President of the United States

The President of the United States is the chief executive of the United States of America. The office of President was established upon the ratification of the US Constitution in 1789, and the President serves as chief executive and head of the executive branch of the United States government. The President is also designated as the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, and has powers to sign bills into law, grant pardons or reprieves, and appoint officers, ambassadors, and judges, amongst other powers.

The United States was the first nation to create the office of President as the head of state in a modern republic, and today the presidential system of government is used in several countries throughout the world, from Germany to Mexico. To date, there have been forty-three Presidents of the United States.

Muppet Candidacy

Baby Piggy as Commander in Chief

Vote for Big Bird!

File:Cookiepres.jpg

Cookie Monster for President

The post of President has been a highly sought one since its inception. Candidates, in addition to politicians, generals, businessmen, lawyers, and other real-world figures, have included several fictional personages. From Pogo to Winnie the Pooh, colorful icons have tossed their hats into the rings, and the Muppets are no exception. The most notable candidates have been Big Bird and Miss Piggy.

Big Bird

Big Bird, average resident of Sesame Street, first ran for President in Episode 0797, and learned that being President is a big responsibility. The story was the kickoff for Sesame's Bicentennial celebration. Big Bird lost in that episode (despite having an elaborate campaign and even a presidential seal.

However, Big Bird's ambitions to become President were eventually fulfilled, albeit on a much smaller scale. In 1988, special elections were held for President of Sesame Place, with no age restrictions or pre-registration required. Big Bird was a leading candidate, with the slogan "Birds of a feather flock together." He faced stiff competition from Cookie Monster, Grover, Ernie, Bert, Prairie Dawn, and in an unprecedented attempt to launch a collective into office instead of an individual, the Honkers. Big Bird won, carrying 24% of the vote. Details of his administration and subsequent activities, and how much executive government a children's theme park would need anyway, remain undocumented, however. Back on the street, however, Big Bird later became an outspoken supporter of H. Ross Parrot.

Miss Piggy

In contrast to the unprepossessing, modest Big Bird, Miss Piggy has been far more open about her ambitions. In 1980, she graced the cover of LIFE magazine, openly announcing her intentions. Buttons were also distributed. Not long thereafter, a running storyline in the Muppet comic strip covered her campaign in great detail; Scooter served as manager. Though that bid was less than successful, Miss Piggy remained dedicated. In 1992, she again made a bid, facing off against Gonzo in a televised debate on Good Morning America. It's possible that these ambitions may have occurred to Piggy in her formative years. The Muppet Babies episode "What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?," in a fantasy song sequence, depicted Baby Piggy as President (introduced by Baby Rowlf in Uncle Sam garb).

Other Aspirants

The Bird and the Pig have not been alone in their politicking, however.

Betty Lou fantasized about running for office in the 1993 book I Want to Be President. In her imagination, she made state visits, held press conferences, and hosted the Easter Egg hunt on the White House lawn.

Kermit the Frog has never formally stumped for office. However, along with Mickey Mouse, he has frequently served as a write-in candidate. In Connecticut during the 1980 election, both Kermit and Miss Piggy received write-in support, alongside Ed Koch, Mickey, and Dr. Frankenstein.

In 1999, pundit Gregory Freeman urged Kermit to run in earnest:

“An entire generation has grown up with Kermit the Frog. So why not run Kermit for president? With Miss Piggy by his side and Fozzy Bear [sic] as his campaign manager, he can't lose. ”

At least one Muppet has apparently succeeded in reaching the office, however. A Whatnot appeared as President in Muppets Tonight episode 202, undergoing therapy with Meepzorp in the Independence Day spoof "Co-dependents Day: CD4."

Meanwhile, in the realm of Creatures, the Dinosaur universe sports the Chief Elder as president analogue. In the second season episode "And the Winner Is...," Earl Sinclair and B.P. Richfield enter a fierce political battle for office. Though Earl briefly leads, he ultimately sabotages his own campaign, for the good of the country, and voters instead elect political analyst Edward R. Hero, who was not in fact a candidate.

List of Individual Presidents

Of the 43 Presidents to date, 11 have either been depicted, referenced, or in some cases, personally interacted or collaborated in Muppet projects. These office-holders are listed below, with the dates of their terms. For a complete roster, see List of Presidents of the United States

• George Washington (1789–1797)
• John Adams (1797–1801)
• Thomas Jefferson (1801–1809)
• Abraham Lincoln (1861–1865)
• Grover Cleveland (1885–1889, 1893-1897)
• Theodore Roosevelt (1901–1909)
• John F. Kennedy (1961–1963)
• Gerald R. Ford (1974–1977)
• Ronald Reagan (1981–1989)
• George H. W. Bush (1989-1993)
• Bill Clinton (1993-2001)

First Ladies

The First Lady of the United States is the formal term for the President's spouse. The following First Ladies have worked with the Muppets.

• Barbara Bush (1989-1993)
• Hillary Clinton (1993-2001)
• Laura Bush (2001-present)

Presidential Candidates

Several politicians who have announced their candidacies for president have also appeared with or been referenced by Muppets.

