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Stranger things have happened. When another California actor considered a political bid many years ago, a Hollywood mogul famously remarked, "Ronald Reagan for governor? No. Spencer Tracy for governor. Ronald Reagan for best friend." You can almost see Beatty as president. The real question is whether Warren Beatty could play a president. In this arena he has some stiff competition. As this subjective ranking of presidential movie roles below shows, Morgan Freeman is the man to beat.

17. Michael Douglas -- "The American President" (1995)
16. Gene Hackman -- "Absolute Power" (1997)
15. William Atherton -- "Executive Power" (1997)
14. Bill Pullman -- "Independence Day" (1996)
13. Gary Sinise -- "Truman" -- (1995)
12. Kevin Kline -- "Dave" -- (1993)
11. Nick Nolte -- "Jefferson in Paris" (1995)
10. Anthony Hopkins* -- "Nixon" (1995)
9. Donald Pleasence -- "Escape from New York" (1981)
8. Charlton Heston -- "The President's Lady" (1953).
7. John Travolta -- "Primary Colors" (1998)
6. Harrison Ford -- "Air Force One" (1997)
5. Alan Alda -- "Canadian Bacon" (1995)
4. Jack Nicholson -- "Mars Attacks" (1996)
3. William Windom -- "Escape from Planet of the Apes" (1971)
2. Peter Sellers ** -- "Dr. Strangelove" (1964)
1. Morgan Freeman -- "Deep Impact" (1998)

* -- Hopkins is Welsh. He would need a constitutional amendment to run.

** -- Sellers is dead. If drafted he would not run, if elected he would not serve.
salon.com | Aug. 14, 1999

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