For the moment, forget the two guys that were actually running for United States President this year and lets think about the best fictional Presidents that have led our nation through some of its darkest fictional times on the big screen!
For the purpose of this list (and not wanting any political debates) we kept this list strictly to FICTIONAL United States Presidents.
Geeky Daddy’s Top Ten Best Fictional United States Movie Presidents!
11 President Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho from Idiocracy
So I cheated and this list is actually 11 and not 10. But, in my defense, how could not have included President Camacho (Terry Crews)!
If this dude’s State of the Union Address couldn’t get you fired up, its time to get your pulse checked!
10 “The President” from The Rock and Armageddon
While actor Stanley Anderson’s un-named President may have given a couple nice speeches in the mid-90’s, he by far had the most challenging presidency of any fictional U.S. President.
First he needed a “60-year-old convict and a lab rat” to rescue us from some domestic terrorists that took over Alcetraz and threatened to gas San Fransisco. Then, 2 years later, he needed a misfit crew of roughneck deep sea drillers to save the entire planet from an asteroid.
Wonder what his re-election campaign slogan would have been? “Vote for me because What The Hell Else Could Possibly Happen?”
9 “The President” from Superman II
This un-named Leader of the Free World (E.G. Marshall) swallowed his pride and knelt before Zod to protect his citizens from harm…Thanks for showing up Superman…
8 “The President” from By Dawn’s Early Lights
Martin Landau put in a tremendous performance as yet another un-named United States President in this unjustly-not-so-well-known film from the height of the Cold War.
Based on the based on the 1983 novel Trinity’s Child by William Prochnau, this depiction of World War III is chilling in how true to reality it could have been. I linked the movie trailer below, but the full movie is also available for free on YouTube HERE. A terrific and chilling movie.
7 President Thomas J. Whitmore from Independence day
Former military officers, especially pilots as we shall soon see, often make terrific Presidents. They have seen combat so they are cool under pressure when the alien-invading manure hits the fan!
Generally speeches from these Presidents are inspiring and gets the troops motivated!
But then there is President Whitmore’s (Bill Pullman) speech in Independence Day…
6 President Tom Beck from Deep Impact
After some reflection, President Beck (Morgan Freeman) is really on this list because, if things are really coming to a catastrophic end, I want Morgan Freeman’s calm, soothing voice to narrate that end.
5 President Benson from Hot Shots Part Deaux
I loved every comedic performance by Lloyd Bridges throughout his career!
Jack McCrosky from the Airplane movies. Admiral/President Benson from the Hot Shot movies. Heck, even Vincenzo Armani Windbreaker Cortino from Mafia! was hilarious.
You know every single President Benson press conference would be comedy gold and Must See TV!
4 President Benjamin Asher from Olympus Has Fallen
Those pesky North Koreans are always messing with our presidencies with their insincere nuclear disarmament promises and invading our White Houses!
Fortunately, President Asher (Aaron Eckhart) does not back down when going toe-to-toe with North Korean terrorists.
Although, Asher did get knocked down a few pegs on this list for allowing his cabinet members to give up their nuclear access codes in the first place…
3 Andrew Shepherd from American President
You know how multi-millionaires find it hard to date because they never know if the girl is really into them or just their money?
Well it must be just has hard for the single dad United States Presidents. How does he know if the woman is really into him or if she just likes having her good name dragged through the mud and called a “whore” by political rivals?
At least President Shepherd (Michael Douglas) had the courage and decency to defend his woman’s honor!
2 Dave Kovic/President William (Bill) Harrison Mitchell from Dave
Ok, so President William Harrison Mitchell (Kevin Kline) was NOT a good president, good husband or even a decent person for that matter. But his stand-in Dave Kovic sure as hell was.
Dave Kovic (Also Kevin Kline) was a Presidential impersonator and down to Earth gentle soul who just wanted to find people jobs. That is until the real President Mitchell suffered a stroke during an intimate session of dictating with his assistant.
That was when our hero Dave stepped into the role as President, saved a homeless shelter, exposed political corruption, gave the President’s approval ratings a massive shot of Viagra and even managed to steel the President’s wife away…after her real husband died. When put that way…umm…Dave was the good guy, right?
1 President James Marshall from Air Force One
Remember what I said earlier about former military pilots making the best U. S. Presidents?
Well President James Marshall (Harrison Ford) would be the President of that rare fraternity of Presidents!
He saved his support staff, kicked some Russian terrorist butt, piloted Air Force One (not many Presidents have done that) and killed Gary Oldman! All while delivering one of the most immortal non-Schwarzenegger killing one-liners of cinematic history!
Ok, couple quick things though:
1 Technically, that plane is owned by the tax payers, not the President, so it is not “his plane.”
2 Never ever get on a plane piloted by Harrison Ford. Although he plays some excellent pilots on film (cough…Han Solo…cough), this dude crashes and burns more often than I did at the singles bars when I was in college.
Honorable Mention: President Skroob from Spaceballs
President Skroob (Mel Brooks) didn’t make the cut simply because of the fact that he was not a United States President. Sorry, but facts matter.
Dishonorable Mention: U.S. President from Love Actually
This un-named politically savvy but morally bankrupt jackass United States President (expertly played by Billy Bob Thornton) was unfortunately however, probably the most accurate characterization of recent United States Presidents.
Well that was our list of the Best Fictional United States Movie Presidents!
What did you think of our list? Who do you think we missed? Let us know in the comments below!
Geeky Daddy 
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