It’s officially an election year, in case you weren’t aware, and with the Iowa caucuses behind us we can honestly say that this year’s political circus is in full swing. Which has us paying a lot of attention to the current 2016 presidential candidates and political issues, of course, but also wondering who our dream president would be, in a perfect world where anything is possible and anyone would be willing to accept the role. We’re not talking about realistic political candidates, we’re talking about celebrities we know and love, who we think would absolutely rule the Oval Office. After all, we’re looking for a leader to inspire and uplift us, and to fix what is broken and enhance what is working with our country. Is that too much to ask?
So who is the right person to fix this broken world and flawed political system we are dealing with? We’re not really sure, and time will tell who voters are standing behind in this year’s election. But what we can tell you is that the following 8 celebrities would make amazing leaders of this country in a variety of ways. In our minds Justin Timberlake can do no wrong, and we’ll buy anything that Tina Fey is selling. Here are 8 celebrities we wish were 2016 presidential candidates.
1. Taylor Swift
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it once more: it’s Taylor Swift’s world and we’re all just living in it. Her music is embraced by all ages, genders, races and political affiliations. Somehow Swift has managed to bring people together, and that’s a quality we look for in any political leader. A recent article on Bloomberg View argues, “Swift seems to have a preternatural ability to combine unmixable elements and succeed on her own terms.” Swift for President.
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2. Justin Timberlake
But seriously, is there anything that JT can’t do and do with grace, style, passion and perfection? Sure he started in a boy band, but we’ll forgive him for those cornrows and that matching head-to-toe denim outfit he sported with Britney Spears in the 90s. Since then Justin has become a successful businessman, incredible solo musician, Grammy winner, husband, father, comedian, actor and more. He’s an expert at brand management, he’s likable, he’s down to earth, he’s really well spoken, and he has a classically cool persona. According to an article on CNN, “you won’t find anyone else like him in music, or Hollywood for that matter. It’s an organic chemistry of likability: equal parts movie star, debonair showman, TV comedian and successful businessman.” Here’s hoping one day we can add expert politician to that list of talents.
3. Natalie Portman
This beautiful, Oscar-winning actress and working mom seems like she can do it all. And Natalie Portman is also a total brain. She graduated from Harvard University—with honors, mind you—in 2003, and in between successful and often critically acclaimed acting roles she dedicates herself to charitable work, most recently traveling to Kenya as a Free the Children ambassador to help build a school and raise awareness for the educational opportunities for equal education in Africa. She’s compassionate, classy, talented, and smart and we would listen to anything she has to say.
4. Leonardo DiCaprio
Oh Leo…this really is your year. Sure, he’s winning award after award for his powerful role in The Revenant, but he’s so much more than just a talented actor or pretty face. DiCaprio is also an active political force, and he’s not afraid to use his voice or celebrity to raise awareness for those issues. As we all saw from his very eloquent and moving Golden Globe acceptance speech, Leo has a lot to say, and the world is listening. “I want to share this award with all the First Nations people represented in this film and all the indigenous communities around the world. It is time that we recognize your history and that we protect your indigenous lands from corporate interests and people that are out there to exploit them. It is time that we heard your voice and protected this planet for future generations” he said.
5. Jon Stewart
While comedy might not be at the top of your list for political qualifications, it certainly doesn’t hurt. For years Stewart kept us up to date with current events and kept us laughing thanks to The Daily Show, which he stepped down from in August 2015. (Sigh.) Since then Stewart didn’t crawl into a hole, but rather took action to raise awareness for political issues he is passionate about. Stewart has been instrumental in raising awareness for important issues such as funding to aid the first responders who became sick while working at ground zero after 9/11. We would love to see him take more of an active role in politics, and of course, Steven Colbert should be his running mate.
6. Tina Fey
We’re convinced that one day Tina Fey is going to rule the world. She’s funny, smart, witty, an amazing writer, seems calm in any situation, and let’s not forget that she has nailed her Sarah Palin impersonation, which leads us to believe she could actually be perfect in a Presidential role one day.
7. George Clooney
Clooney is dapper and charming, but also incredibly smart and politically active. He has a knack for public speaking and for raising awareness for important issues, and he’s been in front of the some very powerful political figures more than once. He co-founded the Satellite Sentinel Project, which “focuses world attention on mass atrocities in Sudan and uses its imagery and analysis to generate rapid responses on human rights and human security concerns.” Plus, his wife, international human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin, is exactly what we want in a First Lady.
8. Oprah Winfrey
Last but not least, the list wouldn’t seem complete without Oprah Winfrey. After all, Winfrey has built a media empire and she represents the American dream—she came from a troubled upbringing and worked hard to make it to the top, earning every bit of her success and using her celebrity to make people happier, helping those in need and inspiring her loyal fans. She’s generous, smart, hardworking and incredibly uplifting. If those aren’t the qualities of a great political leader, we’re not sure what is. Sadly, she’s not interested…but you never know!
