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May 26, 2012

24's Wayne Palmer as Barack Obama or RFK?

by Meredith O'Brien, posted Jan 25th 2007 1:41PM

Wayne Palmer on 24People, especially critics, looove to make analogies, trying to compare TV or movie characters to real people.

Thus the attempts by some to liken this season's president on 24 to two flesh and blood politicians both of whom have sought (or likely will seek) the Oval Office.

Describing a man as a youngish, untested African-American politician who enjoys the public's "good will," Chicago Tribune blogger Maureen Ryan wrote, "Does it sound like the hypothetical presidency of Sen. Barack Obama, Illinois' own presidential hopeful? Well, it's actually the story of Wayne Palmer, the president on the current season of 24."

I, personally, don't see the Obama-Wayne Palmer connection. It's like saying that simply because Geena Davis portrayed a female president on Commander in Chief, that her President MacKenzie Allen was the writers' vision of a would-be Hillary Clinton presidency. (And there were those who argued that that's what the show was about, promoting an HRC campaign.) Or it's akin to likening The West Wing's Jed Bartlet to Bill Clinton, only without an intern problem.

If I were forced to pick a real politician after whom I think President Palmer II is modeled, I'd have to go with the suggestion made in Entertainment Weekly by 24 executive producer Howard Gordon who compares the Palmers to the Kennedys, where one presidential brother was killed and another sought to fill in where his brother left off.

So, if Wayne Palmer is Bobby, and David Palmer was JFK, who does that make Charles Logan? Nixon?

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ac

Thats funny, Logan reminded me of our current prez.

January 28 2007 at 4:56 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
C C

I think the 24 writers are drawing parallels between Wayne Palmer and RFK, but not in the way most people think. I believe that Wayne played some role in his brother's death, a twist on the theory that RFK's crusade against the mob resulted in JFK's
assasination. However, unlike RFK, I doubt that the Wayne's actions were as noble. We shall see.

January 25 2007 at 8:43 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Mick

What do you guys think of the season so far? I think it's depressing as hell. Does there really have to be a torture scene in every episode?

Jack: Where's Dad?
Brother: I don't know

Jack proceeds to torture him. I know he's the bad guy, but geez.... and is his son really Jack's son? Some weird vibes there.

And why the hell did they (the writers) have to have Jack kill Curtis? Does everybody have to die on this show? Wayne Palmer isn't the least bit presidential. And he has to wait until someone asks for Jack's head before he springs him out of China? Now, THERE'S gratitude. Stupid. And a nuke goes off in L.A... The third nuclear attack/attempt in L.A. Oh boy. Can't these writers do better?

Maybe Jack's still on the plane, and he'll wake up after a 6 hour nightmare. That's the only way this stuff can be palatable. Then the real show will start...

I've been a huge fan since the beginning, but I think 24 is trying to out-24 itself this season.

mm

January 25 2007 at 5:27 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Viv

I don't know if the producers will develop wayne's character or not but he does not have the "it factor" that a president has. When you saw David palmer as president on 24, you could imagine him as the real thing just like jeb bartlet.

January 25 2007 at 5:22 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Brent McKee

Does that make the Palmer sister Teddy or Eunice Shriver? Or even Pat Lawford?

January 25 2007 at 2:57 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
LC

David Palmer had Clinton's intelligence and speaking savvy combined with Colin Powell's moral character. Logan was almost a clone of Nixon.

I see no similarity between Wayne Palmer and Barack Obama. Nor do I see him as even remotely like RFK. I think the only credentials the writer was using to compare was being a black politician or being the brother of an executed president. Other than those two qualifications, the character bares no similarity to either men.

Personally I don't see him as being presidential in any way. Even his post nuke speech sounded like an average Joe on the street read it. Nothing commanding or inspiring in his character at all. Now while the actor himself is as good as most television actors, I just don't find him believable as a president.

January 25 2007 at 2:55 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Peej

Hmm... Palmer II is fighting terrorism (not Obamaish), but he did give in and have a whole bunch of terrorists released. It's possible

January 25 2007 at 2:18 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Chris Wyant

Logan definitely looked like Nixon a bit... Same kind of paranoia too.

January 25 2007 at 2:09 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply

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