Political Reality: Can TV Make a President?

By James Poniewozik

Sorry, girls. American Idol's dreamboat, Justin Guarini, will not be 35 in time for the next presidential campaign. But the field is open for any U.S.-born citizen of age to become reality TV's nominee for the 44th President, Idol-style, thanks to American Candidate, coming to FX network in 2004.

"Reality TV is returning to its natural home, which is the American political system," says R.J. Cutler, who produced the documentary The War Room about the 1992 Clinton campaign. Applicants will submit a petition signed by 50 people and a 30-minute video. They'll be narrowed down to a field of semifinalists of various ideologies by a panel of political experts. Then the audience will winnow the field in a process involving debates and politicking (but, please God, not Ryan Seacrest). The winner will be chosen during an on-air "convention" around July 4, then decide whether to run. (The show is still ironing out details such as how the candidate will raise funds and get on ballots.)

As a rule, private-sector media companies produce government leaders only in foreign countries like Italy and New York City. But though FX's parent company, News Corp., is run by outspoken conservative Rupert Murdoch, Cutler says home viewers, not the network, will select the "people's candidate." Yes, that line sounds like p.r.-as-populism, but there are plenty of voters who have been disaffected from two-party politics. And as ex-wrestler Jesse Ventura's 1998 gubernatorial election proved, they watch cable TV. American Candidate could become a kind of de facto third party, but without a crazy, short billionaire Texan.

Whether the show proves silly, serious or sinister remains to be seen, but the idea of creating a kind of TV "primary" outside party politics shouldn't be dismissed out of hand. Should we fear TV's manufacturing a President through an entertainment-laden spectacle of illusory free choice? Sure--if that didn't pretty much describe our existing system. Anyway, it's hard to imagine a small cable channel pulling that off, though a media-sensation candidate, buoyed by free publicity, could just draw enough votes to swing a tight race. Cutler says he hopes the show at least increases participation in politics or maybe encourages an also-ran to run for Congress someday. The Guarini Administration, however, will probably have to wait--at least until we amend the Constitution to allow voting by 800 number.