Reader Theory: Tyrol for President?
Cavatar writes:
“The Chief has, even if he does not know it, found himself in a position of great opportunity.He is now the Union leader for EVERY working human left alive. He is also a part of the working military… Now I don’t know how long Roslin’s term is. If we assume that they use a four year term system, and factor in that Baltar was President for well over a year and it has been some time since Roslin was reinstated by a back room deal, then you can guess that she has 2 years left. This gives Chief Tyrol plenty of time to make his way to the other ships, show he is a man of the people, improve working conditions in the fleet, and show he is going to take their rights as human beings seriously. Let’s also not forget that he was already elected by these people once before on New Caprica as their Union leader. If he plays his cards right, then the stars have just lined up for him to not only challenge the Roslin Presidency, but destroy it. From what we seen, they do a popular vote. Of the 40,000 plus humans left alive, if 25,000 are slaving away on ships like the refinery, he is as sure as in.”
This theory makes me wonder if there are any other would-be presidents out there that we’ve been overlooking all this time. Of course, not just anyone can do the job, but Chief does have a lot of popular support. But would he even want to run? One of Chuck’s favorite premises in the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series is that anyone who wants to be president, shouldn’t be. Do you think this holds true in BSG? And if so, does this give the Chief an advantage?
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Well, i thought this was a great idea. I have long thought Zarek should get a turn. And I have also thought that Apollo is a pretty recongnizable figure in the fleet, and could proably run. Of course, after he defends Baltar, that won’t work at all. But Chief? He would be a great president.
yeah, chief would be a really good president, though i think he sees himself as an opposition figure (through the union), so i am not sure if he would ever run.
other potential candidates- anders, as two time resistance leader and former sports star, and not part of the military, he could be an interesting president.
i totally picture tory wanting to be president, which falls under chucks hitchhiker s guide theory
I’d actually have to agree with Cavatar. If the Chief were to have a reasonable amount of success as the Union President, I’d say he should definitely consider running in the next Presidential election.
Also, even if you believe the Chief were admittedly not the best candidate to replace Roslin, I think he’d still make a good politician at some level higher than Union President. He’s loyal and hard-working, and most importantly, he still has integrity – something that Roslin’s beginning to lose more of as time goes on.
I also do think the Chief would be a good President (not as good as Roslin though) but I do not think Adama will ever let him out of his military service again. Apollo would be a terrible President he would just complain about the fact that he couldn’t get anything done, he also would probably get fat again too. I think Tory would be a great President, she got balls and she knows how to work the political system and get things done.
While I agree that the Chief would probably sort some things out and be a pretty successful President (well, he couldn’t do much worse than Baltar, and Roslin has her moments), I don’t think we’ll ever see it. Unless the show jumps forward in time again, I doubt we’ll see another two years pass within the show. Hasn’t it only been 2 years so far, being that we’ve skipped close to a year and a half. Still it’s something I would like to see.
Interesting concept. However, more than President of the Colonies (or the fleet, rather), I’d like to see him really get into his role as Union President, something which I think he’s much more suited for. Somehow I don’t think that the Chief would be too comfortable as a political animal. He’s much too earnest and principled to get very far in the world of politics.
I agree with Ryan- I too would like to see Zarek flex his political muscles, like he seemed poised to do at the beginning of the series. The ideas he was shopping around on Cloud 9 back when the Quorum of Twelve almost elected him VP could get some traction, especially given the current situation on the fleet regarding the workers and conditions throughout. I could totally see the Chief aligning himself politically with Zarek, someone who espouses populist and socialist-leaning ideas about how to run the fleet.
Leemo as president? Ha, not frakking likely. I agree, Matt: he’d probably spend most of the time moping about, and Dee would end up doing the actual work. And yeah, he’d probably get fat again.
Anders as president is an interesting idea, but I’d have to see more of an intellectual, or socially conscious side to him before considering him seriously. He still comes across as too much of a jock.
How about Karl ‘insert officer here’ Agathon? Lol, just kidding…
I was on Tyrol’s suddenly vast powers early (remember, he’s now the union rep for pretty much every civillian!) But I’m sceptical of his ability to perform as president. I can see his admin devolving into a Jimmy Cartereseque (sorry, showing my bias) debacle of ‘good intentions going wrong.’ Of course, as a writer, that’s fodder.
Zarek would be interesting, at least from a writer’s POV.
Were I on the writing team, I’d work Tigh into that position. How frakin’ fraked up would that be?
WHOO! Tigh for Pres! Glad I’m not in the fleet lol.
But Tyrol… hmm. I doubt that a guy who is typically in the show for one scene at the most will suddenly be President by the writers of the show. And if Roslin listens to him more often, there’s no need to Tyrol to run.
