Saturday, September 14, 2019
Politics and Film: Role of the President in Films Compared to Reality Essay
Concept of the American Presidency in Law 2  We start with a quote from Clinton Rossiter in his book The American Presidency (1987). What he said about the American President then remains true today. He remains today, as he has always been, the ceremonial head of the government of the United States, and he must take part with real or apparent enthusiasm in a range of activities that would keep him running and posing from sunrise to bedtime if he were not protected by a cold-blooded staff. Some of these activities are solemn or even priestly in nature; others, through no fault of his own, are flirtations with vulgarity. The long catalogue of public duties that the Queen discharges in England, the President of the Republic in France, and the Governor-General in Canada, is the President’s responsibility in this country, and the catalogue is even longer because he is not a king, or even the agent of one, and is therefore expected to go through some rather undignified paces by a people who think of him as a combination of scoutmaster, Delphic oracle, hero of the silver screen, and father of the multitudes.            The United States Constitution provides for the powers and duties of the Chief Executive in Article 2. (US Constitution) It is in that document where the term, qualifications and primary duties of the American President is primarily written.            Notably, the Article presents the American President as the Commander in Chief, the Chief Appointing Officer, the Chief Foreign Minister and the Chief Executive as a whole.            As the Commander in Chief, he can call citizens into actual service of the United States. As the Chief Appointing Officer, he has the power to appoint public ministers and consuls, Ambassadors, Judges of the Supreme Court and all other officers of the United States subject to qualifications also written in the Constitution. As the Chief Foreign Minister, he also has the power to enter into treaties.  This power to enter into treaties is limited by the Constitution through the requirement that Advice and Consent be given by the Senate. This consent is manifested by the required two-thirds concurrence needed in order to pass the treaty. In the exercise of this function, the President receives Ambassadors and Public Ministers. This is commonly seen in State Dinners and Parades that are hosted by the White House for visiting foreign heads of state. Lastly, as the Chief Executive he has the power to grant reprieves and pardons. He also has the duty from time to time to give Congress the Information as to the State of the Union. This is the more popular address by the President to the Congress known as the State of the Union Address.  This enumeration is in no way exclusive. The power of the chief executive is further elucidated in the study of Constitutional Law. These powers are limited by the Constitution but continually defined by the statues, executive orders and by jurisprudential law. Concept of the American Presidency in Movies Our concept of the American Presidency is very much molded by the movies we see in Modern Cinema. Whether it is Michael Douglas playing opposite Annete Benning in the American President or Harrison Ford in his role in Air Force One, the persona of the Presidency is much understood by the laymen using these actor’s works. The American President mentioned above was a movie shown in 1995. It was a romantic comedy directed by Rob Reiner and written by Aaron Sorkin. It stars Michael Douglas, Annette Bening, Martin Sheen and Michael J. Fox. In the film, Democratic President Andrew Shepherd (Douglas) is a widower who pursues a relationship with a political lobbyist by the name of Sydney Ellen Wade (Benning). At the same time, Sydney had just moved to Washington to win passage of an environmental bill she is lobbying for. Shepherd is portrayed as an extremely popular president who is seeking to run for re-election with a 63% approval rating.  The President’s men led by his Chief of Staff Aj McInnerny (Martin Sheen) is seeking to make use of this very high approval rating in order to pass a moderate crime bill. The bill is problematic. It has little support from both Democratic and Republican Senators. Republicans and Conservatives do not want the bill while Democratic allies think the bill is too weak to pass. However, if the administration can pass the bill, the President is almost a sure-win for re-election. It would show the strength of Shepherd’s popularity. The President of France is featured in the plot when it arrives for a state visit. The President is placed at an awkward situation when he has to find a date for the event. His cousin who was supposedly accompanying him suddenly fell ill. Shepherd was already a widow from the start of the movie. The President’s attention soon focuses on the attractive Sydney Ellen Wade (Bening), who has just moved to Washington, D.C. to work for an environmental lobby in the attempt to persuade the President to pass legislation committing his Administration to substantially reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The President is intrigued by Wade and a curious and innocent exchange sparks a romantic air between the two. This is the scene in the Oval Office where Sydney cannot seem to find the right door to leave the office. At the same meeting, Shepherd strikes a deal with Wade: if she can secure a certain number of votes for the environmental bill, he will deliver the rest. He believes Wade will not be able to get enough votes to meet her obligation, thus releasing Shepherd who will be seen to have tried, without being blamed for failing. During the state dinner, as well as subsequent occasions (during which Shepherd acts as pursuer), the couple fell in love. The relationship, as well as Shepherd’s politicking down the middle, results in a decline in his popularity. The President’s precarious situation is exacerbated by the impending failure of his crime bill. Eventually Wade does manage to get enough votes to meet her part of the deal. Before she can tell Shepherd, he discovers that three Congressmen from Michigan are willing to deliver their votes if he shelves the environmental bill. As he is exactly three votes short, with no other apparent options to acquire them, he agrees, betraying Wade, who breaks up with him. The film builds to a climax timed to coincide with the State of the Union, planned as a conciliatory, non-partisan event. However, ruminating on Wade leaving him and his sacrifice of a bill he believes in for the sake of a bill he doesn’t really believe will have much effect, Shepherd has a change of heart. He makes a surprise appearance in the White House press room to rebut the Republican attacks on his values and character, and then sends the controversial environmental bill to Congress, promising that he will write a stronger crime bill in due time, and fight for that as well. His passionate defence of what he believes, in contrast with his earlier moderate conciliation, galvanizes the press room and his staff. His speech writer Rothschild has only half an hour to