Best Presidents in Movies/TV

Josiah 'Jed' Bartlett (played by Martin Sheen)-The West Wing-Jed Bartlett is everything I want in my President; he is wise, funny, but down to earth.  Although the President lied about his disease, as far as fake Presidents go he would be at the top of my list.  Sorkin has created two great Presidential characters in his time (one listed below Michael Douglas) and both of them have their similarities, but Jed Bartlett almost this mythical evolution of a character, and we get to see him evolve throughout the show's entire history.  The clip below is one of the reasons I admire him.

David Palmer (played by Dennis Haysbert)-24-24 had a lot of Presidents, Charles Logan, Wayne Palmer (brother), Allison Taylor, but you never forget the first.  While Charles Logan was the the most intensely crazy, Palmer was always the sound leader you wanted running the government.  David Palmer had to deal with a Lady Macbeth type wife, who tried to control everything from behind the scenes.  Palmer (the first in office) was the first, and best President on this show!

Laura Roslin (played by Mary McDonnell)-Battlestar Galactica-From Secretary of Education to President, Laura Roslin had the fight in her to make her one of the strong television President's I have ever seen, while battling cancer.  With little training this woman helped bring together civilization in the fight against the cylons, brilliant leadership.

Dave Kovic/Bill Mitchell (played by Kevin Kline)-Dave-What if you were a stand in for the President at events because you look like him; he has a heart attack, and then his staff asks you to secretly replace him?  This wonderfully charming film shows what happens when a regular guy (with common sense) steps into the oval office.  Kline is his usual charming self, and he takes on this role with great aplomb.

Andrew Shepherd (played by Michael Douglas)-The American President-Before there was Jed Bartlett, Aaron Sorkin wrote the character of Andrew Shepheard, a widower who courts a woman while President of the United States.  Both of his Presidents are liberal man, namely Democrats.  One of the best roles in his career, Douglas gets the opportunity to give great speeches about why history matters, and what role government plays within our system.  Brilliant character!

James Marshall (played by Harrison Ford)-Air Force One-Get off my plane!  The most bad ass President to grace either television or film.  Marshall takes on Russian hijackers of Air Force One on his own.  Harrison Ford is one of the coolest men, and no one has ever made the Presidency look so tough.

Thomas J. Whitmore (played by Bill Pullman)-Independence Day-Taking on an alien invasion gives you a few points in the tough department as well.  The clip below says it all about Pullman's President Whitmore;he is the kind of man you want leading you to battle in one of those tricky situations.