My boy Tigh for Prez, W00T!! Oh, man, if you think Roslyn has an airlock problem. . .
Dear gods, could you imagine? He frakked things up enough when he declared martial law. Imagine Tigh as president!
Tyrol would make an interesting choice. I think Ray is right, though, we’ll likely not have enough time elapse on the rest of the show’s run to see another election (besides, they’ve “done” that story already). And I doubt that Roslin would let anyone else into the job anyway. Face it, democracy is dead in the rag tag fleet.
Well, Ellen did strongly encourage him to declare it. But wouldn’t he have been in control anyway, with Laura pissing off Adama and getting put in jail and then Adama getting shot?
Wow…kewl comments. I am not totally sure how good a president that the Chief would actually be; however I do think he (as far as we have seen) is in the current best position to challenge Roslin and her dictatorship when her term is up…but then who is to say she won’t just try to steel it again.
Cavatar
Any ideas for Presidential campaign mottos? I think Roslin’s motto can be Vote Roslin, Remember what happened last time you voted against me. The Chiefs can be, Vote Chief, If I can fix vipers, then I can fix the fleet.
Vote Baltar, I’m not a traitor, honest…
the chief would make a good president
I don’t know if the show runs real time or not. The Pegasus incident was 6 months out from New Caprica. We obviously got the 1 year jump, and then a few months of occupation after that. Since then, things seem to have more or less been running “real timeâ€, or at least approximations of that.
It is a good point, though. There’s just so much about Caprican law that we don’t know.
Tory BETTER not be installed….
I proferred on other discussions that I strongly believe Tory is the next Cylon reveal (…”broken arm” my left daggit!).
How’s this for getting the fleet to get the warm-and-fuzzies about Laura & Bill again: Put Tigh in as Prez and Tory as Veep. The Fleet will be BEGGING for more Adamlin Lovin’.
Another interesting ticket: Zarek & Lambkin (Prez & VP, resp.).
Come to think of it, Romo & Tory should totally hook-up romantically!
I know lee has been quilty of being a lame whiner on occasion, but I don’t think you can blow him off of the possible canadaties list. He is a very public figure as the CAG and as the once Commander of the Pegasus. He is also entrenched in the Political Circles as Roslin’s former Military Advisor. He also has earned the trust of Zareck on some levels, so he has connections. And while he can also be accused of being lazy and reluctant at times, he has a finely tuned moral compass when the stakes are high and envolve the human race (when it comes to making decisions about his personal life when the stakes are high, he falls on his face alot).
Plus, if the writers wanted to bring Adama’s and Roslin’s relationship / Dictatorship to a head, what better way to do it than with Adama’s son.
As for the notion that the writers would do a retread to the presidential race, i agree. But I don’t think it would be beneath them to have a different president. Suppose Baltar is found Not Quilty, and returned to power (not implausiable). He would certainly not maintain his office with all of the pressures and conflicts and Zarek would again take over (very possible). Suppose that at this point Zarek is questioning Laura’s ablitiies and motivations (which would be have every reason to suspect) and nominated Lee to be the VEEP (lee would be a logical choice since Zarek is concerned about a working relationship with the military). Then lets say some wacko kills Zarek because they hold him responsblie with Baltar for the stuff on New Caprica (not unlikely). Now Lee is the president, no election, no retread. I know I am stretching a little, but it isn’t that impossible is it?
Ok, i have a typo above, i meant to say,”As for the notion that the writers wouldn’t do a retread to the presidential race, i agree.”
And I wanted to add to my own theory, that it would be awesome to see Adama take orders from Lee for a change.
I have got to say, I really like the Chief, but really hate the idea of him as president. It doesn’t feel right. He would not be able to stomach the back room politics that are necessary for the gig. And while the switcheroo Roslin did in personalities really bothered me in the union/caste ep, I for the most part like her in the role. She is one of the only ones that ever saw the inner workings of government (and I mean inner – wasn’t she shagging the president on Caprica too?) So, not to belabor the point but she is used to being in bed with politics.
It is funny how characters in these stories remind you of real life. For example, for no particular reason, real-life John Edwards reminds me of Greg Stillson from the Dead Zone. I wonder who Lee would be as president – I go toward Kennedy – young, idealistic, fools around a little.
I wish someone can make a campaign sign or banner for each person, Roslin, Baltar, Zarek, and the chief. One more i forgot how about a one of the old cylon soldiers for pres now thats a race I’d vote twice in.
Elspeth- It’s funny that you say that since I (along with RDM) love to see Roslin do these sneaky backhanded political things and playing hardball. How can you not trust Mary McDonnel from “Dancing with Wolves”? lol
I was watching a few bits from the miniseries the other day, mainly to see them kicking over those things blocking the Vipers off in the museum (I can’t think of what those are called… ahhh!), and anyway, Roslin’s blue outfit is horrible looking. It makes Aaron Doral look like he stepped off the runway. She looks so hip and cool as the show progresses with those awesome looking black suits. It’s nice to see a classy woman on TV, even if it is on a battlestar.
