The Weekly Standard, on why the Democrats would be smart to get Tom Hanks to run for office:
His body of work is the stuff of which Democratic coalitions are made. Want to bring Reagan Democrats back into the fold? Show them 'Saving Private Ryan,' 'Band of Brothers,' and 'Apollo 13.' How about reaching out to family-values types? Try 'Big' and 'The Polar Express.' Need to keep women in the fold? Go with 'Sleepless in Seattle' and 'A League of Their Own.' 'Philadelphia' connects with the gay vote (add TV's 'Bosom Buddies,' for undecided cross-dressers). 'The Green Mile,' with its wrongful execution theme, plays to the anti-death penalty crowd. There's even something for Deaniacs: 'Cast Away' can be conveniently spun into an anti-corporate screed (heartless Federal Express ruins a man's Christmas, strands him on a deserted island, and costs him the love of his life).I’d vote for Hanks over Hillary any day of the week. Posted by Stephen Silver at April 10, 2005 11:10 PM