Nathan Boyd
Naked Politics Blogger
For those of us who are Netflix subscribers you would not have missed the fact that Season 4 of House of Cards has been uploaded, a binge not for the faint hearted. This is the point where I have to say “spoiler alert”. While I certainly don’t intend to blow any major bombshells, I will have to expose a basic one: Frank Underwood becomes President. But how does Underwood’s campaign compare to the real one currently going on, and what were to happen if it all became even more real?
Some commentators have drawn comparisons between the fictional campaign as portrayed in the stateside remake of House of Cards, and the current one occurring across many American states in the form of democratic and republican primaries readying their candidates for the November Presidential elections. The current rival campaigns have been full of controversy and sensationalism all fuelled by a constant social network presence. Who will come out on top on both sides will be revealed all too shortly, followed by the November election, which if current trends continue, will be Clinton vs. Trump. The winner is not clear-cut.
Now before I go on, we must note that Spacey has indeed commented to others on what he feels about the current campaign. When asked by ITK what he thought of the current campaign he is quoted as saying “its getting less amusing” and talking about the show he said “it’s silly to compare the two (campaigns)” as people are trying to pull comparisons between real life and Underwood’s Washington.
But what happens in four years time? Imagine if Trump wins the 2016 election. It will need someone spectacular to turn him over four years down the road. What happens if the person to turn him over is indeed one of the most popular fictional presidents turned into real life. How would a campaign look, touting Spacey for America 2020? The reasoning behind throwing this idea out there, is because like many I am a lover of House of Cards, and the cutthroat way that Underwood has climbed from the bottom back to the top and beyond. But in all seriousness he would not be the first actor to turn to politics, Ronald Reagan was a minor Hollywood movie star prior to becoming a politican. Yes while Reagan’s time in office was filled with controversy such as the Iran-Contra affair and indeed Watergate, he still served a full two terms.
So lets say in 2020, Trump is not challenged from his own party, the Democrats will require a candidate who is passionate about politics and has a popular image. I mean who doesn’t love Spacey from his roles as Verbal in the Usual Suspects to Underwood now. He is cited as being a Democrat supporter as FEC records show he has made $42,000 in donations up to 2006, and has been reported as a friend of the Clintons. So two big ticks so far, but what about timing? Three more seasons would put us to 2019, enough time for Spacey to stay on the American publics mind, and to build an exploratory committee to seek the Democrat presidential nomination, gain funding and make a run. Hell if he wins, the real fun would start. He may never have held public office but he can sure act like he has. He is passionate about politics and sits well on the public mind, all it needs is the right combination and he could, just like many before, throw the race wide open. And as Francis Underwood said him self “say the name, say it over and over – tomorrow afternoon write it down. Then watch the name come out the mouth of the President of the United States” Well you get the idea anyway…