How does she find new nice clothing like that. Did she see some woman with it on, have her thrown in jail, confescate her clothes and then have her put on an air lock or something like that? But hey, being president should come with some perks.
Well people shoveling kitty litter aren’t going to need a pinstripe suit. Maybe she got it off someone in the media.
“I wish someone can make a campaign sign or banner for each person, Roslin, Baltar, Zarek, and the chief. ”
My sad attempt:
http://home.peeron.com/~dan/baltar.png
I’m sure we have more artsy people here!
my opiion whatever the guide says is RIGHT
Zigdon
Hey, that is NOT sad. It is GREAT!!!
Cavatar
http://rightwingnation.com/wp-content/product_detail_t_random_voted_roslin_big.jpg
hehe im making one as we speak
I hear that the Guide has many omissions and contains much that is apocryphal, or at least wildly inaccurate.
LIES ITS ALL LIES
p.s. i just saw the final ep. of SG1, I cried and im proud of it
13th- Argh. I think I didn’t represent my case well enough. I love Ros as pres. I think it makes good TV. Her character is perfect… Just that last stunt with the union was extreme for her.
I know, I know, everyone can give a list of examples for Airlock Rosalin, but in the context, I thought she did just fine almost every time. Like in the eps where Adama had to give the logs to Cain. Listed categorically, it looks bad, at the time, in context, it was the logical conclusion.
Hey, but I stand by Tyrol not having the guts for dishonest dealings like Ros does. 😉
Bah! Vote Tigh!
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g306/5hi5n0/votetigh.jpg?t=1174090670
Whoo Tigh!
And Elspeth- I went back and read your original comments and my response really had nothing to do with that. Not your fault, it was mine.
13th – Hey no worries. I just love posting on this site. Mainly because I think everyone has such humor. Where else would someone say I wish there were political banners, and then *poof* there they are!
UhOh…the banners…they are starting to work…must hold out…can’t ….Vote Tigh!
Great topic!
First off, Tyrol is one of the most compelling characters on the show. I think Tyrol doesn’t “feel†right because RDM and the writers have used him to play “the common man†on the ship and keep the story grounded. He is one of the easiest characters for the audience to empathize with because the audience is not composed of pilots, admirals and presidents. As the one of only main characters on the show who eats out of a lunch box, he is the eyes and voice of the viewer on the show. Sure he has a leadership role now, but his role is to be the voice of every common man and woman in the fleet, which allows him to grow as a character but not undermine his place in the “big picture†story. Moving him into presidential politics would change his role in the story fabric and he would lose his lunch box status.
Here’s my prediction: Lee is the most likely candidate to succeed Roslin (sorry Zarek). The writers have spent most of third season trying to move Lee’s character back into some version of the hero’s journey. That journey will end on Colonial One. The writers don’t want him to continue to be the whiney dog nipping at the Admiral’s heels for the rest of the show. His military career is over. Even if he didn’t resign his commission, he has commended a Battlestar so his military career has nowhere to go but stay stagnate for another decade or so (boring). They have resolved his Kara Thrace issues that was keeping down.
Lee is now the perfect presidential candidate. He has “Adama†name recognition. He has the best military credentials in the fleet (except for the Admiral). Tom Zarek has none and everybody hates the Sagittarons lately. The remaining Baltar loyalists (like Cally) will support him for helping out their guy when the chips were down and for embarrassing Roslin in court. He can make a case to the pro-Roslin faction that he was only upholding the rule of law over the rule of autocratic individuals. The writers are casting Lee in the role of John Adams who defended the British troops after the Boston Massacre. Lee has a very strong pro-democracy track record. The Astral Queen incident and defending Roslin during the coup are two huge examples of this. Heck, even the Saggitarons might vote for him for having a Sagittaron wife (if she stays with him).
This time Roslin’s cancer isn’t going to magically go away. There will be an empty chair on Colonial One with Lee’s name on it.
Amen,
Lee for president.
WOW…I wish I had more time to comment today!!!
Lee is a great idea when the dictator is no longer in charge. (Audra notice I am not saying school teacher, she has an admirable trade there and it is too bad her presidency is not as admirable.)
Cavatar
Lol Cavatar.
Toaster Maker – great theory and great explanation! You ’bout done persuased me with that one. Honestly, I never thought of Lee as president before or imagined he’d be good at it, but I think your arguments regarding the way the BSG writers have been grooming his character, along with his political/democratic ties since the beginning of the series- all of it adds up nicely. Way to go!