You all know that Mama’s all-time favorite movie scene is that moment in “American President” when the fictional President Shepherd, played by Michael Douglas, finally calls out his right-wing opponent — an ambitious, arrogant senator named Bob Rumson (think John McCain with a touch of Frothy). Rumson personally attacks the president’s girlfriend for being a card-carrying member of the ACLU who was simply present when an American flag was once burned in protest. Standing in the White House press room, President Shepherd looks right into the camera and decks “Bob” with one rhetorical roundhouse punch:
“We’ve got serious problems, and we need serious people, and if you want to talk about character, Bob, you’d better come at me with more than a burning flag and a membership card. If you want to talk about character and American values, fine. Just tell me where and when, and I’ll show up. This is a time for serious people, Bob, and your fifteen minutes are up. My name is Andrew Shepherd, and I *am* the president.”
The Democratic National Convention was Barack Obama’s “Andrew Shepherd” moment. Our real-life American president cooly declared:
“I recognize that times have changed since I first spoke to this convention. The times have changed — and so have I. I’m no longer just a candidate. I’m the president.”
Mama jumped up on her hotel room bed and cheered, spilling Chardonnay on Jim Ward. The only thing the president could have added was: “Neener, neener, neener!”
Game on, Mittens!
