Democratic Nomination: Which Starfleet Officer?

[DanielX]

President Pike is leaving office after a fruitful term in office. The Republican candidate is obvious - James Kirk kicked ass, winning every primary against such weak candidates as Jellico and Styles. The Democrats aren't so obvious. You Choose!

Gov. William Thomas Riker (Alaska): He's center-left on economic issues, left-wing on social issues, and center-right on foreign policy. He's charismatic, fairly tough, and quite determined - he'd have to be, in order to become the first Democratic governor of Alaska in ages. He's got two strikes against him: he's known as a womanizer (but then, so is Kirk), and he's reputedly the candidate favored by French President Jean-Luc Picard. He is recently married, and has no children.

Gov. Benjamin Lafayette Sisko (Louisiana): He's center-left on economic issues, center-right on social issues, and right-wing on foreign policy. Sisko's strong populism is favored by midwestern and southern 'yellow dogs', as well as the African-American community. A strong family man and a foreign-policy hawk, he is considered a strong swing-state contender, but is opposed by liberals. He is also somewhat lacking in charisma. A widower, he is married to his second wife, and has two children (an adult son and an infant daughter).

Sen. Jonathan Archer (California): He's center-left on all counts. California's less radical Senator, he's got widespread appeal as a famous astronaut. However, he's something of a Dukakis - no one can take him seriously when he tries to talk tough. He is unmarried.

Sen. Kathryn Janeway (Indiana): She's left-wing on economic policy, center-left on social policy, and centrist on foreign policy (or rather, she flip-flops between right and left wings). Janeway is well known as Indiana's only major female politician. In this position, she has served well, although some wonder about her sanity. She is unmarried.

Possibly VP candidates are already being discussed: Rep. Geordi LaForge, Lt. Gov. Tom Paris, Mayor Miles O'Brien, and Dr. Beverly Crusher are all considered strong candidates.

[Gabu]

Riker pwnz0rz everyone else.

[DanielX]

Riker pwz0rz everyone else.

Okay... but i think it's pwnx0rz. Or is my 1337 understanding wrong?

[Erc]

I think the Riker / Sisko ticket would do quite well...

[ATFFL]

Riker is just a watered down version of Kirk.  Compared directly to Kirk, he has no chance in an election, in a fight or in winning the affections of a green alien chick.

[Gabu]

Riker pwz0rz everyone else.

Okay... but i think it's pwnx0rz. Or is my 1337 understanding wrong?

YOU SAW NOTHING

[Defarge]

Riker, w00t!

[Gabu]

Glad to see Jonathan Archer hasn't gotten any votes; that guy is the worst ever.

[Erc]

Glad to see Jonathan Archer hasn't gotten any votes; that guy is the worst ever.

Archer is, in all respects, the Jimmy Carter of the Star Trek Democratic Party.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Come on, its gotta be Sisko.  Not only does he have successful administrative experience, but with his connection to the Prophets he should be able to attract a significant portion of religious voters.

[George W. Hobbes]

Sisko in the primaries, but I'm voting for Kirk in the general.

[The Dowager Mod]

Riker

[M]

Riker, of course, but you do realize that the man is Kirk? Basically, Rodenberry fresh-of-of-Texas intended "Wagon Trains in Space" as the classic Western- the noble hero (Kirk) kicking some bad-guy butt! But, as Vietnam wore on and Rodenberry was absorbed into liberal Hollywood culture, everything starts t0 change- the increasing prominence of the Prime Directive (an awful doctrine which in both Star Trek and Life has wasted lives) especially. By TNG, he minimized his romantic interventionist "superman-light" Kirk character to the second-in-command, Riker, or worse, into the loyal and good but not overly brilliant Worf. Picard represents the Prime Directive liberal instincts Rodenberry had developed by then, and his adherence to that doctrine- though flawed (Gene had a little Texas left)- was much stricter than Kirk/Riker's Correspondingly TNG is, while perhaps more interesting and certainly more modern, less thrilling for those who still believe in fairies, superheroes, and lone rangers.

[You are responsible]

In this position, she has served well, although some wonder about her sanity.

How true!


Using those descriptions I would say Riker. But what exactly makes Sisko "center-right" on social issues? The fact that he´s "religious"? Like most humans in Star Trek he seems to be a liberal. Which leads to the question why most characters I would label as "conservative" are aliens (Worf? Quark? Odo?)?

[WMS]

Sisko - the only one out of this lot whose foreign policy kicked ass. Duplicity and murder to get the Romulans involved vs the Dominion, anybody?

[DanielX]

In this position, she has served well, although some wonder about her sanity.

How true!


Using those descriptions I would say Riker. But what exactly makes Sisko "center-right" on social issues? The fact that he´s "religious"? Like most humans in Star Trek he seems to be a liberal. Which leads to the question why most characters I would label as "conservative" are aliens (Worf? Quark? Odo?)?

Sisko is 'family values' - moreso then the other candidates. And he's also religious, opposed to genetic engineering, and from Louisiana. Also, he had fewer romantic encounters then, say, Kirk, and was apparently loyal to both his wives. All those make him 'center-right', at least by Star Trek standards.

As for conservative, Kirk and crew come closest - they were never anti-money the way the later series was, and Kirk was as kick-ass as you can get.

[7,052,770]

Riker would be a good candidate usually, but not against Kirk.  I'd vote Sisko.