Gandalf for President?

Gandalf is the ultimate politician in the LOTR. Would you vote for him as a President? Did he have the all round capabilities to govern a nation such as the US?

[Rumil]

I'd vote for Gandalf for anything!

Probably he woudn't be interested and would prefer wandering around behind the scenes, generally doing good and inspiring great deds. An eminence grise perhaps?

Though if they reckon McCain's a bit old Gandalf has no chance!

I have a feeling Gandalf would employ much the same war and anti-terrorism policies that Bush used. Gandalf certainly was gung-ho in challenging an enemy with battle.

[Formendacil]

Originally Posted by Mansun

I have a feeling Gandalf would employ much the same war and anti-terrorism policies that Bush used. Gandalf certainly was gung-ho in challenging an enemy with battle.

I'm afraid of getting in too deep here... this is dangerously close to politics...

But it seems only fair to point out that Gondor and Rohan were in rather different situations than the U.S. of the past decade. Whether you think Bush right or wrong with his war efforts, one cannot deny that the U.S., the "world's remaining superpower" charging off preemptively into the Middle East is rather different than Gandalf attempting to stem the tide of despair in the invaded nations of Gondor and Rohan and rouse them to a defence.

I'd say there's a lot more of Churchill in Gandalf as far that goes than Bush (though, mindful of my reputation elsewhere, let me affirm that I do not see any allegory betwixt them), insofar as an outnumbered Britain was alone and under attack.

In any case, lest there be any doubt that Gandalf is not a war-mongerer, take a look at his attempts to stop battle occurring in The Hobbit. Though he failed, due to the arrival of the goblins and wargs, chiefly, take note of his attempt nonetheless.

Oh, and I would definitely not vote for Gandal. As he made quite clear himself with the Ring, power would make him all too dark and terrible.

[Morthoron]

Actually, Gandalf was not the ultimate politician, Saruman was. Gandalf neither sought personal aggrandizement nor office for himself. He was not interested in taking down roots and he certainly did not seek dominion over others (which is why he forsook the use of the Ring). His role was to make or restore leaders, not become one, and when his task was finished he left for good (something no politician in history, not even the good ones, has done). If chosen, he would not run; if elected, he would not serve. He was a missionary or ambassador of the Valar, not a politician by definition.

Saruman, on the other hand, represented the political animal in all its sordid manifestations. He had the mesmerizing voice of a demagogue and was practiced at the art of propaganda. He created his own grass-roots constituency in Isengard, manipulated Rohan, deceived Dunland, betrayed the White Council, double-dealt his power-broker in Mordor, and set up a dictatorship in the banana republic of the Shire for his retirement.

Originally Posted by Morthoron

Actually, Gandalf was not the ultimate politician, Saruman was .

Saruman was a power deriving freak, not a capable politician. If you used his policies, you are looking at another Hitler situation. Therefore, the thread question asks if Gandalf is the best candidate to take the top job in politics on grounds of ability alone, not by who is obssessed by politics. Gandalf was a far more astitute policy maker and governor of the free people.