John Adams: An Inspiration for Our Times?

Great miniseries on HBO: last episode on Sunday (preceded by telecasting of the previous six). Kudos for the casting, virtually throughout, and ranging from Washington (David Morse with Marlon Brando cheeks); Jefferson (a lengthy, excellent performance by Stephen Dillane, giving a key depiction of the Great One from the point of view of someone who had a unique perspective--as friend, counsel, and rival over 50 years--of which the last episode will need to cover 26 years; Franklin (Tom Wilkinson--looked and sounded perfect); and, in the last episode, soon-to-be Chief Justice for All Times John Marshall (amazingly, not credited on the iMDB site!). This, of course, beside the excellent choices of the lead characters Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney as John and Abigail Adams.

One thread at HBO somehow proclaimed "Barack Obama is a John Adams for Our Times!" I think, rather, he is the Andrew Jackson for Our Times (successor to the President Whose Father Was Also President--J.Q. Adams in the original instance). Jackson's victory in '28 was particularly decisive because he was robbed in '24--though our revenge in '04 was hardly such. Redemption could come through Hillary or through Obama, but I find Barack much more Jacksonian than HRC is. A blast of fresh air, as it were.

More relevantly, Barack--whom many have compared to another transplanted Illinoisan who made it big, lanky Abe Lincoln--could bear some resemblance to Thomas Jefferson in political party terms. The 1800 election was the most decisive in history--a massive, permanent defeat for the Federalists, who were split between Adams and Hamilton loyalists--and Jefferson's Democratic-Republicans eventually cleared the field of domestic political opposition (just in time for the invasion of the War of 1812).

There is the opportunity for that kind of victory against the Republicans this year (we could omit the torching of Washington, DC this time around, even though it might be popular!) The Bushites are defeated soundly and McCain represents no kind of party renewal. This is a year in which, by the dynamics of Senate seats to defend and those of the normal response to gains such as those in the 2006 House elections, the Democrats should be losing ground, but the contrary will be the case. The Democratic Congressional victory in '08 presages a long domination there, so the only question is control of the White House.

So it's very important to have the right casting. That's what this whole primary thing was about, right? Getting the proper casting? It certainly hasn't been about the issues, or those stupid "What I Would Do..." statements candidates are required to produce endlessly. One thing the Adams miniseries has been brilliant about exposing is the fallacy that Presidents control events. This is what John Adams wanted to do, and the miniseries dialogue says as much, but all he was able to do, really, was make choices and roll with the consequences--which, for him, meant political defeat. The same was true of Dubya, though he made bad choices, and he managed to avoid the comprehensive electoral crushing that he deserved.

So it falls to John McCain. (In the John Adams parallel, McCain has been cast to play Charles Pinckney of South Carolina--portrayed in the miniseries as a Hamilton man--who got 27% of the Popular vote: Connecticut, Delaware, and 2 faithless electors in Maryland.) This is a man who was born to fall on a sword; in this case, we're hoping he will do it for the Republican Party. And take it with him.

P.S. After dispensing of the turncoat Aaron Burr--who had so far deceived Jefferson by refusing to yield him his due, but had not yet plugged Hamilton or cavorted with seditious Western secessionists--Jefferson went in his second term for the ominously-named George Clinton (no, not of Funkadelic fame, nor any relation to President Bill). If we're looking for clues for Obama's choice, Clinton was Governor of New York (no help there), a compromise between factions in the suddenly-dominant party. Since we're still just talking about casting, that would be a white woman, a governor or military figure. Jean Sebelius of Kansas seems the best fit for the part.