• Shirley Chisholm (1972, ran for Democratic nomination, lost)
• Jesse Jackson (1984 and 1988, ran for Democratic nomination and lost both times}
• Michael Dukakis (1988, won Democratic nomination)
• Ralph Nader (1992 as write-in, in 1996, 2000, and 2004 as Green Party candidate)
• H. Ross Perot (1992 as Independent and 1996 for Reform Party)

Group Appearances

• Mount Rushmore, featuring the likenesses of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt, has been featured in multiple productions
• In I Love Liberty, in addition to Fozzie Bear as John Adams and Kermit the Frog as Thomas Jefferson, Miss Piggy appeared dressed as first Washington and then Lincoln.
• The first Great Moments in Elvis History sketch on Muppets Tonight featured Jefferson and Washington, along with John Hancock.
• The closing gag of Muppets Tonight episode 103 showed Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan (played by uncredited impersonators) as members of Billy Crystal's all-star band, detained by Bobo the Bear. Other members included Boris Yeltsin, Clint Eastwood, and Queen Elizabeth of England.

Connections

The figure of President of the United States, whether a portrayal of a historical president or a wholly fictional creation, has been prominently featured in countless film and television productions over the decades. Several Presidential portrayers have also worked in Muppet/Henson productions.

As real presidents:

• F. Murray Abraham played Abraham Lincoln in Dream Quest (1986, film)
• Simon Russell Beale played John Adams in "John and Abigail Adams," The American Experience (2000, TV)
• Robert Beatty played Ronald Reagan in Breakthrough at Reykajavik (1987, TV)
• Kenneth Branagh played Franklin Delano Roosevelt in Warm Springs (2005, TV movie)
• Henry Fonda played Abraham Lincoln in Young Mr. Lincoln (1939, film)
• Michael Gambon played Lyndon B. Johnson in Path to War (2002, TV movie)
• Pat Hingle played John Adams in Independence (1976, film)
• Tom Selleck played Dwight D. Eisenhower in Ike: Countdown to D-Day (2004, TV movie)
• Martin Sheen played John F. Kennedy in Kennedy (1983, TV mini-series)
• Robin Williams played Theodore Rooseveltin Night at the Museum (2006, film)

As fictional presidents:

• Ed Asner played President Thomas D. Moss in Mars and Beyond (2000, film)
• Robert Beatty played the President in Superman IV: Quest for Peace (1983, film)
• Dabney Coleman played President Richmond in My Date with the President's Daughter (1998, TV movie)
• James Cromwell played President Robert Fowler in The Sum of All Fears (2002, film) and President D. Wire Newman in and episode of The West Wing (2004, TV)
• Geena Davis played President Mackenzie Allen in Commander in Chief (2005-2006, TV)
• Charles Durning played President David Stevens in Twilight's Last Gleaming (1977, film)
• Henry Fonda played unnamed presidents in Fail-Safe (1964, film) and Meteor (1979, film)
• Morgan Freeman played President Tom Beck in Deep Impact (1998, film)
• John Goodman played Acting President Glen Allen Walken in The West Wing (2003, TV)
• Rutger Hauer played President Nelson in Scorcher (2002, film)
• James Earl Jones played President Douglass Dilman in The Man (1972, film)
• Ben Kingsley played President Gary Nance in Dave (1993, film)
• Kevin Kline played President William Harrison Mitchell in Dave (1983, film)
• Martin Landau played President Morose in By Dawn's Early Light (1990, film)
• William H. Macy played the President in an episode of The Unit (2007, TV)
• Bob Newhart President Manfred Link in First Family (1980, film)
• Leslie Nielsen played President Harris in Scary Movie 3 (2003, film) and Scary Movie 4 (2005, film)
• Gregory Peck played the President in Amazing Grace and Chuck (1987, film)
• Kevin Pollak played President Walter Emerson in Deterrence (1999, film)
• Dennis Quaid played President Staton in American Dreamz (2006, film)
• John Ritter played President Chet Roosevelt in Americathon (1979, film)
• Joan Rivers played President Rivers in Les Patterson Saves the World (1987, film)
• Tim Robbins played the President in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999, film)
• Chris Rock played President Mays Gilliam in Head of State (2003, film)
• George C. Scott played President Samuel A. Tresch in Mr. President (1987, TV)
• Peter Sellers played President Merkin Muffley in Dr. Strangelove, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964, film)
• Martin Sheen played President Josiah Edward "Jed" Bartlet on The West Wing (1997-2004, TV) and President Greg Stillson in The Dead Zone (1983, film)
• Loretta Swit played President Barbara Adams in Whoops Apocalypse (1986, film)
• Lynne Thigpen played President Marjorie Bota in Bicentennial Man (1999, film)
• John Travolta played President Jack Stanton in Primary Colors (1998, film)
• Jack Warden played President Roberts in Being There (1979, film)
• Fred Willard played President Garner in three episodes of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1997, TV)
• Robin Williams played President-elect Tom Dobbs Man of the Year (2006, film)