re-write the State of the Union speech to reflect the new, confrontational tone of the administration – yet seems happy about the challenge. Wade comes back to him, arriving in the Oval Office just before he leaves for the Hill leading to a reconciliation. The movie ends with Shepherd entering the House to rapturous applause. (Wikipedia, The American President) On the other had, Air Force One is a 1997 action film starring Harrison Ford and Gary Oldman. Ford plays President James Marshall. In a speech in Moscow, he announces in a speech that the United States will not negotiate with terrorists, after an operation by U.S. and Russian Federation special forces captured the tyrannical leader of Kazakhstan, General Ivan Radek (Jà ¼rgen Prochnow). On his way back to the US, Soviet neo-nationalists posing as a news crew have infiltrated the plane. The terrorists storm the plane and take hostages. Several others are killed during the shootout, including the military officer charged with carrying and protecting the nuclear launch codes of the United States Strategic Command (carried in a briefcase known as the football). The flight crew declares an emergency and prepare to land at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. Secret Service agents evacuate the President to an escape pod. At the last moment, Marshall flees the escape pod and retreats to the baggage deck. The terrorists kill the pilots and take control of the plane, which takes off again, to the surprise of standby Ramstein crew. In Washington, D.C, Vice President Kathryn Bennett (Glenn Close) arrives at the White House, assessing the situation alongside the Secretary of Defense Walter Dean (Dean Stockwell) and other officials; they soon learn that Marshall did not board the escape pod. The terrorists call the Vice President, demand the release of General Radek, and threaten to begin executing hostages. Meanwhile, Marshall is still on the plane. While attempting to call the White House, a second terrorist finds Marshall and detains him; nevertheless, the call reaches the Situation Room. Marshall manages to covertly order an attack on Air Force One so he can subdue the terrorist. The plan works, and Marshall attempts a fuel dump to land the plane. Recognizing the presence of someone on the baggage deck, Korshunov executes Deputy Press Secretary Melanie Mitchell in an effort to force Marshall’s surrender. While two of the terrorists attempt to restore the fuel controls, Marshall slips by and takes another terrorist hostage, using his keys to free the hostages. Korshunov forces the President to call Petrov to secure Radek’s release. In Washington, Dean persuades the Cabinet to sign a Presidential Incapacitation Document, but Bennett refuses to sign it. As Radek’s release is prepared, Marshall and the hostages free themselves and kill the remaining terrorists, but Korshunov captures Grace and also shoots Chief of Staff Shepard and flees to the parachute ramp. In a vicious fight, Marshall manages to eject Korshunov from the aircraft by deploying the latter’s parachute while it is wound around his neck. Marshall calls Petrov before Radek’s release, and prison guards kill the former general as he flees. Kazakh MiG fighter jets loyal to Radek reach Air Force One and inflict serious damage on its engines and maneuvering mechanisms. U.S. fighters intercept and fend off the hostile aircraft just in time to save the President’s plane. With Air Force One unable to land, an air-to-air ropeline rescue is arranged. Before the evacuation can be completed, the plane begins a rapid descent with Marshall, Gibbs, Major Caldwell, and a rescuer. Marshall insists on rescuing his family and then a wounded staff member before he evacuates the plane. Once it is the President’s turn to leave, Gibbs drops all pretense, killing two of the others. Marshall fights with Gibbs, and escapes on the ropeline, leaving Gibbs aboard the 747, which crashes into the sea. The C-130 rescue aircraft announces that it is now â€Å"Air Force One†, and the film ends with the plane flying toward safety with the F-15s flying and the First Family aboard. (Wikipedia, Air Force One (film)) Discrepancy between the Two Concepts            The difference between the concept of the American President we seen on Film and in Reality is surprisingly little. Moviemakers do not depart a whole lot from the concept of the American President we see in reality in order to create a semblance of such a reality with the viewer.            Our discussion on the broad roles of the American President is seen in both movies summarized.            The role of the American President as the Commander in Chief is seen in both movies. In the American President, Shepherd ultimately orders an attack interrupting his date with Sydney Ellen Wade. Upon advise of his military generals, Shepherd makes a tough decision of ordering such an attack. He does this after taking into account the casualties in the lives of innocent civilians working at the military base.            In Air Force One, the power is highlighted from the fact that controls to the US military arsenal are with the President. One of the guards holding the computer to access such controls is killed in one of the shootouts.            The role of the American President as the Chief Foreign Minister is seen in the American President. The visit by the President of France plays a central role in the movie. This is the pivotal moment when President Shepherd asks Sydney to go out with him. This part of the movie exhibits the role of the President in receiving heads of states.            The role of the American President as the Chief Executive Officer is seen in both movies. In the American President, President Shepherd ends the movie in thunderous applause by addressing Congress in his State of the Union Address. In Air Force One, we seen this aspect of the Presidency when the Joint Chiefs of Staff asks the vice president to take over the duties of the Presidency. This exhibits the limits of the presidency and situation of vacancy upon death, resignation, or incapacity of the President. Conclusion Our concept of the American Presidency is very much molded by the movies we see in Modern Cinema. Whether it is Michael Douglas playing opposite Annete Benning in the American President or Harrison Ford in his role in Air Force One, the persona of the Presidency is much understood by the laymen using these actor’s works. The difference between the concept of the American President we seen on Film and in Reality is surprisingly little. Moviemakers do not depart a whole lot from the concept of the American President we see in reality in order to create a semblance of such a reality with the viewer. References: Rossiter, C. (1987). The American Presidency. USA: The John Hopkins University Press. The United States Constitution Wikipedia (8 November 2007). The American President. Retrieved November 12, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_American_President. Wikipedia (11 November 2007). Air Force One (Film). Retrieved November 12, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Force_One_%28film%29.
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