Joe Biden Asked 5 'Presidents' For SOTU Advice — But Not Who You'd Expect
President Joe Biden decided to prepare for Thursday’s State of the Union speech by picking the brains of five former “presidents” for wisdom they learned on the job.
However, his choice of chief executives was a little unconventional.
Instead of checking in with, say, Bill Clinton or Barack Obama, Biden chose to ask five former “presidents” from film and TV.
In a Thursday tweet accompanied by a video, Biden wrote: “You may’ve heard I’ve got a big speech coming up. So, I thought I would hear from some folks who have done the job before — sort of.”
Biden’s presidential panel included Morgan Freeman, who played the POTUS in the 1998 disaster flick “Deep Impact”; Bill Pullman, the president in 1996’s “Independence Day”; Geena Davis, from the 2005 series “Commander in Chief”; Michael Douglas, from 1995’s “The American President”; and Tony Goldwyn, from “Scandal.”
Each of the “Hollywood presidents” went along with the bit, making jokey references to the challenges they faced when they were “in office.”
Freeman admitted Biden may have a harder road ahead of him than he did during the “Deep Impact” administration: “All I had to deal with was a meteor!”
Pullman concurred, noting that he also had it easier since an alien invasion “tends to unify people.”
Meanwhile, Goldwyn admitted his presidential character “behaved very badly in a lot of situations,” while Davis noted that when she was on the job, “it seemed like every week, there was some new crisis that I had to face.”
Douglas said his biggest life lesson as “president” was the importance of “having a loving partner,” and he suggested Biden dance with his wife, Jill Biden, in the East Room after his speech.
You can see the roundtable in the video below.
You may’ve heard I’ve got a big speech coming up.
So, I thought I would hear from some folks who have done the job before – sort of. pic.twitter.com/7wFYVQm7Xm— President Biden (@POTUS) March 7, 2024
Many people gave the video a vote of approval:
Humility. Humor. Grace. And a little cheek. I can’t believe people are even considering the alternative. This is awesome. https://t.co/3wrG4UA6Wk
— PoliticsGirl (@IAmPoliticsGirl) March 7, 2024
And to think, could have had Kevin Sorbo, Scott Baio, Kid Rock, and that Dukes of Hazard guy. https://t.co/jCNOpkpbob
— Mueller, She Wrote (@MuellerSheWrote) March 7, 2024
This made me nostalgic. And actually Michael Douglas and Bill Pullman’s presidential speeches were bloody good ones. https://t.co/X0XoVwC3Vr
— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) March 7, 2024
This is so great to see. Well done! https://t.co/WBKn940aOb
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) March 7, 2024
I love this sooo much! https://t.co/r2AIBN5DnG
— Jaime Harrison (@harrisonjaime) March 7, 2024
I love a legitimately elected President with a sense of humor & really cool friends #SOTU2024https://t.co/EfktHpc8GN
— (((Tara Dublin))), Rock Star Author 📚❤️🔥🤘🏻 (@taradublinrocks) March 7, 2024
But some Trump supporters weren’t as amused.
Joe Biden seeks advice on how to fake it as President from people who pretended to be President.
Who at the real White House thought this was a good idea?!?! Yikes. https://t.co/tIo8yS1S3S— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) March 7, 2024
Talking to actors about giving State of Union? @JoeBiden and his gang think wasting tax money on this silliness is appropriate? pic.twitter.com/CgVuqFrUIx
— Tom Fitton (@TomFitton) March 7, 2024
Other people wondered where their own favorite fictional presidents were. (“West Wing” fans seemed especially put out.)
This is AWESOME!
But where or where is #MartinSheen? #PresidentBartlethttps://t.co/PZm8xrFya7— Morgan M. Hurley 🗣️🌈⚓ (@morganOPINES) March 7, 2024
No Harrison Ford and no Martin Sheen so this can't be taken seriously. Good effort! https://t.co/clIkkTPNJx
— Stephen Kent (@StephenKentX) March 7, 2024
Im obsessed with this. But where is Martin Sheen? https://t.co/jIF6PjAriA
— Elizabeth Madeira 🟧 (@ElizabethforTN) March 7, 2024
Ok I need President v President to be a series. Give me @potus with:
President Bartlet
President Barbie
President Camacho (keen insight on how to take down the other guy)
President Meyer (“Sue did the President call?” “Uh, yes ma’am.”) https://t.co/QVOMMSPNop— Mallory McMorrow (@MalloryMcMorrow) March 7, 2024