Tom Hanks, Paul Giamatti Get Inside John Adams' Head
One thing we learned at Wednesday night's private screening of HBO's upcoming miniseries on John Adams is what miniseries producer Tom Hanks and actor Paul Giamatti, who plays the second president, think about the current Democratic superdelegate madness.
How would Adams, a Federalist (and a Massachusetts delegate to the first continental congress), have thought Democratic superdelegates should handle their awesome role in this year's election?
"I think he'd say those delegates should go to the convention and vote for whatever damn person they want," Hanks told us.
And what does Hanks himself think they should do -- vote with the will of the people, or choose whomever they like best (or whomever lobbies them the hardest)?
"I'm loathe to say," he said, wrinkling his forehead, resting his arm on a ledge in the grand marbled Cannon House office building foyer.
But if his thoughts on Adams reflected his own views, it's a bit odd, given that Hanks is a supporter of Barack Obama, the Democratic presidential candidate who, so far, seems to have the will of the people behind him.
Hanks maxed out in campaign contributions to Obama this cycle, giving him $4,600, according to federal records. (He also maxed out to fellow funny man and Minnesota Democratic senatorial candidate Al Franken.)
Hanks, Giamatti, members of Congress and others mixed it up at a reception in the Capitol's Statuary Hall before walking across the street to Cannon for more milling about before the actual screening in the Cannon Caucus Room.
Tom Hanks sits with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for the screening of a new HBO miniseries on the life of John Adams, at the Capitol on Wednesday, March 5, 2008. (Reuters/Jonathan Ernst )
Giamatti ("Sideways" and "Cindarella Man") hasn't given money to any politician this cycle. And he absolutely refused to tell us who he's supporting for president. Though he did offer that he didn't vote in his state's New York primary, he was out of the country.
Asked to get in character and assume how Adams would recommend handling the superdelegate schism, Giamatti said, "I think he'd be largely annoyed at the whole thing."
And you, Paul? "It's too goddamn confusing for me to follow," he deadpanned.
As for what it's like to play John Adams, he said, "It's a little strange for me. I never imagined I'd be playing president of the United States." Before the start of the screening, Hanks joked that Giamatti is "a little bit better looking than John Adams."
Hanks was introduced before the screening by Rep. Bill Delahunt (D-Mass.), whose district includes the Adams homestead in Quincy. Delahunt said he considers himself a "direct political descendant" of President John Quincy Adams, son of John Adams, and a "relative of sorts" to the entire Adams family.
And the congressman gave this random bit of trivia: Tom Hanks, through his mother's side of the family, is a distant relative of Abraham Lincoln.
The seven-part HBO miniseries is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning biography of Adams written by David McCullough, who was also there last night. It airs next week.
By Mary Ann Akers |
March 6, 2008; 12:30 PM ET
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Posted by: trevorwynnewhitehouse | March 6, 2008 3:20 PM
You have to take into account the vast differences in political expectations in the 18th and in the 21st centuries.
The Founders expected members of the political elite to vote their own opinion; direct democracy was not a concept with any significant support in the 18th century (aside from Rousseau). Hence the establishment in the Constitution of the electoral college, a system of indirect election. The Founders did not anticipate the development of a party system and expected each state to nominate a "favorite son" candidate. Since voters would not be familiar with candidates from distant states, they were to vote for local notables, who would make the choice based on their broader political experience.
Once the party system developed in the 1790's,Adams was a Federalist. His party saw a wealthy and educated elite as a bulwark against the threat of social revolution posed by the French Revolution
Adams saw Jefferson's Republican party, with its call for reliance on the will of the common man, as equivalent to the Jacobins. So I cannot envision him adopting the view that party leaders should simply follow the will of the voters. What his own view might be on the merits of the two candidates is a different question.
Posted by: jhurwi | March 7, 2008 11:29 AM
You should report on substance news, not petty stuff for the Clinton's. It is okay for the Clinton's to say and fire any rporter they dislike or do not agree with.
Report on their years in the White House doing his presidency all the news not cherrypicking.
Posted by: rhea | March 7, 2008 12:10 PM
Hanks nailed it.
Posted by: RAW | March 7, 2008 12:26 PM
This election has presented itself as having a one-sided policy in both television and the other medias;newspapers etc. watching everything that Sen. Obama said or did. It was a pretty boring time for non supporters. The more publicity, the more the frenzy,and I think that when some commonsence comes into the equation,the realization that he does not
have the experience or the military knowhow to run such a large militarized country many people will become disallusioned. Hopefully this will happen before he becomes president.
Posted by: justcolours | March 7, 2008 3:38 PM
John McCain Vs. Ron Paul
Two Republicans. Two military veterans. Two men in their political prime. But only one can take the Republican nomination. Which will it be and what do they have going for them?
by Jeremiah Johnson
As press began interviewing McCain with headlines reading "McCain Wins!" behind him a crowd stood but their signs read "Ron Paul Revolution". This kind of fervent support from Paul's supporters has plagued McCain wherever he goes around the nation. At first he got angry, but now it is something he has grown to live with.
John McCain holds the title for most press coverage of all the Republican candidates. He holds the title for the popular vote in many states. But one problem remains. All the media coverage in the world can never buy him supporters who will become delegates and passionately march to the national convention in September to make their voices heard. The one egging problem in the back of his mind and that of his campaign staff is, 'What if we don't get enough bound delegates?' Unfortunately for him, he is over 200 shy of the needed amount. But as they watch the mainstream tout a "Win", they go with the flow and do their victory dance, while knowing all the while that this is far from over.
One problem for McCain is his possible violation of FEC laws. Last year McCain had filed for federal funding for his campaign and the FEC has claimed that he used this federal funding to back a loan. The problem with this is that it would bind him to being able to only spend 54 million for the primaries, which he has more than likely surpassed. He tried to back out in February, only to receive a letter back saying that he couldnt. However, the FEC cannot vote on this issue until they have the required four out of six of the seats on the FEC Commission filled. Only two are currently filled. This may involve penalties for McCain, bad press coverage, and possible imprisonment if he is found in violation.
Ron Paul, on the other hand, may be contending with a media that will stop at nothing to prevent him from receiving the nomination. Whether it is no press coverage for him, extra free press coverage for the contender, stories that are targeted to attack his character, or pretending like he is no longer running, they have certainly weathered a great many supporter e-mails and phone calls requesting them to be fair.
However, regardless of what the media has deemed a "Win", no one can win until the national convention which happens in September. Popular votes do not determine what can happen at the national convention. If enough supporters of Ron Paul remain as fervent as they have in the past, and cut through the tape in the Republican Party to hold the seats at the convention, we may be in for a real surprise. At the convention the delegates will not only decide the nominee, but they will also decide party platforms and the direction of the Republican Party.
So will Ron Pauls supporters persist as delegates until September? Will McCain's campaign be wiped out by his possible violation of public campaign finance rules? Much is left to see as the 2008 presidential election continues forward
Posted by: Cindy Mulvey | March 10, 2008 10:29 AM
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The superdelegates should simply do their job. The Founders created a republic, and not a direct democracy, for a reason. A system of checks and balances is essential for any democracy. This is the role the superdelegates will play.
-Trevor Wynne