not apply for THAT office until reaching the minumum age of 35. That's what my mind was on when I wrote the above.
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